ART IN MY HEART
Maria Concepcion Panlilio
One of my most cherished moments when I visit my native land--the Philippines, is the pleasure of exploring various fine art museums, and visually feasting through treasures of the best artworks created by the Masters of Philippine art. Just to name a few, Fernando and Pablo from the Amorsolo family, Marcelo del Pilar, Felix Hidalgo, Victor Edades, Juan Luna, and, most notably, Dr. Jose Rizal.
Amorsolo, the “Father Of Philippine Art,” was the first Filipino painter to be awarded the “National Artist” distinction posthumously in 1973. Each of his paintings exhibits his virtuosity with the paintbrush. Today, his ubiquitous influence among his contemporaries is evident in their works, as they seem to imitate Amorsolo’s impressionistic style.
Just as pleasurable in a different stroke is to be treated to impressive paintings by unheralded Filipino artists. Their works might not be gracing the walls of the Philippine Cultural Center, art museums or art galleries, but they are worthy of recognition and adulation as well. With the state of Filipino art being virtually non-existent in the United States, except in some Filipino homes, greater exposure is needed to increase the scant attention our kababayan artists need.
At a corner in the lobby of a resort hotel in the City of Angeles, Pampanga, I watch Fernando Guerrero (54) of Bulacan, execute a quick pastel portrait of a little girl. In fifteen minutes, the artwork is finished. The mother of the girl is very pleased and pays the artist one hundred pesos ($2.00), one half of which will go to the hotel for the space fee. “It’s not too bad,” says Guerrero. “When it’s busy here, I can make as much as one thousand pesos (about $20) in one weekend.”
In a two-bedroom house shared by a family of five and his wife’s parents, Guerrero reserves a window corner in the living room to paint. Stacked up against the wall is a collection of finished oil paintings – about six mural size impressionistic paintings. Perhaps, one thousand pesos in one weekend is not a bad earning for a struggling artist, or for any Filipino in general, but for an artist of Guerrero’s caliber, his works are worthy of gallery price and attention.
“I’ve had a one man show in a gallery before,” he laments. “But nobody bought even one painting. My wife is very understanding and supportive of my work. She helps out financially by selling bibinka (Philippine style pancake with shredded fresh coconut on top) outside the house and that helps send my three girls to college.” His eyes sparkle when he speaks of his children. “I’m so proud of them,” he says, suddenly misty-eyed. “My oldest is graduating next year from Far Eastern University. She’s going to be a nurse.”
There are those who struggle as artists and there are those who are successful but still are struggling to be recognized in the competitive art industry. They exhibit the right qualities that could propel them to center stage in the art world, but most likely would never happen. Art is a luxury that most people, especially the Filipinos, cannot afford. And in a country where fine art purchasing is an extravagance reserved for the rich, most of these artists would have to be satisfied with any compensation for their work.
The art of Joey Hernandez of Mabalacat, Pampanga, has fascinated critics and earned favorable attention as far as the United States. His FIESTA, a narrative painting depicting Filipinos in their folksy attitudes, hangs prominently at the home office of Abbott Laboratories.
In Fiesta, as in his other narrative works, Hernandez portrays the simplicity of everyday life in the Philippines, reminiscent of Amorsolo`s lyrical and romantic works. His painting style sometimes varies, but in general, it bridges the distance between illustration and fine art. Some would argue, however, whether or not these terms are not interchangeable.
FIESTA by Joey Hernandez, is a literal representation of the Filipinos’ preparation for their favorite annual festivity. It is a testament to the artist’s painstaking eye for details as he paints the unspoiled native scene with great imagination and forthright realism.
To Hernandez, there is a sense of responsibility in creating realistic scenes to be sure that what he portrays in his narrative paintings is authentic. He does this by researching the places, people, clothing and architecture. He visits actual places, taking still pictures and recording his observations on paper by making preliminary sketches. After carefully planning his artwork for weeks, Guerrero begins to execute his ideas, romantic imagination and insight on canvas.
Hernandez (47) is one of the few commercially successful artists in the Philippines, although you would not know it by looking at him, perhaps a quintessence of a true artist. He is down to earth, talks with humility about his art, and financially generous to a fault; often unreliable with money management. He finds many days strapped for cash, but when he does, one of his many faithful friends can always provide the support by buying one of his paintings for a portion of its worth.
The sheer pleasure of viewing great artworks lifts the quality of my mood and state of mind. Inevitably, I find myself encompassed by a desire to pick up my paintbrush and create a painting into which I can pour my heart and soul. I do not, and never have, considered my name uttered in the same breath as the aforementioned artists, but I have been very fortunate in that most of my works have been commissioned, and I never had to peddle my paintings. Although some of my paintings have been exhibited in art galleries, I have yet to see any of my paintings hanging on museum walls.
Though none of my paintings is exhibited in any museum, I have been commissioned to paint the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Music Hall, and the Taft Museum. My favorite is a 42x46 watercolor painting of the Taft Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, which houses some of the best art collections in the world. President Howard Taft once resided in this home. I worked in Cincinnati for years and the art museum is only a walking distance from my office. In front of the museum is a splendid garden that explodes with vibrant colors and fragrance from the spring blossoms.
I’ve spent many tranquil moments in the City of Refuge in Hawaii, reading, writing, and painting, consequently producing one of my favorite paintings, "City of Refuge", (oil on canvas, 36x40), which hang in my office in Cincinnati for years. When I left the company, a colleague, Arthur Greenwell, offered to buy it, which I hesitantly accepted.
Another favorite from my personal collection is a painting of my mother’s portrait Feliciana, which I painted in mixed media (watercolor, acrylic and colored pencils). This was her wedding picture, which I copied from a torn, warped and fire-damaged photograph. It was the only photograph from her younger days that survived the fire that consumed our neighborhood a long time ago. Because I was born with artistic abilities and never took any art lesson in my life, I often take my artistic talent for granted. But when I create a personal painting like this, I feel an immense gratitude and pleasure for the God-given ability to immortalize a special moment in the life of an incredible person, like my mother.
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