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FROM THE EDITOR MARLON LUCENARA HERMINIGILDO PINEDA HOW TO PAINT WITH BRUSHSTROKES WITH CONFIDENCE COVER STORY
BY : ARTISTS NETWORK STAFF
“A SYMPHONY OF LUMINANCE” THE ART OF REMY BOQUIREN
BY : VANESSA J. TAN GAN
AYEN QUIAS THE LIFE OF AN AVERAGE : “Entitlement Free Zone” ERIC MANUEL PRESADO WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST PROFESSIONAL? BY : ARTISTS NETWORK STAFF CAMILLE DELA ROSA ETHEL DIMACUHA ART EXHIBIT : LOVE AGAINST ALL ODDS ON MULTIPLICITY OF STYLES NATIONAL ART MONTH THE MUSEUM AND GALLERY
BY : ARNALDO MIRASOL
THE TEAM RUTH CHUA Editor-in-Chief
FILARTS, INC. Publisher
ROY ESPINOSA Creative Director
VANESSA J. TAN GAN INGRID AIMEE MARK SHELLSHEAR ARNALDO MIRASOL Writer | Contributor
Editorial and Satellite Business Office : B L13 Gemini Street Cruzville Subd. Quezon City 1124 Email : filartspublishing@gmail.com and/or filartsincorporated@gmail.com
FROM THE EDITOR
February of every year marks the National Arts Month in the Philippines. This year is particularly challenging as we celebrate the event amidst the Covid 19 pandemic. But as Filipinos are known for its resilience, the art world remains optimistic and promising, learning to cope and adapt to the current situation. As FILARTS joins the nation and the art community in celebrating “Ani ng Sining”, the Filipino Artists Magazine takes pride on having Remy Boquiren, one of the well respected and renowned Filipino woman master artist on this issue’s cover. It is interesting to learn that Ms. Boquiren is still active in support of art groups and activities. Also, inside the pages worth taking a look are the works of talented and promising Filipino artists of diverse origin and style, each with his/her own story to tell. Stay safe at home everyone while you enjoy the read.
RUTH CHUA Editor-in-Chief
MARLON LUCENARA Marlon hails from the city of Sagay in Negros Occidental. Just like many others before him, he went to Manila to pursue a career in arts. He both paints and sculpts, and is an active member of several art groups like Tunay na Skulptor and Pinoy Visual Arts. He is a fast-rising emerging artist who has participated in a number of art exhibitions both in the Philippines and abroad. Marlon’s works have graced a number of renowned galleries and have captured the admiration of avid collectors. He has been interviewed on various TV shows showcasing the beauty of his art. He is best known for his orchids and kiat kiat sculpture series, where his technique is evident in his elegantly carved sculptures. Marlon believes that art mirrors life, always growing and is developing, thus his creations exemplify discipline and drive, which is how he is creating his works. As Marlon continues to improve his craft, he is sure one artist to look out for. True to his calling, he participated in several art sculpture exhibits and his works were recognized by the GSIS Awarding Body and was given the GSIS Certificate of Award from 2013 to 2018.
EXHIBITS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Marlon also shared his talent by participating in several group exhibits : - Art Exhibit in Makati in 2012 and 2014 - Alay Sining Sculpture Art Exhibition in 2014 to 2016 - GSIS Museum twice in a row (2014 to 2018) - SM Megamall, 2015 - Alay Sining Sculpture Exhibit (2016 and 2017) - Sculpture Review, 2017, Gallery Roberto Art Exhibit
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- Art Anton Gallery Exhibit, 2017 - Art Fair to Remember 2017 - Awarded Kinetic Sculpture of the Year - Interviewed in AHA! A GMA Network TV Program - TV Interviews in ABS-CBN, UNtv and NETTv
Bonsai Grapes Brass Mahogany Wood Marble Stone. 32in x 28in x 18in
Orchid Flower Violet Brass Mahogany Wood Marble Stone. 28in x 24in x 14in
Bonsai Tree Cherry Brass Mahogany Wood Marble Stone. 24in x 18in x 16in
Orchid Flower Yellow Brass Mahogany Wood Marble Stone. 26in x 24in x 14in
Bonsai Tree Cherry Brass Mahogany Wood Marble Stone. 18in x 18in x 16in
HERMINIGILDO PINEDA “Art is synonymous with breath of life; it is a fundamental act that permeates the core of human existence.” – H. Pineda
‘ Magkikita Tayo Muli “. Acrylic on canvas. 36in x 48 in. 2016
Herminigildo “Hermie” Pineda believes in the transcendentality of artmaking. For him, this creative act is immersed in the philosophy of the cyclic phenomenon governing nature and the universe. Human beings are given the power to forge their destiny through sheer force of intellect and willpower. They are capable of shaping their physical, social, and political world. But these occurrences transpire under the universal law of causality and the axiom of nature. Any deviation has corresponding and incremental repercussions. Pineda’s oeuvre addresses these thematic concepts in several ways: as iconographic depictions symbolizing human ideals, or as mythical allusions purporting the canon of natural environment. Possessing the mastery and technical capability of depicting figuration either realistically or through abstraction as painting, mixed media art, or sculpture, he tackles various aspects of a given theme diversely. The dual narrative of ‘mother’ as creator and ‘mother’ as nurturer is explored in the low-relief sand and paint pigment mixed media art “ Indung Ibatan ” (2012). Pineda situated five human forms enclosed within the perimeter of circular framework. Two facial features representing a tranquil Mother Nature in repose are seen extruding from the picture plane. Immediately below are renditions of two bare-torsoed male figures paying homage to the giver of life. The hands reaching out to each other signify the male-female bond that created the slumbering child. And at the centre of the forms are two fused triangles emblematic of the merging into one of man and woman’s souls. In his G.S.I.S. National Art Competition non-representational winning piece “Magkikita Tayo Muli” (2016), he utilized horizontal bisection of space using linear elements to project horizons. The multi-layered landscape with predominant blue, green, and yellow hues highlighted by crimson streaks and hints of vertical linear elements at the edges evoke the desolateness of spirit intimated by separation. Yet, there is some semblance of hope when paths intersect again as an omen of renewal and transformation. Pineda’s current work “Interface” (2020) explores the realm of digital-referenced art arena. His pixelated format amidst black background presupposes cosmic architecture exhibiting binary configuration of white rectangles and yellow lines. Inter-dimensionality is suggested as overlapping spatial surfaces are perceived by the viewer. There are also noticeable areas of convergence as the elemental forms intersect each other.
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Herminigildo Pineda is a two-time recipient of the Government Service Insurance System (G.S.I.S.) National Art Competition Award bagging 3rd place in 2016. He is a four-time finalist at the Philippine Art Award (P.A.A.) National Art Competition, an awardee at the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (M.A.D.E.) National Art Competition, and a finalist at the Shell National Student Art Competition. He is also the first place winner at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (N.C.C.A.) Diwa ng Sining National Art Competition, and 2nd place winner at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (D.E.N.R.) Art Competition. He is the Philippine representative at the 7th Osaka Triennial International Art Competition in Japan, and the recipient of the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award (M.O.K.A.) for Arts and Culture (Painting). He graduated in A.B. Industrial Psychology at the Holy Angel University in Pampanga and was a faculty member of the Social Science Department teaching Humanities, Art Appreciation, History, and Life of Rizal courses for 12 years. He took up MA Art Studies majoring in Art History at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. He also did Cultural Lab Studies on Good Governance at Ateneo De Manila University in Katipunan, Quezon City. – V. Tan Gana
‘ Indung Ibatan “. Mixed Media (Sand & Pigment). 48in x 48 in. 2012
‘ Interface “. Acrylic on canvas. 36in x 24 in. 2020
‘ Metamorphosis“. Acrylic on canvas. 36in x 36 in.
‘ School of Peace “. Cold cast marble sculpture. 2019
HOW TO PAINT WITH BRUSHSTROKES WITH CONFIDENCE by Artists Network Staff
Confident use of bold brushstrokes starts with a foundation built on color value. By Patti Mollica
Soho florist (acrylic on gessoboard, 12×12; collection of Susan Bucher) by Patti Mollica
Patti Mollica is the awards juror fort AcrylicWorks 9 — the final deadline to enter the competition is October 18, 2021. Fast, loose, and bold are three words that describe what happens when you approach a painting with confidence. If you feel confident in your method and process, it shows in the resulting painting. The painting is executed relatively fast because you are working with a value plan. Your brushwork has looseness because you lay down definitive strokes and don’t need to change or rework them. Your colors are fresh because they are not over-mixed. The underlying design is bold enough to support the painting and read well from a distance.
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Many people that attend my workshops have the impression they will be learning to paint fast and furious. Therefore I explain early on, almost apologetically, that my approach is better described as mindful. After all, anyone can paint fast and furious. Give paint to a two-year-old and watch the speed and energy. My method is mainly geared to representational painters who want to give up the compulsion to paint in the great detail that is holding them back from being more expressive.
The gardens in Next to Compton’s (acrylic on canvas, 12×12; private collection) come alive with bold strokes of color.
A Foundation for Consistency The question becomes: How do you get the artistic confidence that is required to produce paintings that look it? It took me years to hone the essential tools that helped me become a consistently better painter. Consistent is the key word here. While I was experimenting with my method, I was producing paintings that sometimes were successful and sometimes not at all. To achieve consistency in my work I have to know, upfront, that I have laid the necessary foundation on which to build a strong, solid painting. My method is based on three building blocks. These keys set a solid foundation that enables an artist to paint with confidence. Once these tools are understood, practiced, and implemented, the doors open wide to a much freer painting experience.
Confident brushwork emphasizes the energy and motion of the busy New York City street in Times Square Biker 2 (acrylic on canvas, 24×24).t
From Recording to Designing The first and, in my opinion, the most important building block is understanding and seeing simplified value relationships. For many years I heard the word “value” tossed around, and was told how important it was to look for the correct values. Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a color. I understood the importance of identifying approximately where a color’s value fell on a scale of 1-10. But I didn’t exactly understand how this would improve the quality of my paintings. Understanding how to identify a color’s lightness or darkness is important. However, learning how to group together values that are similar is equally important in creating a bolder underlying design. Finally, learning how to take that design and modify it to create a stronger, more readable image is key. We often have to use “artistic license” to change the values of what we see to values that work better as a painting. For instance, if I am painting a middle - tone subject against a middle - tone background, I often push the background to be either lighter or darker so that my subject will stand apart more dramatically. My goal is to make a good painting, not to transcribe exactly what I see. Often our subject is not placed or lit perfectly. We have to be able to move mountains — or change their size and shape — and change values of what we’re seeing in order to make our subject read easily and result in a strong painting.
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Building on Black and Gray In the 1980s I went to school to learn graphic design, art direction, and illustration. Throughout my career I became experienced in creating graphic illustrations and logos for a variety of clients. Back then we did not have personal computers so everything was created by hand. The tools I used to do my work were black and middle-gray markers. The images I created had to be clear and very readable in specific applications such as: black and white newspaper ads which used very coarse screens; fax machines which at that time were grainy and low quality; and stationery packages that required the designs be shrunk to business card size.
Color and energetic brushwork, rather than great detail, define Shopping Buds (acrylic on gesso-board, 12×12; private collection).
I did not work in color until I was sure that my ideas worked in only black and white (and, if I was lucky, gray). If my design passed that test, I was ready to present to the client. Once a design was approved, I moved to the next stage, translating the design to colors using colored pencils and markers.
Slow Down to Paint Fast and Loose This experience proved invaluable in helping me transition into designing the compositions I would use for my paintings. Many instructors will tell you that every good painting has a strong underlying design. The trick is learning how to create simplified value plans so that you know, even before you pick up the paintbrush, that your painting has a very good chance of being successful. This is not commonly taught because it is somewhat challenging to teach.
Bleeker and Thompson Street (acrylic and oil on gessoboard, 8×8) illustrates how a simplified color value plan creates stronger images.
Many students want to jump in and start painting immediately, with the goal of painting exactly what they see. I understand that because I do, too. But I have learned through trial and error that I paint with much more confidence when painting with a value plan in front of me that I can refer to throughout the painting process. I always encourage students to slow down and work on a value plan that will help them stay on track with the composition, and only then move into color.
In The Guy Walk (acrylic on canvas, 16×20) brushstrokes are placed and then left alone.
The Power of the Value Plan The second block is being able to translate values to mixed colors. Every paint color has a value attached to it ,and in order to have your painting read properly, attention must be paid to ensure the colors translate to the correct values. For instance, dioxazine purple right out of the tube is a dark value, yellow ochre is a middle value, and cadmium lemon yellow is a light value. It is very easy to identify the values of some colors. Other colors, especially the very saturated, vibrant colors appear much lighter than they actually are. In order to see a color’s true value it is necessary to squint at it, with your eyes half shut. Your eyelashes act as a darkening filter that will block out some light and help you to perceive the lightness or darkness of a color. For instance, at first glance brilliant cadmium red or orange may be perceived as a light value. However if you stroke a dab of it on a middle gray palette, and then squint at the color, you will see that it is a middle value. This is the optical illusion of saturated (bright, vivid) colors. It is for this reason I always work on a neutral gray palette, as I am constantly squinting at my colors while mixing them to see their actual value.
12 HOW TO PAINT WITH BRUSHSTROKES WITH CONFIDENCE | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Notice how the saturated bright color of the orange appears to be lighter than the unsaturated dull gray background. The same photo in black and white shows that the values of the orange and the gray background are exactly the same. If you look at the color photo and squint so that your eyes are almost shut, you can see that the values are nearly identical.
Strokes of Confidence The third block is expressive brushwork. I like the look of brushstrokes that are energetic, gestural, and unfussy. This type of brushwork can only be accomplished with strokes that are placed and then left alone. I try to mix the correct value, and put down my stroke in the shape that helps define the form. In other words, I try to accomplish as much with every single stroke as possible. This economy in stroke results in fresh, clean brushwork. In my workshops I give students specific exercises that can only be done using large brushes and very few strokes. For many, this is an entirely new experience. It is easy to fall into the habit of dabbing at one’s strokes — often unconsciously — while considering what to do next. I find that dabbing diminishes the gestural quality of the brushstroke. I encourage students to put down their color once, and make it a conscious point to leave it alone. Although there are many aspects in creating a successful painting, my personal experience is that having a solid plan and methodology in place fosters the confidence needed to paint in a bold, looser fashion. I prefer to do the heavy lifting in the very beginning by designing my values and composition so that I am free to be more playful and expressive with color and brushwork. Demo: Soho Florist Materials • Strathmore Toned Gray Sketch Pad 51⁄2×81⁄2 • Golden heavy Body Paints in quinacridone magenta, alizarin crimson, cadmium red light • Yellow ochre, cadmium primrose yellow, phthaloblue (greenshade) orcerulean blue, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt sienna or burnt umber • Princeton Catalyst Polytip Brushes. flats, Nos.2, 4, 6, 10, 12 and 16 and a rigger or script brush • Grey Matters palette paper • Soft vine charcoal sticks • White chalk or pastel • Kneaded erase
Step 1 This is a typical value sketch I create before starting a painting. I work out the basic design on a neutral toned gray 5.5×8.5 sketchbook, and use soft vine charcoal to simulate my darkest values and white chalk to decide where my lightest values will be.
Step 2 I grid my square value sketch so that it will be the same proportion when I translate it to a 12×12 gessoboard. I use black gesso to paint the gesso board, and a white colored pencil to draw in the preliminary sketch.
Step 3 I start with a middle value red since my darks are already in place on the black background.
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Step 4 Next I begin placing some dark value cool colors.
Step 5 After placing a few dark and middle values, I add some light values. This helps me to see the relationships of the colors and ensures that I am adhering to my plan.
Step 6 As the painting develops, I squint often to make sure that I am following the value sketch I created in the beginning.
Step 7 I try not to fuss too much with small details — preferring to let the structure of the carts, boxes, fruits, and other elements merge via the colors and the values I choose.
Step 8 Although it is a complex scene with many elements, there is a loose quality to the brushwork because I have confidence in my value plan and therefore don’t have to repaint any of the strokes or passages.
Meet the Artist Patti Mollica believes the beauty of any scene — whether it be a garden or a busy New York City street — can be brought to life by the artist. Mollica works in oil and acrylic. In her book Modern Acrylic, she explores how acrylic provides artists with versatility and a medium for personal expression. Her other books include: Color Theory and Getting Started (in Acrylics). Her work is housed in private as well as the corporate collections of American Express, Sheraton Hotels, CBS and RCA records, Penguin Press, Mellon Bank, and many others.Visit her website at pattimollica.com. Patti Mollica is also the awards juror for ArcylicWorks 9 --- the final deadline to enter the competition is October 18, 2021.
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MARK SHELLSHEAR
Mark Shellshear 0947.647.34.65 markshellshear@gmail.com galeriadelasislas@gmail.com “ Blue Nude on a Red Couch.” I was wanting brush strokes that gave a very soft feel to this painting. Like the colours were shifting around. The blue woman becomes immersed in the shifting colours. Acrylic on canvas. When the customer says. I am just looking around, thank you. Now we have all said that and if you are showing your Art or you have a booth at an Art show, most likely when we hear that statement we assume that they will not buy. You cannot assume that, you must be smiling and friendly and very enthusiastic, so say something like. I love it when people come to look around my Art. May I point out two pieces to you. First point out the most expensive piece in your show and say the price and then point out an inexpensive piece, and then say. I will leave you to look around. Then walk away. You complied with their request, but you have also pointed out your best piece and an inexpensive piece and you did it in a friendly caring manner and hopefully they liked you and so will like your work. Doing this gives you a few seconds to sell yourself and give them a comparison of your price points, this is important. The customer has two reactions to your high price point, that seems reasonable or that seems expensive. The reasonable thought when you show them the inexpensive will think, no I prefer the first one and the person who thought it expensive will see the inexpensive ones as good value. In a few seconds of talking you got them to make a decision on choice. Does this guarantee a sale? No, but it’s a far better place to be in because you may get a sale, than to assume the sale was lost when they said, just looking, thank you.
Sa Halaman. Pastel on Paper. 25.5in x 19in. 2020
“a symphony of luminance” the art of REMY BOQUIREN “ Spiritual awakening comes when we traverse the path towards the exaltation and glorification of the powerful Almighty God. Only then can we fulfill our ultimate purpose of personal enlightenment by virtue of the grace and love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through our faith and trust in Him amidst trials and tribulations in life. “ FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE |” A SYMPHONY OF LUMINANCE” THE ART OF REMY BOQUIREN 19
Such is the belief of Remy Boquiren as she faced a seemingly insurmountable hurdle in life in the mid- 1980s. It was the time of political upheaval in the country because of the 1986 coup that saw the transition to new leadership in government. Because of the uncertainty which adversely affected the national economy, her lucrative career as an exhibiting visual artist in the Philippine art world ground to a halt with only trickling of art collectors availing of her artworks. There was also a health issue concerning a growing cyst in her jaw. But all these were resolved when she had a supernatural experience in April of 1986. Alone in her bedroom, she suddenly saw a speck of light grow blindingly bright. She then felt serenity as the light engulfed the room emanating comfort and peace. A spiritual awakening occurred as the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ lifted her burden and granted her the gift of grace. Remy Boquiren’s life has always been full of challenges even as a youngster. Born in Surigao del Norte province to Ildefonso Boquiren and Juanita Fuentes in 1940, she and her younger brother were left bereft of a father when she was just two years old. Her mother single-handedly brought them up providing their basic needs with much love. Even then, she was already interested in making artworks as she drew on her notebooks in fifth grade. But there was only limited resources for her family which is not enough for procurement of art references or formal training. She was able to pursue this interest to the fullest when she shifted college courses from Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education to Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas (U.S.T.) in Espana, Manila in the early 1960s. The demure lass from Surigao province experienced an epiphany as a new world of shapes, colors, and forms opened up to her under the tutelage of art faculty mentors Victorio Edades, Diosdado Lorenzo, Galo Ocampo, and Napoleon Abueva among others. These National Artists for Painting mentors recognized raw talent in their protégé and proceeded to push her to strive for the best that she can be. She became the art editor for the student publication Varsitarian after proving her worth winning awards in layout and illustration. Boquiren then worked for the advertising company of National Artists for Painting Arturo Luz after she graduated in 1964. The year 1966 became a year of new beginnings as she embarked on a new career as a faculty art instructor at the University of the East School of Music and the Arts, and married her partner for life Rizal Conception from Roxas City, Aklan. Soon, there was a family to rear as their children John Eric, Ige, and Carmel Angela came one after the other. It became a fine balancing act as Boquiren had to be wife and mother to her family, and mentor and adviser to her students. For ten long years, her being an artist had to take a backseat as she performed the aforementioned roles wholeheartedly. The turning point came in 1976 when she took a decisive step to finally heed her calling as a fulltime visual artist. She resigned from teaching and started painting again. Although she has long relocated to Marikina City for more than a decade, she nevertheless held her first solo art exhibition in the province. She stepped back in time and revisited her past as vignettes of childhood memories: still life, landscapes, and various sceneries were depicted from her recollection of bygone years. Though well- thought of, it was her second solo art exhibition also in 1976 held at the ABC Galleries in Manila entitled “The Way We Wear” which became the breakthrough event that launched her artistic career. Art patroness and former First Lady Imelda Marcos attended the opening of the Boquiren’s art exhibition unannounced and purchased most of the exhibited oeuvres. Others from the First Lady’s circle of friends soon followed suit and it became a trend to own a Boquiren, so to speak. There followed several momentous solo art exhibitions: “They Wear Rainbows” in 1977 and “The Rainbow Women” which were both held at ABC Galleries, the fifth solo art exhibition in 1982 held at the Ayala Museum in Makati City, the November 1993 launching art exhibition of Liongoren Art Gallery “ Kawikaan Tatlumpu’t I sa ” at Manila Pavilion Hotel, the November 1995 solo art exhibition “Sampaguita at Filipina” held at Liongoren Art Gallery at SM Megamall , the tandem art exhibition with fellow woman artist Lydia Velasco “Marikit Na” in 1998 at Marikina Art Center in Marikina City, the “Alay” solo art exhibition at Gallery 139 at SM Megamall, and the “Remedies”(2005) and “Taga Isla”(2006) solo art exhibitions at Renaissance Gallery at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. She was also part of group art exhibitions throughout the four decades spanning her artistic career.
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Sa May Batis. Pastel on Paper. 25.5in x 19.5in. 2020
Macopa Harvest. Acrylic on canvas. 36in x 48in. 2019
When asked about why she chose to illustrate women as the main subject in her paintings, Boquiren responded “The female figure is more gracious than the male, and I have always been fascinated by it. Besides, I wish to depict women not as a submissive but as active partner in the new lives they bring into this world.” Herein lay the power behind her artworks. The idealized portrayal of what a Filipina woman should represent became the thematic concept that underlined her paintings even as it evolved through the years. A narration of the Philippine historical landscape can be gleaned from her characterization of Filipina women through their clothing and way of life stretching back to pre-colonial era, the Spanish colonial era, and the post - colonial era of the 19th and 20th century. This was highlighted in her breakthrough art exhibition “The Way We Wear” in 1976. Filipina women from ethnic and indigenous group across the country were also sensitively-represented. From the Badjao, Maranao, Manobo, and Yakans of highland Mindanao to those from Apayao, Ifugao, and Kalinga of Northern Luzon, she featured cultural aspects that defined their ethnicity such as the traditional wear and body adornments, weaved mat and clothing patterns unique to their society, and the native musical instruments used within their community to establish their cultural identity. This was made possible through Boquiren’s extensive research on Philippine indigenous textile design when she worked as a Zarzuela costume designer and university art instructor teaching costume design. “They Wear Rainbow” (1977), “The Rainbow Women”, and the 1982 solo art exhibition at Ayala Museum explored this exposition meticulously. There was so much to be thankful for as Boquiren’s years of success magnified her stature into one of the prominent woman prime mover in the Philippine art scene. Then came the year in 1986 when vicissitudes arrived in droves to test her faith. As a prayerful woman professing piety, it was not easy to admit the doubt that crept in when she experienced career drought, health concern due to a worrisome condition, and nationwide political upheaval all at the same time. But her trust in the goodness, love, and grace of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ restored her faith as she witnessed the miracle of light. The spiritual transformation was reflected in her succeeding paintings as well. All her Filipina women are now suffused with light radiating from within the vicinity of their hearts. Garbed in the traditional ‘baro’t saya’, there is a fresh quintessence of meaning as women go about doing daily chores harvesting flowers and fruits, nurturing their child, or simply enjoying each other’s company. Boquiren’s inborn gentility and newly-found spirituality influenced the mode by which these virtuous Filipina women are depicted. Still exhibiting their characteristic features of willowy form, high cheekbones, slated eyes, dainty nose, and delicate lips on a heart-shaped face, her illuminated women displays inner contentment that emphasized the warmth, beauty, and grace manifested by their creator herself. It exemplifies the Modernist presupposition of Philippine Art’s Thirteen Moderns member Anita Magsaysay-Ho, but done with Boquiren’s distinctive luminance. The bright aura symbolic of the Almighty’s everlasting love envelopes the women completely and transforms them into incorporeal beings offering glory to God. Her compositions showcase harmony, balance, and symmetry in the manner of classical art tradition. Her superlative use of lighting and proficiency in rendering figuration are definitive aspects of her artworks reminiscent of National Artist for Painting Carlos “ Botong ’ Francisco’s style. There is reciprocal interplay between the figures as she juxtaposes the positioning of their body and gestures. Inverse synergy is established as point and counterpoints are applied to contrive a dynamic configuration. She also utilizes the background of the picture plane to create the illusion of space. The foliaged background transposes the atmosphere of the whole composition into an idealized version of heaven on earth, or so it seem. Her choice of vibrant hues of yellows, red orange, tinges of green shades contrasting with the women’s upper garb of pure white aided in capturing this illusion of lush greeneries amidst celestial backdrop. Furthermore, she employed iconography in her masterpieces in both micro and macro level. One such example is found in her “Sampaguita and Filipina” solo art exhibition. The word ‘Sampaguita’ is the Spanish term for ‘ sumpa kita ’ or ‘ I promise you ’ , and is associated with concept of love, immaculateness, devotion, strength, and fidelity. The diminutive, white Sampaguita bloom with its
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fragrant scent is comparable to the Filipina of the idyllic past whose purity, exquisiteness, and gentle mannerism is much celebrated as symbol of Filipino culture. It also represents the Filipina of today as they face the challenges of modern living with pure hearts, strong conviction, hopeful demeanour, and boundless belief in the goodness of fellow humans. Endemic to the Philippine archipelago, this flowering plant is likewise emblematic of the country’s dedication and loyalty to the promulgation of national patrimony. Notwithstanding her advanced age, Boquiren is still actively participating in art group activities for personal or charitable causes. As a consultant and senior adviser of the Art Wednesday Group, she imparts a lifetime of experience sharing her techniques in artmaking and encouraging the younger generation to be dedicated artists in reaching out for excellence in their craft. Their weekly sessions keep her abreast of current happenings in the local art scene, and their twice a year art group exhibition benefits philanthropic causes. She is an advocate of the Leukemia Indigents Fund Endowment (L.I.F.E.), a charitable organization that supports medical treatment for children with leukemia belonging to poor families. Through the printing of her artworks on Hallmark Christmas cards, she is able to provide funding in partnership with the Hallmark Company. Boquiren was also the delegate for the Sentong Pangkultura ng Marikina-Tatag Sining to the Visual Arts Congress of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (N.C.C.A.), and the Traditional Media Unit of the International Christian Media Unit of the Philippines. Now a widow and a grandmother, she indulges her passion for small scale gardening of unusual plants in her backyard. Exotic orchids ‘Waling-waling’, ‘Birds of Paradise’, and passion flowers co-exist with verisimilitude images in her paintings. Within the narrative of Boquiren’s Filipina women is the narration of her soul’s search for the sublime power reigning majestically over humankind. “Ang nakikita mo sa artwork ko-ito ako ngayon (What is seen in my artwork is an embodiment of who I am now). I am aware that all things pass. That is why I do not seek to be remembered as simply an artist; but that my artwork somehow directs or points to God”. And in her humble, quiet ways as an intercessor, she was able to capture the magnificence of God’s omnipotence in her magnum opus as guided by the hands of the greatest Artist of all time. – V. Tan Gana
Mariquit - na. Acrylic on canvas. 36in x 24in. 2018
Top : Pagoda Ride. Taiwan Wood Collage. 20in x 24in Right : Island of Procida. Wood Collage. 13in x 19in. Bottom : Stobosa Village. Wood Collage. 20in x 26in.
26 AYEN QUIAS | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
AYEN QUIAS AYEN QUIAS is a painter/ collage artist born in Santiago City, Isabela and now based in Pura, Tarlac. She studied Architecture in University of Cordilleras in Baguio City. Most of her paintings are in Ilocano title as respect to her Ilokano roots. Her subject is a lady with cheeks on fleek, as she called it. It is a figurative abstract of woman with protruding shoulder, elongated hands and neck, hourglass shaped bodies, dressed in a series of patterns and with coveted cheeks. One of her paintings “Sophistikada” was sold in an auction and currently a collection of New York Modern Art Gallery. Ayen Quias is the owner and artist of Ayenics Arts and Crafts, makers of faux barrels and customized wood crafts for weddings and other events. When Covid-19 pandemic reached the country and social gathering is restricted, her business along with the event industry was totally devastated. But Ayen Quias is a person who doesn’t dwell on what went wrong but rather thinks that in every mistake there is a possibility and opportunity. So this gives rise to “Ayen’s Little Town”- a wood collage of colorful dense houses with candy colored skies. It is made out of wood scraps and she transformed it into a wonderful work of art. To her it is an artwork to remind us that during this pandemic we lost so much lives, we struggle to live and yet we still have hopes for tomorrow. Ayen Quias joins and attended exhibits in galleries and museum here and abroad which includes 2013 Art Expo Malaysia, Italy, USA, Mexico and the latest is in Singapore where she lost 6 paintings.
Top : A Day in a Life of a Frontliner. Wood Collage. 20in x 24in
The Life of An Average : “Entitlement Free Zone” By Ingrid Aimee Arrogance means “bigging yourself up”—whether publicly or just inside your own mind. Often it involves knocking others down at the same time. Other names for arrogance are : egotism, conceit, grandiosity, and self-importance. Ancient Greek literature refers to hubris, a form of arrogance in which a person thinks himself to be higher in status than other ordinary mortals. In other words, a god. As with the opposite chief feature of self-depracation, arrogance is a way of manipulating others’ perceptions of yourself in order to avoid taking a “hit” to your self-esteem. In this case, however, the basic strategy is to get others to see you as special, perfect or flawless —diverting attention from your ordinary imperfections, weaknesses and failings — and thereby keeping your self-esteem artificially inflated. An arrogant person is the one who acts as if he is superior, more worthy and more important than the others. Therefore, he puts others down and even disrespects them. At the same time, he wants to be admired and respected. He wants to be ‘appreciated’ for all the great things that he has done and all the special qualities that he has. In many cases, a person becomes arrogant when he makes the kind of achievements that his peers fail to make. Doing something extraordinary that no one else could do gives a tremendous boost to our self-worth and when we find that others haven’t accomplished nearly as much, we tend to look down at them. It’s because our subconscious mind is always comparing our life with our peers in order to measure our progress in the things that matter to us. Know that just because you did something great doesn’t mean that you’re a super-human. You have some weak points too and you know it. Know that others are not less worthy than you just because they never did what you were able to do. Maybe they’re trying, maybe they’re much better than you in a lot of other things, and maybe they don’t even care about making the type of achievements that you have made. I could go on and on giving reasons but the point is- you have no reason to be arrogant and think that others are less worthy than you even if you did something remarkable. A reason for becoming arrogant is that you’re trying to protect your ego and self-worth in some way. You may behave arrogantly to hide your insecurity, inferiority, and a lack of confidence. If you’re insecure and you fear rejection from other people then you may behave arrogantly towards them. Arrogance, in this case, helps you to kind of reject others before they can get an opportunity to reject you! It’s a pre-emptive strike.
28 THE LIFE OF AN AVERAGE “ENTITLEMENT FREE ZONE” | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Since you already know you’re inferior, you’re worried that others will find out about it and as a result they won’t accept you. You’re so sure that they’ll reject you that you show rejection first- before they get a chance to show it to you and hurt you. This way, you’re able to protect your ego because even if they rejected you later you can say that you never really cared about their acceptance and never really thought much of them because you had already rejected them! The truth, however, is that you cared a lot about their approval and were afraid of their rejection. This is the reason why a lot of people tend to behave arrogantly with strangers or with people they barely know. Friends and family members accept you- you know that. But who knows how a stranger might respond? Let’s reject them before they can get the opportunity to reject us! Despite what meets the eye, arrogant people care a lot about others’ approval. If they didn’t, whom would they show their arrogance to? Sometimes, arrogance may just be the result of trying to gain attention because no other way of gaining attention has worked for you. This is true for those people who learnt that being arrogant resulted in them receiving a lot of attention in the past and that’s why they became motivated to continue this behavior. As soon as they find that their arrogance no longer brings them attention, they’ll drop this behavior. It is unacceptable to be too obviously arrogant and manipulative in most adult settings. Just going around bragging is “against the rules” in most social circles.
Eric Manuel Presado
Have you ever heard of Super - Kulayeros? They have been in the limelight for transforming some obscure walls of Metro Manila and the whole country into mini-colorful murals. Actually, they are artistic expressions of school children. One of the man behind this massive movement is Eric H. Presado, a special art teacher for ten long years of specially inclined pupils at Mabini Elementary School in Quiapo, Manila. This is not the only nationwide task Presado and his group have undertaken. The members of the Philippine Art Educators of which he is board member, organized Likha National and International Arts held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. They also initiated Lakbay Sining throughout the country. This is a mobile group that hops from place to place every summer throughout the country and gives special art classes and activities to school children. Sining Bata is another brainchild of Presado’s group. This organization opens the road for friendly national art competitions among elementary school children. Sometime ago in connection with the celebration of the year of the child, he made possible the representation of the Philippines in the children’s arts competition in New York. He got a reward for all his efforts when two of his boys brought home two gold medals for winning in the 21st World Children’s Art Exhibition and Competition held in Korea. All these attempts are not without compensation. In the recognition of his efforts, MEC considered him for Guro Award for 1980. Unselfish, this artist-educator is. What he knows and what he has acquired through the years he passes onto his proteges. He derives unexplained gratification in student’s creativity. He frowns on students who remain copycats of tutors and old masters and who exert no effort in exploring the depth of their potentials. For example, his students at PWU came up on time with an entirely new innovation in art ... painting on kites. Have you ever heard of it? Here, scrutiny of brush strokes is beyond reproach from the analytical eyes of critics as the paintings soar in the sky, but then there’s another thing to marvel at . . . how was the idea born?
30 ERIC MANUEL PRESADO | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Presado believes that teaching arts involves involvement of the students, so they must be taken out to on-the-spot sessions to get the feel of the subject. This is what he does to his college students at Philippine Women’s University. To recreate life on canvas, the subject must have life. “There’s no life in buildings.” he said. “But there is so much in the scenes ... the rustic ones especially. Peace is there. It’s paradise to me. I even inhale its exhilarating aroma as if I would not be there again. I feel happiest when I am with nature. I feel God is there with me. When I am out in the country, I squint my eyes and throw them as far as the horizon and even beyond. There are also rare moments that my thoughts travel to eternity. Then I would get my canvas to register my meditative spirit. Even when I was a little boy, I was like this.” He is very fortunate for being born in Bicol, a place abounding in scenic beauty. Unlike other artists who discipline themselves to work with time, Presado is one of the very few who paints only when the right mood comes. He stops when the zest is gone even if it means leaving his work unfinished. He returns to it only when he regains the same feelings. Don’t be surprised if you will see in his studio several unfinished works. Commissioned works are his last consideration, for to him, they contradict the spontaneity of expression. Yet there are collectors who wait in line to possess his realistic paintings which are living pictures of the serene country side. His compositions, simple and uncluttered, incontestably hold the eyes at the point of emphasis which vibrates in precision with his tiny, yes, very tiny brush strokes. His three-hair brush labors with love on the whole canvas for many days, sometimes months. This maybe is the reason why this artist breaks his heart to part with his paintings. He hates to sell them away, but he is forced to sometimes, because he has to buy art materials. Keenly he remembers all those who took his works in collection he wished he could take them back again. Analyzing Presado’s play of colors, a critic will wonder how he can keep the warmth in yellow (his present color scheme) vibrant and unusually cool, his greens and blues even cooler.
Top : Sinigang na Bangus. Oil on Canvas
Interview with Eric Manuel Presado
1. Anong age po kayo nagsimula gumawa ng artwork? “ I started at 7 years old”. 2. Ano po ang naging inspiration nyo? “ Children and students are my inspirations. Because it is in the art teachings that brought me to travel around the world except Russia and China. And become ambassador of goodwill through the arts.” 3. Bakit niyo po pinili ang maging artist? “ It is just incidental that my professors in arts discovered my talent and encouraged me to pursue my career. They are impressed because I can work innovatively. One time in UP a weird professor in art history who was a clairvoyant told me, “ Son you will be traveling around the world through the arts”. And I realized I was traveling already. Hehehe. I can’t forget that.” 4. Brief story po ng pagiging artist nyo. “ Brief story of being artist, it started as hobby and just doing them for the love of it, I work for the upliftment of arts in our country which I introduced community art development initiated by school children and students all over the Philippines.” 5. What is your best artwork? “ I’ve no particular best work cause all my works in painting are best work for me, especially those my work of watercolors. And all my creations are best, because I worked them with love.” 6. If magkaroon po kayo ng chance magpapalit po ba ng profession? Why and why not? “ If I have to change my profession it would be in the line of arts also. Like major in fashion designing. I love the spontaneous of lines and distortions of figures. For short it has the softness of lines and has feminine touch.” 7. Ano po ang message nyo po para sa mga young artist ngayon? “ Every artist who aspires to become famous and would be great if they would learn to work hard with passion to achieve their dreams.”
32 ERIC MANUEL PRESADO | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Brunei Darussalam Rainforest
Bougainvilla Series 1. Watercolor on Arches paper. 9in x 12in
Agony in the Garden. Oil on Canvass. 18in x 24in
Brunei Darussalam Series 2. Watercolor on Arches Paper 9in x 12in
Art Business, The Artist Life
What Makes an Artist Professional? by Artists Network Staff
Learn the ways “artist” is defined to access studio space, write off expenses, claim copyright and more. by Daniel Grant
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
Can we define art? Leo Tolstoy called it “a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity”. Oscar Wilde identified art as “the most intense mode of individualism the world has known.” So, in other words, no. But, can we define who is a professional artist?
34 WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST PROFESSIONAL? | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
When Labels Matter The need to identify who is or isn’t a professional artist arises all the time. It can be required to qualify for studio or residential space reserved for artists. It’s needed when artists are counted in a census, required to pay income taxes, or applying for funds. And there are the surveys by various researchers to track items such as trends in artists’ employment, or the economic benefits of creative communities. However, compared to other occupations that require a license, permits, or even reported income, the label “artist” can be subjective.
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
Proving that one is a serious, professional artist matters more than just for bragging rights. So let’s examine a few potential definitions.
An Artist’s Job is Art The federal government identifies artists as professionals in two separate ways. The Census Bureau makes a broad national survey every 10 years. And it inquires about sources of paid employment through the companion American Community Survey. This data is used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other agencies.
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
People with more than one source of income are counted in the job where they work the greatest number of hours. Because the focus is on paid employment, rather than the amount of time spent in the studio or a desire to sell art, many artists are likely to be overlooked, and therefore not counted as artists. On an individual basis, this doesn’t have an effect, but there is a national policy downside. Legislators are less likely to appropriate money to the arts, or to create laws that benefit artists if this group is significantly undercounted.
Artists Turn a Profit on Their Art
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
The Internal Revenue Service takes a narrow view of who qualifies as an artist. There are nine criteria that the IRS applies in order to separate professionals from hobbyists. Professionals may deduct their expenses, and hobbyists may not: • • • • • • • • •
Is the activity carried on in a businesslike manner? Does the artist intend to make the artistic activity profitable? Does the individual depend in full or in part from income generated by the artistic work? Are business losses to be expected, or are they due to circumstances beyond the artist’s control? Do business plans change to improve profitability? Does the artist have the knowledge to make the activity profitable? Has the artist been successful in previous professional activities? Does the activity generate a profit in some years and, if so, how much of one? Will the artist make a profit in the future?
An artist doesn’t need to answer “yes” to every question in order to legitimately deduct businessrelated expenses. These can include art supplies and equipment, studio rental, travel, educational expenses, and promotional costs. But the IRS demands proof that an artist make an effort to earn a profit in three out of five years.
36 WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST PROFESSIONAL? | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Artistic credentials, which don’t usually matter to collectors and critics, may help an artist make a case that he or she is a professional for tax purposes. These include earning a bachelor’s or Master’s degree in fine arts, membership in an artists’ society, experience teaching art, inclusion in an art directory, and an exhibition history.
Professional Artists Require a Studio
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
There are several agencies that certify an artists’ eligibility to rent or buy live-work loft apartments with residential and studio space. Artist certification committees determine an applicant’s need for space and qualifications as a serious, rather than professional artist. According to the artist certification guidelines of the Boston Redevelopment Authority in Massachusetts, “Any artist who can demonstrate to a committee of peers that they have a recent body of work as an artist, and who requires loft-style space to support that work, is eligible.” The definition these committees use is quite flexible, focusing on subjective factors. The Artist Certification Committee of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs looks at the “nature of the commitment of the artist to his or her art form as his or her primary vocation”. This is used for evaluation rather than a set of hard numbers — exhibitions, sales, awards, memberships — which would tend to disqualify most applicants.
Artists as Independent Contractors
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
Artists generally are self-employed. They work in their own studios, set their own hours, and create objects of their own making. But sometimes they do work for someone else. For instance, they may act as a studio assistant or be commissioned to produce an artwork. In these circumstances, the definition matters a lot, principally because of the issue of copyright. An employee gets a salary, works set hours, and is given explicit instructions on how to fulfill tasks. Consequently, the creative work that the individual performs on the job all belongs to the employer. It is not uncommon, however, for artists not to pay taxes for their assistants by calling them independent contractors, rather than employees. Assistants who are independent contractors, therefore, may have a legal basis to be considered joint authors of the artists’ work if they were involved directly with the finished pieces. This is a right that employees do not have. That joint authorship would be dependent upon the degree to which the assistant could prove that his or her original ideas and decision-making is part of the final work, according to Joshua Kaufman, a Washington, D.C. lawyer who often represents artists. There have been a number of lawsuits brought by former assistants for joint copyright ownership of works. But they have all settled out of court.
38 WHAT MAKES AN ARTIST PROFESSIONAL? | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Artists Call Themselves Artists
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
According to Marcel Duchamp, the artist defines art. And it seems increasingly true that nowadays artists also define who and what they are. Definitions by nature are confining and restrictive, while art and its makers seek to be expansive and inclusive. It may be simpler to state what makes an artist a professional than what defines an artist. And part of an artist’s job is to understand how artists are seen and what is expected of them — whether that be a certification committee that wants to see the art, a funding source that wants to read an artist’s proposal, or the government that wants to see receipts.
CAMILLE DELA ROSA Camille Dela Rosa was born on the 29th of July, 1982. She is the daughter of the late noted painter Ibarra Y. Dela Rosa and Humanities and Art History professor Ethel Dimacuha, also a visual artist. Perhaps aware of the then pathetic plight of artists, her father, purposely did not encourage Camille to pursue her own artistic vision. He did not teach her how to paint, nor expose her to the art world he circulated in. Upon his demise in 1998, Camille nevertheless decided to become a painter. The same year, she then mounted her first solo exhibition at the age of 16. Her mother was integral in her formation as an artist. She provided Camille with much needed support and encouragement. As a young self - taught artist, her several solo exhibitions from 1998 to 1999 blossomed under the inspiration of her father’s paintings. Sooner, she slowly departed from her father’s style to give way to her penchant for the impressionist technique as evident from her 2000 to 2008 paintings. Camille produced spontaneously and exhibited her gardens, churches, landscapes, flowers, portraits, nudes, and people in their various endeavors along this grain. Art critic Cid Reyes even called Camille in his article as the “youngest impressionist painter in the Philippines”. More and more, Camille discovered the pleasure and challenge of her art. Suddenly in her 8th year as artist, Camille left her comfort zone, stressing she doesn’t want to be stagnant at one visual genre and stay forever on that plateau. She became restless and an urge to get out of the doldrums besieged her. By the year 2009, Camille surprised the art scene when she launched her 16th solo exhibit, titled “Enigma.” The show was a complete departure from her usual impressionistic garden paintings. She bravely explored the surreal, the morbid, the mechanical, and the unknown. Her works were dominated with protohuman skulls and skeletons - in anatomical veracity of detail. Evident also were symbolic images and leitmotifs such as nude female figures, fetuses, throbbing hearts, faces ghoulish and realistic, proboscis, mouths and eyeballs — in brief an assortment of possibly metaphorical items reflecting narrative potential.
40 CAMILLE DELA ROSA | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
That Each May Be Greater. Oil on Canvas. 3ft x 3ft. 2014
A Temptation. Oil on Canvas. 8ft x 6ft. 2013.
Endless Beginning. Oil on Canvas.5ft x ft. 2014
Lily of the Valley. Oil on Canvas. 4ft x 3ft. 2015.
The Other’s Hidden Center. Oil on Canvas. 4ft x 3ft. 2015
Those works are now the images from her subconscious mind. Through this, she was able to create artworks that to others are “morbid” but oozing with mystical, esoteric and occult symbolism. In this art form, she successfully had proven her worth as a surrealist artist. In 2015, her contemporary and brave experiments in symbolisms are again evident in her solo show, thematically titled “Enchantress,” where she examines the strengths and prowess of women in a series of surreal portraits that are fascinating in their intricacy. Her skillful technique is again on full display, painting women in their dominating roles as mothers, warriors and queens. In conclusion, Camille’s works are always an affirmation of her evolution as an artist and as a person.
Constructivist Composition. Oil Pastel on Sandpaper. 9in x 11in. 2014
ETHEL DIMACUHA Ethel E. D. was a former Art History and Humanities professor at the Technological University of the Philippines, Lyceum of the Philippines and St. Scholastica’s College. To her credit were 9 solo art exhibitions and several group shows in different local galleries. But as she became occupied with other domestic matters, she also gets tired and bored with her traditional style. She quit painting, was in a long hiatus without any intention of going back in the art scene again. However, in 2014, she felt a renewed urge to express herself in art again but not in the style she was known for. This time, her primary objective was to express her artworks with gestures which are more spontaneous and carefree. Her concerned now is more on the activity of creative process utilizing the basic elements of forms and colors. As a result, she was able produce unexpected dabbles that are bolder in strokes and carefree in style.
42 ETHEL DIMACUHA | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
In her recent oeuvre, her surrounding inspired her as she sees her subjects in terms of positive and negative spaces. With her chosen mediums such as charcoal on paper, combination of oil pastel and charcoal on black sand paper and a few oil on canvas, she allows her imagination and subconscious to flow unobstructed to be able to express the latent visionary forms and colors through an artistic style known as automatism. Whether in black and white or in striking bold colors, her art works invite her spectator to meditate and to participate in a feel into the subconscious travel of the artist.
Frolic Movements. Charcoal on Paper. 9in x 11.5in. 2015.
Luminescence. Oil Pastel on Sandpaper. 9in x 11in. 2016
Broken Forms. Oil Pastel on Sandpaper. 9in x 11in. 2016
Moonlight Cove. Charcoal on Paper. 9in x 11.5in. 2015.
ART EXHIBIT FOCUS
Espacio Gallery will hold an art exhibition entitled Love Against All Odds opening on the 21st of February 2021, the artists participating are : Roy Espinosa, Cristina Gabaldon, Ceres Fajardo, Erzil Kho-Morales, Mylene Quito, Strobs Hodreal, Margananda Tagorda, Christian Regis, April Santos, Ritche Yee with guest artist Hermes Alegre.
44 ART EXHIBITION : LOVE AGAINST ALL ODDS | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
the show brings forth a hashtag post pandemic stature, whereas it’s more of bringing the best out of everything that happened for the past year. with the value of life and lessons learned still we hold the best of what a human being have and that would be “Love”. And yes pandemic has really changed our perspective on a lot of things. For some, it meant discovering new hobbies and embracing their green thumb. For others, they turned to introspection and sought to reinvent themselves . But if one thing remains certain during this uncertain times, it is that love conquers all. We will be undeterred regardless of what troubled times brings us. Nevertheless we find strength and courage , we sought and look for our family and friends. We bring out the best out of everyone. As we say .. “We are humans and what others say or think about us will affect us, especially things about our differences or abilities. However, it is vital to speak positive things, read positive things, meet positive people, surround ourselves with positive people, go to positive places, find activities to do when we are in a not-so-positive frame of mind and thereby, build a mountain of positivity around ourselves.” We turn our thoughts to what is ahead and prepare in doing it and be happy after we have conquered it all, AGAINST ALL ODDS. The show opens at 4pm Espacio Gallery, Upper ground floor, Festival Supermall, expansion wing, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Love Against All Odds will run until March 7, 2021.
Roy Espinosa Preserve our Trees 6in x 24in Acrylic on canvas 3
Mylene Quito Invisible Thread 24in x 36in Acrylic on canvas
Christian Regis “ Anibersaryo” 20 x 18 inches Oil & acrylic on canvas | 2021
Erzil Morales “Ardent Fervor” 24x36 in. / Black Frame included Acrylic on canvas | 2021, Philippines
April Santos “P.s i tulip you” 16in x 16in Acrylic on canvas | 2020
46 ART EXHIBITION : LOVE AGAINST ALL ODDS | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Strobs Hodreal “B A H A G H A R 1ft x 2.5ft Acrylic on reclaime
R I SERIES 2”
ed wood | 2021
Ritche Yee “Radiance” 24in x 24in Oil & acrylic on canvas Ceres Fajardo “Pragma” 20in x 24in Mixed media on canvas
Cristina Gabaldon “Dreamscape in Blue” 24 x 36 inches Acrylic on canvas | 2020
Surrealist, dream-like work representing the sea/sky. It is a play of sea creatures and cranes in the same plane. A playful mix of imagery and abstraction.
Margananda Tagorda Untitled 2 16in x 16in Mixed media on canvas | 2021
ON MULTIPLICITY OF STYLES By Arnaldo Mirasol
My painting “Bloody Mary”, clearly shows the stylistic gulf separating my current artworks from those I did in the 1980s up to the year 2007. A high school classmate remarked that he can’t quite figure out my style. He said that my artworks don’t have a common look that would readily identify them as mine. I replied that my having a multiplicity of styles was inevitable, considering that the artworks he saw in my portfolio were done over a period of more than thirty years. I had a varied art career. My first professional works were paintings belonging to the social realist school, but with a surrealist twist a la Dali. I was an editorial cartoonist for several years, and then textbook illustrator where I put my knack for cartooning and caricatures to good use. It was when I became a picture book illustrator that I can truly say that I’ve exhausted the limits of realism. My fairy tale illustrations were packed with minute details rendered in true “kutkutan” fashion. I eventually grew tired of that style, especially after a fellow painter described me as obsessive-compulsive and his writer-wife in turn predicted that I won’t get rich because of the excessively long time I take to finish an illustration. Thus, I changed style. I’m not the only one who did. I could cite the names of numerous painters whose bodies of works would reveal several stylistic changes. Pablo Picasso was the most prominent and extreme example. Picasso was a child prodigy. He can already draw like Raphael when he was twelve years old, and he was just fifteen when he came out with paintings comparable to the mature works of the leader of the French Realist School, Gustave Courbet. But Picasso wouldn’t rest on his laurels. He chucked off that realist style for good in Paris when he created his poignant series of blue paintings. But before that, on the eve of his departure from Spain, he did a suite of pastel drawings more evocative of Roualt --- with their dark outlines and simplified figures--- than of Courbet. Picasso’s Blue Period paintings, done during his starving years, were pictures of sadness, poverty, and misfortune. In 1907, Picasso came out with the landmark painting “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” which was to become the prototype for Cubism. He next came up with his Neo-classical series, where the figures this time are of massive proportions, strongly reminiscent of Michelangelo, although very much simplified. The painting which many consider his masterpiece, the “Guernica”, was apparently a fusion or synthesis of his cubist and neo-classic styles. Picasso went on to create in rapid succession more paintings of different styles that art historians find hard to label or classify. Another painter who have trekked the style spectrum, so to speak, was the surrealist Salvador Dali who started out as an impressionist. With the advent of cubism, he promptly did paintings thatmimicked closely Picasso’s. He also did minimalist mixed-media abstracts when abstraction was in vogue, and even an abstract-expressionist work where he used an improvised grenade in lieu of brushes, with nails as shrapnel. When this so-called “apocalyptic granate” was detonated, the nails embedded themselves on the surface of copper plates leaving nail marks all over. Prints were made on paper using these copper plates which Dali afterwards jazzed up with an image of the Pieta and other adornments on the border using watercolor. When Dali became a member of the surrealist movement he focused his efforts on creating dreaminspired paintings rendered in his trademark illusionistic manner. But unlike Picasso who stuck to his deconstructions or distortion of the human figure to the end, Dali’s imagery in his later years, especially in his massive religious paintings, showed a resurgent concern with correct anatomy. His last painting was a return to the minimalism of his youth, and just depicted lines resembling an outline of the tail of a bird and a motif or two from a violin.
48 ON MULTIPLICITY OF STYLES | FILIPINO ARTISTS MAGAZINE
Other artists who’ve switched or used simultaneously different painting styles in the course of their career were, to name a few among the foreign painters, Camille Pissaro, George Braque, Wassily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Jackson Pollock, Frank Stella, Jasper Johns, and Stanley Spencer. Filipino artists who did the same were Nena Saguil, Alfredo Roces, Hernando Ocampo, Jerry Navarro, Prudencio Lamarrosa, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, David Medalla, Santiago Bose, and Bencab, among others. Vicente Manansala, who was the first proponent of cubism here didn’t start out as a cubist. His earlier works were heavily influenced by Botong Francisco. So you see, switching styles doesn’t really diminished a painter. True, an artist who changes styles often might just be the impressionable type, or one who is easily influenced by anything he regards as superior --- which I confess I sometimes am. But the opposite could in fact be truer, because that can also be a mark of versatility, or even ingenuity. It might actually be just a manifestation of the artist’ restless spirit and fondness for novelty and experimentation.
“ALAB-SINING,ALAY-SIGLA”: IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL ARTS MONTH
February is a special month in the Philippines as the country annually celebrates artistic excellence and pays tribute to the uniqueness and diversity of the Filipino heritage and culture. Promulgated by then President Corazon Aquino in 1991, Presidential Proclamation No. 683 declares February as National Arts Month (NAM). Under the mandate of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and spearheaded by Subcommission on the Arts (SCA), it highlighted the importance of acknowledging exceptional artistic contribution and promoting artistic movement and expressions as embodied in the field of Visual Arts, Architecture, Allied Arts, Music, Dance, Cinema, Dramatic Arts, and Literary Arts. This year’s theme of Alab-Sining, Alay-Sigla intends “ to provide opportunities for artists to harvest creative energies in uplifting the nation’s spirit.” This is in response to the on-going worldwide pandemic that has affected all aspects of everyday life. As a product of human endeavour, Art has the capacity to inspire and empower a nation and its people. With this in mind, NAM “aims to conserve, promote and popularize Filipino artistic creations; integrate the arts in the community life; and harness the arts as catalyst for values education.” In line with this, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) tapped private institutions and government agencies alike to participate in the month-long festivity by hosting events and activities throughout the archipelago. Cultural programs and art-related undertakings such as free art workshops, art exhibitions, music-dance-theatre performances, film showing, heritagerelated campaigns, etc. are all explored on both the national and local level. Given the constraints brought about by the pandemic, this year’s program line-up are mostly held online via live streaming on the internet on social media platforms, though limited physical gatherings are still allowed. Particularly showcased are the exceptional artistic talents asserting the distinctiveness of vernacular communities across the country.
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Roy Espinosa, a visual artist, art event organizer and cultural and art advocate is a staunch supporter of the National Arts Month (NAM). As the founding president of the Filipinas Institute for the Advancement of Arts and Culture (FILARTS) - a “non-profit cultural institution that advances the rights and welfare of the Filipino artists and the preservation of the indigenous arts and culture in the Philippines”, publisher of the Filipino Artists Magazine and Southeast Asian Artists Magazine, and Country President for International Arts Act and The Author’s Club Worldwide, heconsistently adheres to his advocacy of promoting Filipino artistic excellence. He firmly believes that the National Arts Month is instrumental in enlivening Filipino arts and culture even to the ordinary people. Through the various activities held in celebration of the event, Filipino arts and culture are brought and made accessible to a wider audience. Roy hopes that through the joint efforts of fellow art advocates and with the generous support from both the government and private institutions, appreciation of Filipino arts and culture will soar to new heights. The National Arts Month’s yearly celebration serves as an agent of change promulgating unity amidst diversity and is effectual in consolidating the manifold characteristics epitomizing The Filipino heritage and culture.
The Museum and Gallery
Free Admission Come Visit Us by Appointment Mon - Fri: 10am - 4pm | Sat, Sun and Holidays: Closed
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Moncada - Alcala - Bayambang National Road (Arboleda Street) San Pedro Ili, Alcala Pangasinan, Philippines museumgallery.ph@gmail.com
The Museum and Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting developments in the late 19th century to post-World War II art through 1970’s (Modern Art) and 1970’s to the present (Contemporary Art) in all media and creating a welcoming environment for its public appreciation. The Museum will promote understanding and interest in art and artists through art shows and exhibitions, curatorial research and publications, and a variety of educational programs, including lectures, guided tours, and workshops. The Museum is an organic, changing place. Although all the works seen are part of our permanent collection, in order to show the full range of our holdings - over 2,000 objets d’art - and to accommodate important temporary exhibitions, certain works must occasionally be taken off view.
Modern Art
Modern Art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation. More recent artistic production is often called contemporary art or postmodern art.
Contemporary Art
Contemporary Art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Some define contemporary art as art produced within “our lifetime”.
