Bullet Dematera

Unraveling Nature’s Secret Language 

Bullet Dematera reveals his artistic process and inspiration

November 12, 2018  / C-4 

By HANNAH JO UY 

“Nature is a logical play­ground of insights,” said visual artist Bul­let Dematera. “If we can observe nature, understand its language, and if we are prepared to extract lessons from it, we would cer­tainly live in peace and tranquility.” Dematera’s earnest love for nature is not only borne from his deep appre­ciation for God’s creation, it is also a never-ending source of inspiration for the painter.

 

Speaking on how he has evolved as an artist in terms of his creativity philosophy, Dematera continuously challenges himself in his craft. “Ev­eryday, I always study even my own artworks,” he says, sharing the criti­cal approach he has in assessing his own work. “I think of new techniques and ideas on how I can make it more interesting, beautiful, and just overall better. For me, I don’t think we should ever be content with what we learn, we should continuously try to improve upon our own talents.” 

For Dematera, he is open to tack­ling challenging subjects because it is by taking on these subjects that his creativity thrives most. “We shouldn’t be scared of making a mistake,” he stresses. “Because it’s when you make a mistake that you will learn and you can think up beautiful solu­tions. It’s just important that you have to be happy and enjoy everything you do, especially if you’re painting.” At the end of the day, Dematera says, there is no way to be better at painting than by studying, planning, and work­ing hard. “It is also important to be inspired and always to have positive thoughts so these can be reflected in what you do. I also believe we should always be thankful to God for all the blessings we receive and try to share it to others, even in small ways.” 

Dematera has even more reason to be thankful of late as he celebrated a successful debut solo show held dur­ing ManilaArt. Featuring 14 pieces, he presented his signature aesthetic of bold colors set off by monochromatic backgrounds for dramatic and eye-catching artworks. Glowing from the warm reception he received for his work which was practically sold out during the gala opening, he expresses his deepest gratitude to the family and friends who supported him which, he says, made the late nights worth it.

 

“I’m very happy and thankful to God because He always gives me new ideas and inspirations based on everyday experiences, people I en­counter, new places I have visited, and whatever new thing that gives me inspiration,” he says. From flora to fauna, the environment serves as an infinite reservoir for the artist who often integrates these components with human subjects in celebration of mankind’s unbreakable bond to this earth. For his human subjects, Dematera says he would have pho­toshoots with characters to help with his concept. For the wilder compo­nents, he uses close-up images as ref­erence to capture small details of the animals. “Some are real animals,” he says, “Others are my pets, as well as pets of my friends.”

 

Dematera admits that he con­tinues to have a deep fascination for animals, reflecting on their unique characteristics and prowess. “Usu­ally, I put owls, lions, tigers, dogs, horses, insects, and different kinds of birds,” he says. “We have so many les­sons to learn from the natural world. Like with our pets, when we take care of them, in turn they will be loyal and love you unconditionally. Also, nature gives us fresh fruits and flowers to brighten our day. So, in return you are the one responsible in taking care of God’s creation. All of these things are important and connected.” 

Dematera’s deep appreciation for the connection between people and animals also extends to a recognition of the parallels he sees between their features and characteristics—some­thing he sees in himself as well, point­ing to the tiger as his spirit animal. “The tiger has many characteristics that are very positive, which I admire and, in some ways, I can relate to,” he says, such as boldness, patience, be­ing dangerous, and being aggressive in order to race every possibility and expending the best effort.

 

As for where his career will take him, Dematera says he leaves it up to fate, “I always pray for guidance— only God knows how far I will go in my career.”