Philippine Consul General to Los Angeles Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon, together with Zen Lopez, former Arts and Culture Commissioner, City of Glendale; Mr. Errol Santos of Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital; and Mr. Larry Pelayo of Asian-American Peoples Journal, congratulated Espanola. Disney and Japanese animation companies are among those that have employed Filipino animators.
Another Pinoy that makes us proud...GO PINOY!!!
FilAm artist Dulcie Dee will be exhibitig her latest colege entitled "Ban The Bra" at the upcoming all women's group art exhibition "Woman" at the Fusion Arts Museum located at 57 Stanton St., opening Sept 4,2008 at 6:30 p.m. Exhibition will be on display till October 10,2008. As the title suggests, this exhibit will feature female artists only. Fusion Arts Museum is proud to present Dee's multi-disciplinary artwork reflecting the artist's feelings about the woman's role in today's society. Deborah Fries, gallery director, asked that all women artists participating in this show consider the quote from the Roman poet Ovid - "What one beholds of a woman is the least part of her"
Dee’s latest collage “Ban The Bra” makes a bold statement combining painting, drawing, paper, recent press releases, photos of her geisha paintings, Austrian Crystal beads, shells, black panty and bra, gold metallic ink, gold glitter, gold wire, sculpture, text, artificial light which forms an interactive large 36”x36” scroll. This artwork is of particular interest to the Fusion Arts Museum for its contemporary relevance to how people treat women artists today depicting her angst with being recently banned by the SPAA (Society of Philippine American Artists) for her “immoral character”.
Dee first formerly displayed her explicit sensuous collage work “Sex in the City” at the Fusion Arts Museum in 2006 at the group show “Light My Ire” which showed her angst with men who looked at women as sex objects.
For more gallery inquiries, contact Deborah Fries, Fusion Arts Museum (212) 995-5290.
Angelito “Lito” de Leon David,watercolorist, was vested an Award of Excellence last Saturday, July 12, by the New Jersey Water Color Society for his sole entry entitled, Winter Reflection. The Associate Members Annual Show is currently ongoing at the Morris County Library in Whippany, NJ through Thursday, July 31. His piece, on which the technique of pouring was utilized, is part of the collection of Mr. Nilo and Mrs. Menchie Natural of Monroe Township, NJ.
Lito David was born in Balanga, Bataan. Shortly after he graduated Fine Arts at the University of Sto. Tomas, he was granted a painting scholarship by the Italian government. While in Rome, he took up further studies in restoration and conservation of manuscripts, books, paintings, historical monuments and other art objects. After his studies, he proceeded to New York City where he continued to exhibit in various shows while employed as an art restorer.
Upon his return to his motherland in 1969, he held more one-man shows and joined group exhibits. He founded the Watercolor Society of the Philippines and served at the Art Association of the Philippines in different capacities. A dedicated teacher of young artists, he taught in the Fine Arts departments of Philippine Womens University, College of the Holy Spirit and the University of the East for 22 years.
In 1992, Lito with his wife Teya, and son Tim, migrated to the USA. He continued to be active in the art scene and won various major prizes as member of the New Jersey, Garden State, and the American Watercolor Societies. He currently teaches at the Center for Visual Arts in Summit and at the Arts Guild of Rahway, NJ.
The New Jersey Water Color Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1938. Its purpose is to secure membership of dedicated watercolor painters to exhibit watercolor paintings of professional quality, to increase and expand opportunities for New Jersey artists and promote public interest in watercolor painting. (Asian Journal) image by ~xnighthawkex
Filipino sculptor Romy Alcantara won first place in the 54th annual Fall Art Roundup competition held in 2005 here. His masterpiece on wood called “Harmony” won over 127 finalists out of 550 entries.The award cuts a profound significance in Alcantara’s heart, not only because climbing a podium to accept a gilded accolade, after all these years, is new to him.
In his younger years, Alcantara’s sculptures won in several Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) competitions – while his sculptural murals adorn Manila’s august halls, commercial edifices, and luxurious hotels. He is a contemporary of Eduardo Castrillo, another illustrious Filipino sculptor. The son of maestro Jose Alcantara and protégée of national artist Vicente Manansala, Alcantara was easily a familiar name in Manila’s elite art community – until his departure for the U.S. in 1980. “I haven’t abandoned my art. Instead, I keep on developing it, I keep on learning,” the artist, now in his early 70s, told Philippine News during a visit at his house here. “The (Fall Art) award is meaningful to me because, once again, my art offered spiritual and emotional solace to the people, especially the Filipino people in America. It feels good to know that a Filipino is recognized for his originality and then have my work inspire the young.”
Alcantara was the only Asian winner in the prestigious contest.
It is not difficult for the sensitive spirit to identify with Alcantara’s quiet passion. “Harmony” breathes life like its inherent in the wood, it’s as though the artist’s hand freed the medium’s soul from its extraneous solidity. The master’s message is multi-dimensional but never convoluted or complex. “I like movement, I consider all angles,” he explains. “I take time to develop an idea. I draw them first, or sometimes I make clay models to capture the movement.”
That movement also comes with pristine, sylvan texture that reminds kababayans of Alcantara’s rural sensitivity and earth-bound sensibility. His body of work, then and now, is bedecked with traditional, small-town flair and environmental ambiance: “Angelus,” “Holy Family,” “Damulag,” “Seaweeds,” “Drift in Space,” plus the latter brass and copper flower and tree sculptures that ornament his living room. He makes special mention of a heart-shaped Madonna and Child wood sculpture that he gave his wife Ching as present. “I’ve always been connected with family, religion, and mother-and-child images. These are lingering themes in my work,” Romy states. “Iwas very much influenced by my father and Mang Enteng (Manansala) when I was young, thereby also experiencing their spontaneous research of life and living in Binangonan and other rural landscapes.”
Critics have hailed Alcantara’s work for their uniqueness and innovativeness. He, however, reiterates that it’s the originality of his art that makes him so proud up to this day. Originality, according to Romy, means his art sticks to inherent brainstorms and virgin ideas that, as much as possible, veer away from synthetic material. His preference is wood, especially narra, which can only be found in the Philippines—although he also work on adobe, stone and copper.
Alcantara was already enjoying financial success in Manila when he and Ching and their three young kids left for the U.S. 28 years ago.
“We were doing good at that time, but the Philippines was also in turbulent times,” recalls Ching. “It was martial law. Life back home was uncertain. I had to take care of my family first,” adds Romy.
As is expected with immigrants, Romy’s first jobs in America didn’t deal with his preferred profession in Manila. He worked a technical job at Intel, a computer technology firm, based in San Jose. Then he worked at the production department of the Los Angeles Times. “It was a struggle but it’s worth it; all our three children – Malou, Pinky and Michael – grew up to be smart and independent adults,” says Ching.
A native of Liliw, Laguna and a bubbly lady with the natural gift of gab, Ching became Romy’s synergetic partner. She easily complemented the hubby’s soft-spoken, withdrawn and humble demeanor with a sweet upfrontness that took Romy’s magical craft out there. “Sometimes though, we argue because Romy tends to give away his work to those who openly express admiration to his craft but don’t have the money to purchase them,” Ching smiles. “It’s okay though because these friends take care of Romy’s work – and that makes him happy.”
Does the artist miss his roots in rural Philippines? Indeed. His last Philippine exhibit was 10 years ago at the Ayala Museum. These days, though, he is more concerned with having to share his work with the young or those who have the passion to learn. “If you have money but don’t have the interest or the passion, forget it,” he says of prospective students. He converted his two-car garage into a studio. It is easy to feel Romy’s estranged spirit as he espouses sadness over the observation that he’s in a city that is more concerned with adulterated music, fast money and cable sports than arts. “But maybe I’d be able to at least start a Saturday arts group. So maybe people will come and we will start talking again,” he muses.
While he repeatedly says that he is continually learning as he lives his life, the world at large also continually grows with his art. It really doesn’t matter whether we know the humanity behind the work; it is the enlightening intimacy that the work offers to the unsuspecting witness that matters in the long run. That is why the artist never ages because his work is timeless. For inquiries about Romy Alcantara’s sculptures, call Ching Alcantara at 702-290-3592
Harvey Tolibao always knew his life was destined for the stars.
True enough, this 26-year-old proud ‘probinsyano’ artist from Mindanao is the force behind the Star Wars comic book series, inking three issues of the phenomenal George Lucas creation since 2006. His work has been praised in the mainstream comics industry and is now among the growing Pinoy force in the US comics.
“Ang mga dayuhan ay hanga talaga sa mga Pinoy (Foreigners are awed by Filipinos)," Harvey told GMANews.TV.
“From boxing to billiards mayroon talaga palagi ma-i-prove ang mga Pinoy. Pero sa pagiging artist humanga din sila dahil bihira lang ang nakakapasok sa comics industry (From boxing to billiards, Filipinos have already proven something. But as artists, they become more impressed since it’s not very common for Filipinos to break into the comics industry)," he added.
Since being featured in QTV-11’s Review Philippines, Harvey has been receiving a lot of attention as one of the new breed of mainstream comic illustrators which used to be an elusive dream for many aspiring Filipinos and Asians in general before the 1970s.“Because of the skill and talent we have shown abroad, I am always proud of waving our flag and saying, Pinoy Ako!" he beamed.
Despite being known for his work on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (issue 12), Harvey’s pride and glory is the fact that he was able send his two sisters through college. He is also taking care of his younger brother’s education at the Far Eastern University of the Philippines, taking up Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising.
Currently, Harvey has been very busy working on other comic book projects; in fact, he just squeezed the little time left for himself for this interview.“It’s really important for me to follow through with the deadlines otherwise I might just wake up next day without the job," he jokingly said.
Hard life
Noticing how people were entertained by reading komiks, Harvey began to collect and copy the drawings. Like many gifted yet underprivileged artists like him, Harvey did not have formal training in the arts and just learned the ropes through constant imitation and perfection of his craft.
He also admits to have been a fan of the Star Wars movies.
“It was my dream to work on comics since grade school but living in [Bukidnon] where I was born, comics was impossible to work for," he said in an interview.
For Harvey, it was just natural to be involved in the arts; after all, his father drew the huge film advertisements in cinema houses that replicated the movie posters in the absence of modern tarpaulin printers.But his father warned him that artists like him often go hungry.
“Sinasabi n'ya palagi sa aming magkakapatid na mahirap ang buhay ng isang artist, nasa bawat isa ang desisyon kung ano ang gusto mong gawin sa iyong buhay (My father always tells us that an artist’s life is never easy. It’s an individual’s choice what to do in life)," he revealed to GMANews.TV.
Instead of being discouraged, Harvey became more determined to go for his dream and carve a name in the mainstream comics industry.
Shooting for the ‘Stars’
Two years after staying in Cebu City, he found his way to Manila and became a web designer and messenger. It was there, Harvey revealed, that he found a way to contact the person in-charge of the Glass House Graphics (GHG) Inc. in Asia.
After showing his portfolio to the people of GHG, they prodded him to attend a comics seminar. But Harvey didn’t have enough money to participate in it. Instead he waited for the event to finish, get a chance to go inside the venue and finally show his portfolio to the group of another notable Pinoy artist, Stephen Segovia.
It was Stephen who then introduced the young Harvey to Dave Campiti, the founder of GHG, an international agency for illustrators, writers, painters, and digital designers.
Impressed by his skill, Stephen employed Harvey to be his assistant artist on “Tokyo Knights" for Topcow. Since then his projects never ceased and soon he was drawing the background of Carlo Pagulayan’s “Emma Frost," “Unlimited X-Men," “Fantastic Four “and “Planet Hulk."
He also assisted other comic illustrators like Noah Salonga (“Red Sonja"), Lui Antonio (“Lightning Kiss" and “Warhammer"), Ariel Padilla (“Maze Agency" and “TOMOE") and Roy Allan Martinez (“Son of M") for Marvel comics.
Soon after, Harvey was commissioned to be the penciller of the new Star Wars comic series, a dream come true for this true-blue probinsyano. Through sheer hard work and determination, Harvey proved to himself that you can shoot for the stars and reach them at the same time.
“We all have our dreams in life but it’s up to you to find a way and reach them. The real lesson in life is that you don’t step on other people when you’re pursuing your goals. One day you’ll reach it and if you do, you have you’re whole life to cherish it," he said.
Harvey had just had just recently finished working on another project, “Ironman: Agent of Shield Annual" and enjoys waking up in the morning knowing that his passion in life also happens to be his day job at home.
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