Welbart Slowhands

The Whys of Slowhands

Art Has Given Welbart Slowhands His Place Under The Sun

Text by Sara Grace Fojas  

Monday, August 5, 2019 / C-3 

When Joel Rodriguez Bar­tolome was young, the teacher gave his class an assignment to draw he­roes and important personalities of history. He decided to draw a portrait of Elvis Presley. The portrait was not displayed. 

Joe, or “Welbart Slowhands” as he calls himself, has always had his own interpretation of things. He loves telling stories through the use of a brush and paint slathered on a can­vas inside his 4x7-meter studio in San Fernando, Pampanga. 

“I love to tell stories through my paintings. I’ve been doing semi-autobiographical pieces since I was young,” he says. “I remember how, at an early age, I would draw images of helicopters and fish everywhere in the house. In high school, I learned how to draw portraits. I call myself Welbart Slowhands to symbolize my journey as a self-taught art practitioner.” 

His early exposure to art started inside the parish church of his father’s hometown in Paombong, Bulacan, which contains the masterpieces of the late local master Celing Marasi­gan. “I always saw them while at­tending mass,” Welbart recounts. “It was my early exposure to figurative painting. Maybe that is the reason why I love the works of Caravaggio, Diego Velazquez, and Michaelan­gelo. I am also very fascinated with how Fernando Amorsolo plays light in his paintings.” 

But Welbart’s passion and calling to art didn’t become his profession, at first. Due to financial constraints, he decided to become a nurse and accepted a 12-hour shift for a bedrid­den patient. 

“After I bathed my patient, Lola Choleng, cleaned her room, and pre­pared her medicine and food for the day, I didn't have anything else to do,” he says. “I almost read all the books and magazine in my employer’s li­brary. But my interest in art never left me so I thought of doing cross-stitch­es during my free time. Then I shifted to drawing and water color.” 

Art slowly made a comeback in Welbart’s life. He couldn’t help explor­ing different mediums and learning about new processes. Adventurous, he always tries various techniques when it comes to making his pieces. His first work, he admits, was made with the wrong process because he used mediums like acrylic, opaque, and impasto. There was also a time his first oil-on-canvas piece took almost a month to dry be­cause he used a lot of linseed oil. 

“It was trial and error but I achieved it. I frequented Na­tional Book Store Shangri-la Mall for private reading in order to learn,” he says. “I could not afford to buy expen­sive art books and this branch allows private reading.” 

He was exploring the world of art but he hid it from his employer. Little did he know that his first cli­ent would be the daughter of his pa­tient’s doctor. 

“When they discovered it, I was surprised that they really liked it,” he says. “My first portrait commission was for the daughter of my patient’s doctor. I also did portraits for my em­ployer, even after I resigned. I got lots of inspirations, tips, and advice from the senior artists I met in my business. I am so thankful to all my friends in the art industry, both the masters and the newbies.” 

Welbart was eventually able to do two solo shows about anger and despair after his fa­ther died: “You Will Be Loved and Other Lies” at the Ben­Cab Museum and “#iamhypocrite” at Altro Mondo in Aya­la Center. 

“The show in BenCab Museum was before I suffered depression,” says Welbart, “After four years in hibernation, I came out with the #iamhypocrite,” my fifth solo show. I am very grateful now. I learned to do away with all the dramas and just be happy, thanks to my fiancée, my aging mother, and my sister who is undergoing dialysis. My favorite item in my studio is a photo of me and my fiancée during my second solo show. They are my ‘whys’ to live again.” 

Inside his studio, he finds solace— with its old and new unfinished pieces, framing materials, fishing tools, art materials, and some clothes. Here, he doesn’t only make art but takes a break from the world. It’s where he does his meditation at midnight or early in the morning. And these hours of self-reflection grew into his recent­ly concluded exhibit “The Only Way Out Is In” at the Village Art Gallery in Alabang. 

“It was about how meditation and prayers helped me understand the things that burdened me before and my reflection on my recent visit to Bhutan,” Welbart says. “Creat­ing art brought me a lot of positive changes. My patience was also chal­lenged by unwanted situations that stressed me out. But I am glad that, with the help of my newfound philos­ophy, I now handle things lightly and calmly. Art has given me a special place in the sun.” 

Chrisanto Aquino

 

Power in Pain 

Chrisanto Aquino Shows Great Resolve Through Art 

By HannahJo Uy

 Monday, June 17, 2019 / C-3

Chrisanto Aquino has faced more than his fair share of hardships in his pursuit of a life in the arts. “I’ve ex¬perienced going from house to house to ask if they would like to have a portrait done,” he says. “I’ve experi¬enced walking two kilometers carry¬ing a 3x4 feet painting just so I can submit it and because I was trying to save on transportation fares.” Aquino even suffered through using tin cans of industrial paint from the hardware store, the cheapest he could find, and having to save up to buy them one by one. “I went through a lot of difficul¬ties and challenges, both financial and related to family, just so I could pursue my career and continue paint¬ing,” he recounts. Even amid the dir¬est of circumstances, however, Aqui¬no’s resolve was unquestionable, and it is the experience of overcoming these tribulations that added greater depth to his paintings. 

The artist’s admirable commit¬ment can be traced back to his early years. “At the age of six, I was already drawn to color,” he says. “I saw a tree being cut down, and saw its greenish and orange rings, its sap, and it has been ingrained in my mind ever since.” In 2007, Aquino took up Fine Arts at Tarlac State University. The early af¬finity for trees paved the way for his strong fascination toward indigenous people, as he grew to admire the deep connection tribes in the Cordilleras have with nature. “I’m also a big fan of tattoos,” he says. “For me, it’s a symbol of strength that I can draw parallels with my own life. Despite ev¬erything life threw at me, I was able to get through it, even though it was a painful process.” 

These interests were further heightened when Aquino came across Whang-od Oggay, the famed tattoo artist from Buscalan, Kalinga and largely considered the “last” and old¬est mambabatok. His earlier works fleshed out the narrative of the famed Filipina tattoo artist, celebrating her aesthetics through paintings portray¬ing physical subjects sporting tattoos in homage to traditional aesthetics. “Tattoos, especially those done by Whang Od, have a message,” he says. It was Aquino’s way of giving empha¬sis to culture, in an effort to etch its im¬portance in the consciousness of the following generation, calling Whang- od a “national trea¬sure.” This is es¬pecially evident in one work entitled “Karnabal,” where Aquino explored the discrimination that children of the tribes endure when faced with other members of society that gawk at them for their traditional tattoos. Elaborat¬ing on his process, Aquino says that there is no fixed sketch to prelude his paintings. “Ev¬ery day, I get differ¬ent ideas I want to add to the work and I develop the piece based on what I was feeling on that day,” he explains. 

During this pe¬riod, Aquino was no stranger to diffi¬culty, recalling that there were times he and his family would go hungry. “There were times I wanted to give up,” he ad¬mits. “I also expe¬rienced receiving harsh words. Some closest to me say that my paintings are trash. I was told there was no future in the arts. I un¬derstood them, be¬cause, back then, I would just paint and paint and I wasn’t earning, but I stuck through it, I knew they were wrong so I took in all their harsh words.” The hunger to achieve his dream was more powerful than the weight of the world attempting to bring him down and his resilience paid off when he started to bag the top prizes in a number of major national art compe¬titions. “When I was just starting out in the art scene, I was searching for a way to advance my career, and to support myself as an artist,” he says. “I saw the national art competitions and I kept joining. It became a training ground so I could refine my skills more.” 

Aquino’s winning streaks provided him with a slight measure of financial freedom and also helped make even the harshest critics in his life recog¬nize the value of his undying commit¬ment to the arts. “Thankfully, with art contests, I was able to survive finan¬cially,” he said. “But now I am able to provide for my family through art. I always felt it was worth it. There was a reason for everything and now, I am able to use these experiences and draw from it to create a unique mes¬sage through my pieces.” 

Aquino soon sets his sights on playing a more active role in exhibits. Initially, many of his paintings were overlooked as the themes tended to be dark, which, he felt was needed to underline the grave importance of promoting awareness on the environ¬ment, heritage, natural resources, and women empowerment. This was embodied in the characters within his narrative, which feature flora and fauna morphing with women, whose bodies are heavily inscribed with tra¬ditional patterns, alluding to a mod¬ern, moody, and more aggressive rei¬magining of Mother Nature. 

This was the narrative that un¬folded in “Wild Free,” his latest solo show at the Village Art Gallery, a cele¬bration of women’s inherent strength as a nurturer and nature’s role as a mother. In one piece, Aquino presents an almost mythical representation of the female form, with the hands of an eagle to symbolize strength and a light emanating from the heart, rep¬resentative of a mothers role as “ilaw ng tahanan.” The blood red print on the skin is a reference to the pain as¬sociated in the tattoo process and in appreciation of the cycle of life in na¬ture, from where it all begins and on which we will always depend. 

For Aquino, the main objective is to not only showcase his skills, but to relay what’s in his heart and mind. To this end, Aquino is driven by the jour¬ney of his own contemporaries who have found success despite the difficul¬ties, as well as by his own. “My experi¬ences made me the artist I am today,” he beams. “It was a struggle, but after you get past it, it gets easier. My art is the fruit of all my hardships.” 

“Wild Free” is Village Art Gal¬lery at the Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City. 

Aubrey Fajardo

 

THE OASIS 

Aubrey Fajardo Finds Refuge In His Art

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

April 15, 2019 C-3

For Aubrey Fajardo, painting became a way to unravel the mysteries of his own soul. Doubling as an active form of meditation, art was his way of gaining a deeper understanding of himself to triumph over the physical and mental challenges. This was celebrated in Aubrey’s most recent show called “Flourish,” which emerged following a dark period in his life. 

“The concept started when I got sick,” he explains. The bodily ailments influenced his psyche to such an extent that the constant pain also led to panic attacks. With Aubrey living in the province, as he chose to have his studio in a more rural area, and his family living in the city, he recalls having to battle his own demons in isolation. “I will have to overcome my anxieties on my own,” he recalls, saying to himself. “And in that process, I came to know more about myself.” 

Aubrey offers a quote from the exhibit writeup by Prim Paypon that he believes aptly describes how the experience became inspiration for this show: “Even without watchful eyes, Flowers bloom on their own to fulfill their purpose in the ecosystem.” Art, thus, served as an oasis amid a storm of anxieties. 

Art has been a significant part of Aubrey’s life. As a young kid, he was always drawing. “With the encouragement and support of my family, I never thought of any other profession other than the arts,” he says. 

Aesthetically, Aubrey was deeply influenced by realism, surrealism, and magical realism, drawn to how the genre opens new worlds to viewers. A self-confessed lover of classical tradition, he was also inspired by masters in the field, the likes of Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Caravaggio, Bernini, and Rembrandt. He also admires Ronald Ventura, CJ Tanedo, Renato and Guerrero Habulan, Rey Aurelio, Yue Minjun, Zang Xaogang, and Johan Barrios.

To feed his hunger for knowledge, Aubrey also opts to actively participate in group exhibitions as a way to get to know other artists and observe current trends in the burgeoning Philippine artistic landscape. A full-time painter since 2012, Aubrey continues to challenge himself by experimenting with new techniques and studying other artist’s works to dissect various methods. This exercise in critical thinking instilled a kind of sensitivity, developing in him a nuanced understanding of both style and substance. 

This is seeping into his own works, as Aubrey has been increasingly drawn to the face as a subject matter. “I love painting faces with a just subtle hint of emotion,” he says. “It makes you guess what you yourself feel.” The subtle emotion he imparts in his work stimulates a viewer’s curiosity, looking for what it hides and what it reveals. There is an air of mystery surrounding his subjects, many of which are shrouded by flora and fauna as though peeking out from their own secluded world. Fajardo’s studies of the face challenges our notions of what we know about the very faces we interact with daily— our friends’, our family’s, and even ours. By highlighting portions of the face, Aubrey asks us to take a closer look, not only in the painting and the subject it showcases, but also in those closest to us, perhaps to gain an appreciation of the different wars every individual wages from within. 

Admittedly, Aubrey remains methodical and conscientious in his artistic approach, examining how flowers will flow throughout the composition, imbuing life and vibrancy in the lush forestry surrounding his subjects. His curiosity, of late, has also driven him to dabble in sculptures, which he has been contemplating as an evolution for his succeeding shows, inspired by the three-dimensional creations of the great classicist Bernini and modern master Ronald Ventura. 

Aubrey’s creative philosophy is perfectly summed up in this heartwarming quote from Fyodor Dostoevsky: “Beauty will save the world.” “With the current state of the world right now,” says Aubrey, “it needs beauty more than ever.”

“Flourish” is on display at Ysobel Gallery until April 17.

Paulo Vinluan

THE Art Of Attracting Attention

Getting lost in Paulo Vinluan’s work

Manila Bulletin 21 September 2020

By TERENCE REPELENTE

Paulo Vinluan’s life is built around art. Nestor, his father, and Liv, his sister, are both artists, as well as his late mother, who had practiced weaving and interior design. At an early age, Paulo was already exposed to the concept of art making and its world. Nestor, a respected figure in the Philippine art scene, would often make him and his siblings stand next to paintings as he photographed them before getting the works delivered to the gallery, Paulo recalls. “He [Nestor] says it was his way to also remember and document our growth as kids through the years.”As a child, the word pasyal (stroll) for Paulo did not only mean going to malls or dining out, it was also synonymous to art gallery and exhibition visits.

He was his dad’s “buntot,” (tail) Paulo says, whether to buy art materials in Chinatown or to be at Nestor’s side at gallery openings. But when he grew a bit older, Paulo eventually stopped being the kid who was always tagging along his father at shows and art events. While he has never stopped following the path laid out by his father, Paulo, a product of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts (2003) and the Pratt Institute in New York (2009), has since made a name for himself as an artist.

In his works, Paulo, who has a huge interest in animation as an art form, mainly attempts to address a very crucial and contemporary issue faced by everyone today in our fast-paced, digital, and image-saturated world. “We now have such a visual culture that it’s harder to hold a viewer’s attention,” Paulo says. Unlike in the past,“we now want to move on to the next image right away.”

That is why instead of introducing new concepts, his goal has always been to hold people’s attention, make time slower for them. “I want people to get a sense of being lost in the work,” he says. “I think it’s important to hold that gaze, and direct that gaze toward whatever thought or emotion the viewer is having.”

Moreover, Paulo intends to start some sort of exchange, not just passive visual consumption, between his works and his audience. “I may not know what the viewer thinks but it’s enough for me to be aware that my work makes them think of or feel something,” he says. “A collector friend of mine once told me how he would come home from work and sit in front of my painting with a glass of wine. That really made me happy.”

But instead of settling for shallow tricks in order to grab and hold a viewer’s attention, Paulo digs deep into the human psyche. He does so by taking bits of his personal experiences, incorporating them into his process, and then giving them an entirely new life and meaning as an artwork.

Stories and narratives are intrinsic in his works, which are mostly diaristic. He believes, however, that it is impossible to impose an idea, a story or give a final definition to a work. “Once you share it to the world it takes a life of its own, which is also a way for it to connect to others,” he argues. “It will never have an absolute meaning in the same way my memories aren’t everybody else’s. That is why I always like my works to have a sense of ambiguity. Spelling it out would not be interesting.”

A perfect example of this is his ongoing series of works Object for Sisyphus, two of which were included in his most recent exhibition at the Finale Art File, “Recent Works.” The works, both acrylic on gessoed solid maple wood sphere, were based on the story of Sisyphus, a figure in Greek mythology who was doomed by the gods to eternally repeat the task of rolling a giant boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down each time he came close to the top.

For Paulo, the story and concept behind the work is very personal. “In 2013, I made an animation called Block, which was inspired by the myth of Sisyphus,” he says. “At the time I was feeling the strains of moving between Manila and the US, having to navigate two time zones, and balancing a full-time job, all while also painting. It was the back and forth movement that got me interested in Sisyphus. I felt that I was the boulder being hauled up and down.”Eventually, the concept for Block transformed into a different form. “One of my favorite permanent exhibitions at the Met in New York is the collection of Greek pottery. Historically scholars considered these objects as precursors to animation,” he says. “So, I thought, what if I painted on a spherical surface instead of flat, which even made me closer to the idea of Sisyphus and have the work engage in the history of animation.”

For the audience, however, Paulo’s work—or even the story of Sisyphus itself—could mean something entirely unique. It might especially resonate with individuals who feel like they are endlessly repeating a futile task or a cyclical routine such as living through months of home quarantine, working every day under the brutal conditions of capitalism, or, as Albert Camus might put it, engaging in the futile search for meaning in an indifferent, utterly meaningless universe.

But Paulo does not really want to be all philosophical. “Just K.I.S.S., keep it simple, stupid,” he says. In the end, what he seems to repeatedly achieve through his art is the seamless presentation of the human condition using his own and other people’s experiences, familiar objects, and histories in the most ambiguous but relatable, attentionfreezing way possible, almost as if he was sentenced by the gods to do so.

Art Zamora

Solace In His Strokes

In this world of chaos, the ‘zirkular’ strokes of Art Zamora bring ease

By SC FOJAS

14 September 2020

On Jan. 7, 2002, the City of San Francisco celebrated “Art Zamora Day,” in honor of New Jersey-based Filipino painter Art Zamora who “has fostered positive community relations and through his art has greatly contributed to the people of San Francisco.” He provides free community art lessons to senior citizens and children, donates artworks to non-profit organizations to raise funds for social and public health programs, and has raised money for the Filipino Task Force on AIDS to assist in its mission of providing linguistically and culturally directed HIV prevention and care for the Filipino community.

In this age of mayhem, the whole world needs people like Art Zamora who uses his talent to help the community.

Through his “Refraction,” an exhibit with The Artologist Gallery that runs virtually until Oct 16, Art showcases how his magical touch called “Zirkular Abstraction” does not only exist on his canvas but also in the community.

A style he developed in New York, Zirkular depicts his feelings, perspectives, and ideas. Every brush stroke represents everything he went through in his life and the emotions that came along with it.

“Zirkular Abstraction refers to my complex and sophisticated strokes that symbolize a cycle of renewal, mysteriously linking human beings on the value of goodness, oneness, and unity. Recently, it turned into ‘Refraction,’ which symbolizes light but with a deeper meaning of abstraction,” says Art, adding that his art is greatly influenced by his late cousin Ibarra de la Rosa.

Art describes his creations as “contemporary abstract,” as seen in how his chaotic arrangement of shapes, lines, and movement come together so beautifully.

“There is uniqueness in the complex composition and execution of rounded squares that predominantly depicts peace, oneness, and unity with the vastness of light,” he says.

“There is uniqueness in the complex composition and execution of rounded squares that predominantly depicts peace, oneness, and unity with the vastness of light,” Art says. Throughout the years, his works have gained him recognition, including being first place in the Philadelphia Shell Club Annual Show (1998 and 2000). In 2004, his paintings were showcased by the Queensborough Public Library in the US. He was also recognized as one of the “Ambassadors of Peace” by the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace in New Jersey. He was a finalist at the GSIS Painting Art Competition in 2009.

On top of that, Art is the president of the Society of Philippine-American Artist Inc., in New York City. He helps organize exhibits for Filipino visual artists who are doing shows in the Big Apple. He is also a jewelry designer for Robert Maouwad, a world-renowned jeweler in New York City.

“My creativity is similar to my philosophy of art,” Art says. “My observation of my surroundings, of what goes on around me, gives meaning to everything I do—while also carrying meaning true for its time. It evolved through the years: I started as a realist-impressionist then I moved to contemporary abstraction.”

“Refraction” by Art Zamora runs until Oct. 16. at artsteps.com

Toym Imao

 

A Boy In The Midst Of War

Toym Imao channels his father’s childhood visions and talks

about the potential of artistic images to unite the country

By Terence Repelente 

November 11, 2019 / C-3 

The art in Toym Imao’s on­going exhibition at Galerie Joaquin UP Town Center, “In His Veins,” is primarily an homage to his father, Abdulmari Imao. But according to Toym, col­lectively, the works signify something beyond the late National Artist. It can also be linked to the narratives of his fierce and brave ancestors. 

In an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Toym tells an interesting story about their last name, Imao. According to him, their original last name was Halimao, the meaning of which can be traced as “tiger.” His great grandfather’s name was Hali­mao Tunggal, who was a respected warrior. He had three sons, Abdul­rahim, Abdulmuin, and Abdulhali. “But when the Americans came and the public school system was intro­duced, these three boys were always the butt of the joke or were always in fistfights,” Toym says. “Because their last name, Halimao, sounded like halimaw, which means monster.” Eventually, an American missionary advised his father’s grand uncle to change it to “Imao.” 

Perhaps shaped by the toughness of their childhood, these three Imao brothers, who were National Artist Abdulmari Imao’s uncles, grew up to lead an armed guerilla resistance, historically called the Fighting 21, against the Japanese in Sulu during World War II. 

WAR AND DREAMS 

In the exhibit, Toym intends to play on his father’s vision as a child in a time of war. According to him, it’s interesting that, despite the horrors of war, his father went on to imagine what was beautiful. “When we were kids, he would always tell us stories about that time. I grew up with these stories, these visions, these images,” he says. In the exhibition, Toym takes his father’s childhood stories and style as an artist, and he creates something entirely new—his own way of retelling the narratives. 

In the dreamlike works in the form of paintings and sculptures, there are a lot of planes, wings, and bird-like imagery, a product of Abulmari’s early fascination with birds and airplanes. “This is a reflection of their situation during the war,” Toym says. “But he was also extremely fascinated with birds, especially colorful migratory ones. Because they were guerillas al­ways in the forest. They would trap migratory birds.” 

SARIMANOK AS AN AVATAR 

Toym’s father has always been known for incorporating, and even popularizing, the sarimanok through his works. But his father never treated it as his own, saying that he just borrowed it from the Maranao. He treated it as a story that needed to be told. This mindset shaped Toym as an artist. 

Working with film, theater, and literature, Toym doesn’t settle for a singular form to tell a story. “I treat my art as a language. I don’t want to be associated with one style. For me, these forms effectively convey the kind of stories I want,” he says. But ultimately, his works focuses on tell­ing the stories of Mindanao. 

“My roots are from Mindanao, but I cannot completely say that I am Mindanaoan. But definitely in terms of spirit, in terms of the styles of the works I do, they’re heavily rooted within the region,” he says. “And it’s only now that I’ve had the chance to slowly go back and explore that, not because I’m appropriating it, but be­cause there’s so much to tell about the region. There’s this sense of urgency, because we should let the people know how beautiful the region is besides what the headlines tell us.” 

In continuing to render sarimanok in his works, Toym believes he is continuing a visual tradition. “I’m not copying my father’s sarimanok. I’m just introducing another form, which is contextualized in my own visual perception of the myth,” he says. “It can be a necessary vessel of continuing that understanding from the South, as a visual ambassador—an avatar.”

 

The sarimanok can be interpreted in many ways, with hundreds of existing tales and origin stories in different parts, and even outside, of Mindanao. For Toym, it signifies acceptance and diversity. Next year, he plans on putting up a show that focuses on the sarimanok because its image possesses great potential in uniting the country. 

“In this age of technology, with social media, it is necessary for us to identify with powerful avatars that represent ideas or people. It can serve as a rallying point to condense big and complex ideas,” he says. “In a period of renewed bigotry against the Muslim community, we need to have a rallying symbol to represent Muslims and their culture. [The sarimanok] is something that’s deeply rooted within our culture, history-wise. This is ours, but it is also something that is derived from our cultures, a powerful avatar we can use right now.” 

Edgardo Lantin

Edgardo Lantin: Master of Time

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

Edgardo Lantin is a Renaissance man in modern times. In his work, we see the tenets of the celebrated golden age of art. His style is a revival of the principles of the Renaissance, evident in his subjects created with a genuine knowledge of the body. His combination of anatomy and expression glorifies the union of science and art. Edgardo’s style is characteristic of the period by reflecting elements of depth, balance and proportion, in his beautiful portrayal of the human subject. 

The art of the portrait is an underrated genre within the visual arts. Despite the fact that for the most part commissioned portraiture was the platform that brought the world out of medieval art into an age of artistic flourishing in Florence, Italy, the portrait, formerly the artistic lifeline of the time has been sidetracked for more avant-garde pursuits. However, the portrait remains a classic integral part of the art community. From memorials of historical monarchs to personal family heirloom, the portrait waits patiently by the sidelines humbly waiting for the recognition that it is due. No one is better suited to resurrect the grandeur of the art of portraiture than Edgardo Lantin.

Divided between two continents, Edgardo shuffles between the Philippines and Canada. His time is split in such a way that allows him to spend January to April in Vancouver with his family, and the rest of the year in his motherland. Migrating from Manila in 1981, Edgardo moved to Canada soon after finishing his studies in University of Santo Tomas where he graduated with a degree in Advertising from the College of Fine Arts. He was trained under the likes of Bonifacio Cristobal, Mario Parial and Angelito Antonio.

It was not long after moving to Vancouver that Edgardo met Sofronio Ylanan Mendoza who became his mentor. Despite what Edgardo considers a late start, it was in this time that he had decided to finally take painting seriously, realizing that his happiness lies within the canvas. With a renewed sense of purpose, determined to push his boundaries and refine his proficiency, he went to work. “I had to sharpen my skill,” says Edgardo,” I had to make a body of work, a portfolio so I can show people, this is what I do, this is my expertise.”

Edgardo went in pursuit of excellence, diligently studying for one year in New York after a scholarship grant from the Art Students League of New York. In this time, he studied drawing under Michael Burban, painting under Harvey Dinnerstein and even going on to train on Sculptural Anatomy under Elliot Goldfinger.  “ The masters said that if you want your painting to be powerful and lifelike, you have to study form,” says Edgardo,” because you’re not only painting the skin, you’re also painting the muscle and structure inside the skeleton. Kaya makikita mo sa painting nila, buhay at malakas ang dating. Parang bababa sa canvas para makipagusap sayo.”

In this time Edgardo studied cadavers, muscles, skeletal systems and the anatomy of the human figure. Such knowledge comes across in his works that is most captivating for its striking realism. The lifelike quality in the portraits of Edgardo is what is most arresting about his works. There is a certain movement to his piece, allowing us to be privy to an intimate moment in a person’s life frozen in time. “It’s a great challenge to paint portraits because it’s very hard to be considered successful. You have to capture the character, the personality, the muse and the spirit. That is what’s important.”

His paintings exude a sense of authenticity that captivates the viewer, forcing a contemplation of reality. His frame does not merely border a painting, but rather confines a soul in a moment in time, a peek into the past, an immortalized image that will forever be as beautiful, youthful and powerful as they stand. “If you’re painting, you’re a human being painting another human being. You have to study the human form to justify it.” 

Indeed it is this sincerity and dedication to his craft that puts Edgardo ahead. With every commissioned work, he pours his heart and soul, getting to know his subject, studying them in their natural home environment in order to gather an idea for the composition of their portrait, making something that can unequivocally capture their being. In the course of his research, Edgardo often takes pictures, however he is quick to point out that pictures can never be the basis of his works. “ I was trained to paint from life so I can give the depth. Photography is only a tool to register character and details, but actually when you’re painting, you’re not thinking about that. You’re thinking of the front and back of the person. My technique is multi-classical, there is an over painting. You know alla prima? You finish it in one sitting. But these studio works, you have to build up the paint underneath so you can build the character.”

Edgardo Lantin’s most recent exhibit entitled Portraying Luminescence: The Art of Edgardo Lantin was unveiled at the Artist’s Space, Ayala Museum. Featuring a total of 21 works of oil paintings of various sizes, his latest collection displays his mastery of the brush and his expert use of oil’s luminescent qualities. He favors oil not only for its transparency, but also its ability to provide paintings not only with a certain three dimensional quality. Unlike other mediums, oil absorbs light in a more impressive manner, manifesting itself as opaque in the lighted areas and semi opaque in the shadows. 

Edgardo Lantin is a master of time, finding the answer to immortality through the brush. With his art he memorializes not only his subjects, but also most especially his unmatched talent for the portrait. “I like painting human beings, faces, livelihood, showing their struggle in life. Painting is also a struggle and you relate to people. Because, life is a struggle, if there’s no struggle you might as well die.”

For more information visit www.edgardolantin.com or facebook.com/edlantin.

Henry Royales

 

Henry Royales: Sharing His Wild Side

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

Antlers and horns brought to life with magical strokes of vibrant colors; While many would be raise eyebrows at the rather strange combination of animal parts and art, the two have found its beautiful solace in the hands of artist Henry Royales. 

Fresh from his most recent exhibit which was unveiled to the public just last June 3, 2014 at the West Gallery, artist Henry Royales shares with us his muse, intimate inspirations and what keeps him going. 

Q. Tell us about your new show, what was your motivation for your latest collection?

H.R.: The title of my new show is “Perfect heart.” In a way I was still building on my last show “Lexicon obscene”, except I was showcasing a more positive twist in both the treatment of the artwork as well as its substance and conception. I had about eight pieces, which was similarly patterned after my first show which included ostrich eggs and snake skeletons. 

Q. When did you start incorporating animal parts in your art? And, why? 

H.R.: I was inspired to do that in 2010 when my friend and I were touring around Germany. That’s when I was really moved and encouraged to do something different, something unlike anything people uhas seen before. That is really what attracts people, when you travel you realize you really want to make something new. I thought about it, and since I had always loved animals and I enjoyed collecting skulls and bones of the animals that fascinated me, I just incorporated it into my artwork.  

The first work I ever did was this acrylic box that I pierced open, I placed an egg and the skull of a cat inside. I submitted it as part of a group show in West Gallery in 2010. It measured about a foot end the gallery owner liked it so much, he ended up buying it for himself. There were other collectors interested to buy it, but he had already gotten it. When they offered me a show last 2012, I accepted and I continued my work. My interest I taxidermy grew, and basically I continued to research. I’m always thinking of something new and fresh. That is what has always consumed my mind, what new style or subject I can explore. 

Q. What are the things that spark your creativity?

H.R. I’ve always liked antiques. Objects that have had an attachment to people have always interested me, and I’m currently experimenting with that. I love visiting old shops, and incorporating unlikely things like the feather of a bird or an old forgotten photograph. 

Q. Who are the artists that influenced you the most?

H.R. The artists I liked are the truly unique artists that changed history.  Among them are Paul Cezane, Vincent Van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. I also really liked Jean Michel Basquiat, he’s an African American artist who started at a young age, around 17 years old and he died young also, only at 27 I think. He wanted to show the people something new, and it wasn’t easy especially at that time because of the color of his skin .Then, the art scene was dominated by white people, and I was really amazed at his courage to challenge society. He pursued his art no matter that, and that’s what inspires me. There are many people who have really good techniques, and there are a lot of good artists out there, but only a few reach that level of commitment. 

Q. How is your creative process like? 

H.R.: I don’t really force myself to paint every day. I like spending time with my kids and having my alone time. I love going to bookstores and just looking through all kinds of books from pocket books, to science books, classic literature and 1930s issue of National Geographic. I like going through poems and stories, and sometimes in the process of going through them I come up with concepts and titles for my next work. I like painting about human life. 

Q. Where do you think your evolution as an artist will lead you?

I can already see that I’m not just going to stick with painting, I’m looking forward to doing installation works and sculptures, something more three dimensional, I really enjoy working with my hands. 

Janice Liuson- Young

 

Janice Liuson- Young : Moving Beyond Comfort Zones 

Text by Hannah Jo  Uy

“The temptation for all artists is always the natural desire to be safe and stay comfortable,” Janice Liuson-Young admits, “Why tinker with something that has been successful in the past?” “But that’s not life, that’s death. That’s why for me, every once in a while, I have to remind myself that I want to be a real living person, risky though it may be, rather than just a painting of a person stuck in a museum somewhere.”

Life is characterized by its unpredictability, but for people who are not willing to embrace change, whether those imposed by the external world or that stirring within them, moving beyond comfort zones is frightful. For artist Janice Liuson-Young, however, breaking barriers is the essence of life, and creativity, with its infinite possibility, is the most authentic expression of our humanity. 

“I believe that all people are natural artists, because we were all created by the Original Artist in His image,” she says, “This implies (among other things) two things: all of us have an innate sense of beauty (and reality), and all of us have the ability to create. However, we live in a fallen world that often obscures our sight of the real. Our creative ability is also hampered by our limitations and brokenness.”

Even as a young child, Janice had already shown remarkable interest in the arts. “I remember wondering at the beauty I see in the world, and thinking about why we are drawn to it,” she recalls, “I also found myself fascinated by how people used colour and lines to express their ideas and emotions in graphic form. So, while still a child, I tried my hand at sketching people using pencil, and found out that I could draw. And still later, I decided to take up Fine Arts at UP.” 

Liuson-Young thrived in the Fine Arts Department of University of the Philippines Diliman, where she took up Visual Communications, graduating cum laude and valedictorian in the Class ‘86. She continued to hone her skills, finding herself inspired by the aesthetic sensibilities of Norman Rockwell, John Singer Sargent, Romulo Olazo, Mauro Malang Santos, whose technique, ideas and compositions significantly influenced her own artistic formation. 

“I’ve tried to always be observing, learning, thinking, caring, and creating – in short, to be alive and growing as a person first, and an artist second,” shares Janice, “I’m not sure “evolved” is the right term, because the word implies that I’ve discarded “obsolete” parts of the artistic me – I haven’t really, these parts of me are still intact. However, I do think I’ve grown as an artist because I’ve widened my artistic vision and have also developed a more varied palette of artistic expressions.”

After graduation, she worked as an illustrator and designer of clothes and toys for children, before her first show in 1999 at Shangri-la Plaza. She has since showcased her work across a number of solo and group shows in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Holland and Belgium.

The human condition has always been a subject of fascination for Janice, whose deeply contemplative nature and sharp observations of her surroundings found catharsis in the canvas

“I like to paint the human element into “ordinary” situations that are, however, on closer inspection, not really that simple, like children encountering the world and responding to it. I also like to explore the idea of “beauty” and “reality” in my works, which includes concepts such as order, balance, harmony, humanity, and “life”.”

Since 2005, Janice held the position as Associate Dean of the FEATI University School of the Fine Arts, helping guide a new generation of artists. She manages to cultivate her career while juggling her responsibilities as an educator, finding inspiration in dynamic and vibrant interactions in the art world in the form students, faculty and colleagues. 

“I am also inspired by ideas that arise from my reading of Scripture, especially when they involve the human condition,” says Janice, “Also, I try hard to be really observant of what’s happening in my own life.”

In her desire to challenge stagnation, her latest show reflects her embrace change with a light heart and injecting an element of play as part of a larger discussion on an artist’s need to always explore new frontiers and avoid being boxed in by their own conceptions of themselves. 

“My recent exhibits are exercises in moving beyond my comfort zone - of ‘playing outside the lines’ so to speak,” says Janice, “I wanted to see what would happen if I stepped outside my established pedestrian lanes and trespassed into the danger of the unfamiliar. While strictly I’m not a realist, until last year most of my artistic career involved painting recognizable objects –such as people, flowers, and koi. But I’ve always admired good abstract art. Many times while looking at an abstract painting, I would find myself thinking that I’d like to do that too.” 

She continues, “Then last year I found myself having fun just mixing and playing with paint, and using new materials\mediums in the market. Normally, mixing paint would have been serious stuff. It would have been preparatory for the work I’m about to do. But this time I was just like a kid having fun, instead of preparing to paint a kid having fun. And so, after doing a few studies, I finally asked myself, ‘well, why not?’ 

This question led to J Walking 2, her fifth solo exhibition, currently on display at The Crucible Art Gallery until March 29, 2017. Aptly named to embody the spirit of exploration and self-reflection that guided her creative process for the collection, the show features more than 30 works that serves as a visual playground of Liuson-Young’s foray into abstraction.

However, more importantly, the collection manifests her faith and hope: “I believe that life is both real as well as a metaphor for a deeper reality, and a foreshadowing of realities to come. To my mind, the artist’s job is to be sensitive to those instances when the metaphor is revealed, and to attempt to capture and interpret it for others, thus reviving the experience of forgotten beauty.”

Aljo Pingol

Aljo Pingol: A Testimony of Imagery

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

There is a particular joy present in only few men that suggests a certain kind of peace. A peace that is without fear; from which the absence of fear is not a result of knowing all the answers, but from having faith that the answers will come when the time is right. A peace that is conducive to unbridled creativity and harnessed discipline. A peace that has found its purpose, knowing that such purpose is being fulfilled for a Greater Being, and a peace that is an experience of higher reality. Aljo Pingol is a bearer of such peace.     

   

Immediately striking with his dark purple Mohawk and glasses, his appearance suggests flair of individualism that extends beyond his outer appearance and into his works, which are truly products of a creative and brilliant mind. His unique style, is only a symptom of the ingenuity of his inimitable and distinctive paintings; distinctive in its people, color and exceptional rendition of everyday life in the Philippines, from the urban setting to the provincial escapes. In many ways, Aljo is more than a painter. He is a man with a mission, a mission to express himself in such a way that brings joy to his audiences. An expression that produces work that takes viewers to another place, a place of possibilities with its reality expressed in the charming details of calesas and clowns.  

“Bata pa ako, mahilig na ako magdrawing,” says Aljo of his early beginnings, “Pag pupuntang office mommy ko, humahabol ako, iyak iyak. Gagawin niya, bibigyan niya ako ng colored chalk. May malaking wall doon saamin, nagdrawing ako ng voltes 5, popeye, smurf, mga usong cartoon. Pagkauwi ng mom ko, buburahin niya yun. Kinabukasan ganoon naman. “ From constantly honing his drawing skills from magazines and other images that inspire him, Aljo, continued to explore his passion, eventually being known among his family as the point person for all aspects of creative activity. However, the young artist wanted to explore more.

After high school, Aljo went on to University Santo Tomas, taking up Advertising. Although committed to his plans of becoming a painter, Advertising appealed to Aljo for the variety of disciplines and mediums that it offered, enjoying his classes in painting, interior design, industrial design and so on. His process of exploring different mediums continued to develop his identity as an artist, broadening his mind, and building on his foundation of realism by studying works of Pablo Picasso, Odion Redon and eventually Marc Chagall. Learning can be considered as a second passion for Aljo, who constantly visits second hand bookstores and libraries for art books, in order to broaden his visual repertoire. His hunger for knowledge and images accounts for the variety of styles and influences present in his work, however despite the influence he emulates, the work still manages to remain uniquely his own.

Upon graduating in 1996, Pingol continued work he began even during college for Toonworks. His work for the animation company served him not only financially as he provided for his family as a young husband and father, but artistically as well, with his later paintings containing traces of his work as an animator. 

Aside from Toonworks, Aljo also worked as a portrait and caricature artist, working from home through referrals and advertising. It was in 2004 that he made the decision to pursue his painting full time, finding his purpose in his art, “Sabi ng Diyos, “Linagay talaga kita diyan, sundin mo lang ang path na yan.’ Pero dahil nga, minsan, may sarili tayong pagiisip, may saarili tayong plano, minsan di tapat sa plano ng Diyos, nasisira ang daan natin. Pero lagging naeend up kay God.” His current exhibit at Gallerie Joaquin Podium entitled, “Buhay Pinoy,” running from August 25 to September 3, aside from being his fourth solo exhibit also presents a product of a colorful struggle for discipline and meaning, a struggle that has transformed Aljo as well as his works. 

The images of Aljo’s work contain a folk narrative, capturing the essence of the Filipino spirit in all its optimism and color. Although managing to retain his narrative quality with expressive framed by a mastery of color, his works have also undergone a brighter and lighter metamorphosis that mirrored the artist’s own spiritual enlightenment, which is an integral part of Aljo’s life as an artist. On the dark periods he got through, from the help of his loved ones, his gallery, and his art he says,” Hindi siya negative aspect ng buhay ko. Magandang foundation para sa buhay ko at para sa arts ko. Mas lalo ko siyang mahal, mas lalo akong interesado, mas lalo akong nagging excited, passionate, emotional, mas lalong spiritual. Ang buhay natin circle eh, kahit sa ilalim lang yung isang part ng buhay mo wag kang mawawalan nang pagasa, tuloy lang. Kasi iikot ang buhay. Iibabaw ka rin, lahat magiging masaya, lahat magiging maayos.”

Rapidly gaining attention in the artistic community and collected by art enthusiasts such as Joey De Leon, the gap between his first exhibit in 2006 to his following exhibits in 2011 provided Aljo with a spiritual and artistic training period in his struggle and search for meaning, which he uses to draw from as inspiration. “Sa art ko, parang pag bubuntis siya. May paglilihi, may proseso, may panganganak. Nagpapasalamat ako na ginawa Niya ako ganito, as a painter, as a visual artist.”

It is this grace and guidance that Aljo credits. As he allowed himself to be an instrument for his Muse, it led to an exemplary body of work of both substance and beauty. Of “Buhay Pinoy,” Aljo says “Sinubukan and pagiging artist ko, hindi ko siya linabas sa studio na pwede lang. Ngayon habang tinitingnan ko siya, sobrang proud ako dahil kung ano mang vision pinakita saakin ng Diyos, andiyan yun. Hindi ko ikahihiya na painting ko yan. Yun yung premyo ng artist eh, magawa mo yung layunin mo, magawa mo yung nasa loob mo, maipakita mo sa tao kung ano yung makikita mo na hindi nila makita. Sobrang saya, sobrang sarap noon, sobrang malaking blessing yun as an artist. “

      For the innate talent and humility that Aljo possesses, it is evident this is only the beginning of his testimony of imagery, a testimony that will continue to bear fruit to a fruitful artistic life.

Marge Organo

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS 

Marge Organo molds her story through stained glass masterpieces 

Monday, March 18, 2019 / C-2

Text by Hannah Jo Uy 

In the agile hands of Marge Or­gano, glass, otherwise cold and unbending, writhes to form the fantastical shapes of her imagi­nation. Likening the process to child­birth, she delights in her craft despite the laborious nature of its execution. 

“For a medium this elegant, I believe that working on it for a lon­ger time defines the medium bet­ter,” Organo says. “It’s like having a child—having a waiting period of nine months is what makes it more spe­cial. I want to nurture my work as if it were my baby. That’s what sets it apart from factory-made pieces. Of course, factory-made [products] are more perfect than handmade pieces, but that’s where the beauty lies—the imperfection of the pieces serves as an indication that they were made by human hands.” 

The elegant nature in which Or­gano approaches her art is rooted in her passion to master her medium. As she remains hard at work trying to meet growing demand, she never for­gets to satisfy her unquenchable hun­ger to learn, which is why she actively attends classes abroad to update her knowledge, get ideas, and refine tech­niques. 

Last year, Organo took a trip to the Czech Republic to study Glass Casting and Mould Making, a tech­nique that involves melting glass in a kiln and pouring it in a mold to get the shape intended by the artist. “It is called the warm glass technique,” she explains. “Before this, I was just doing coldworking, a glass technique by which the artist works with glass in its cold or annealed stage.” In this manner, glass is carved and polished using hand tools and machines and no heat is involved, unless one is doing lamination. “Coldworking can stand on its own as a glassmak­ing technique because one can create a piece of glass sculpture using it.” Organo also has plans to go to the Corning Museum of Glass, in New York, by summer. 

Ever the student, she’s steadfast commitment to learning traditional techniques doesn’t stop her from breaking the rules. Experimentation drives her and so does curiosity, as she believes that, in glass, everything is possible “I am very daring when it comes to my work,” she admits. “I think outside the box and try to break tradition. Once, I did something in one of my glass classes and my teacher said, ‘Yeah, you can do that if you want, but don’t tell anyone you did that in my class.’” When she came back to the Philippines, Organo continued to innovate and with wonderful results. 

These wild experimenta­tions trickled down to her recent works showcased at Gallery Nine, which featured one cast glass sculpture, the most important in the collec­tion for her up­coming exhibit at The Gallery in Solaire Re­sort and Ca­sino, “Magnum Opus.” As the name suggests, the collection offers stunning graceful mas­terpieces from Organo’s hands, with the unveil­ing of a pièce-de-résistance that is an immense cast glass sculp­ture of a piano, in which Organo employed a mix of both warm and cold techniques. “It’s like doing a collabo­ration with myself,” she says, “as I have cast glass, cast bronze, and lami­nated optical glass in one piece.” The body of the piano, she explains, is cast glass, the keys and cover are optical coldworked laminated glass, and the legs are cast bronze. 

Reflecting on how her new collec­tion reveals her evolution as an artist, Organo says: “A year ago, I think I was more conservative, more calculating, and very sensitive to the desires of the market. But now I have thrown all care to the wind.” This new respect for the sires of her own heart has moved her toward warmer hues that exude el­egance along with bold combinations of colors, imbuing her works with a youthful, carefree attitude. The works pulsate with joyful energy, borne from an artist that sees the world through rose-tinted glass. 

Organo continues to take deep pleasure in new challenges, always making designs that are particularly difficult to execute, now even ventur­ing to incorporate plants and flowers in her works, encapsulated inside the glass. “I spend sleepless nights thinking of the procedure I will apply in making the design I have created in my mind,” she says. “I challenge my medium and my materials. I go to the extent of testing its strength and resilience.” 

The opening reception for Or­gano’s “Magnum Opus” will be held on March 21 at 6 p.m. at The Gallery at Solaire Resort and Casino. The ex­hibit will run until April 15.