Like A Virgin, so overwhelmed with my First-Ever Art Exhibit

"Panoynoy" 1x1 (excluding the frame) WV on Paper
-my first ever exhibited artwork! :)
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

There's always a first time for everything. And last 2012 had been a year of firsts for me. One of the things I never imagined that I'll have a first time with is an art exhibit. But I was lucky enough to be invited by one of my friends, Don Demetita, to submit an artwork for the Children's Month Celebration last October 5, 2012 to the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Art Gallery.

Ze poster
Photo Courtesy: UPV Art Gallery

So I did and I felt honored to be a part of the exhibit whose main theme is about Youth Empowerment. Entitled "Gahum Kabataan," the exhibit ran from October 5 to November 5, 2012. It was participated by a lot of Ilonggo artists-- from high school kids of the Special Program for the Arts (SPA) of INHS, to college kids from University of San Agustin (USA) and Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST) and students of other schools, to young professionals and bums self-entrepreneurs like me, to the most veteran  esteemed Ilonggo artists.

Sir PG!
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Among the old timers beloved artists that I was sooo happy to meet and make pahambog in the UPV Art Gallery were my favorite Ilonggo rock star, the man who taught me all about proper shading way back in 1998 (I was first year high school in SPA-INHS), the man who continually encouraged me and my classmates to continue drawing and painting, Sir PG Zoluaga - the Brad Pitt of the Iloilo art scene, so to speak, and who had strongly influenced my choice of colors for my paintings. 

With Sir Alan and his artwork (Center- WC on paper)
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

 Also, there was Sir Alan Cabalfin, another forefather of ours when it comes to transforming clay into a work of art so lifelike that God only needs to breathe into it for it to come alive. Sir Alan had been our tatay (with nanay Hazel) when it comes to lagaway (traveling and exploring a la Dora) back in high school. I can still remember that trip we took to Bucari, Leon with Ma'am Hazel and Adelle and Nestle on the back of a multicab truck (sort of like a pickup truck but smaller) which was memorable especially with the really amazing waterfalls and cascades where Nestle and I had the funny misfortune to slip and fall on and acquire some minor injuries. On that same trip, Sir Alan also allowed us to make small little jars of our own using his clay and his kiln. It was amay-zing! I still have that jar somewhere in the house. :)

me, Sir Alan, and Sir Larry (with his trademark hat) and family
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Another art teacher I was glad to see there was Sir Larry Dumagat, also an artist-in-residence that we had back in high school. The one thing that stuck with me about Sir Larry through these years was when there was this event, Semana sang Iloilo (or was it the Jaro Fiesta?) and the SPA performing arts students were going to have a concert at the park (Jaro Plaza Gym), and the visual arts (VA) students on the other hand were holding a sort of mini-exhibit in the same place. We creative writing majors had nothing to do for the whole week, so Adelle and I went with the VA girls Raji and Zeena to Zeena's house and I made this watercolor painting of the Jaro Cathedral (I lost it), just out of boredom (trip2x lang). Back in school the next day, I don't know how, but Sir Larry saw my trip2x lang painting, and he said he liked it, but I should try not to use watercolor like I would color pencils. He said something like I need to let the water and the paint do the work. I forgot if that painting was ever included in the mini-exhibit, but I learned something that day.

My artwork and Kristoffer's are on the same panel! How awesome is that???
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Aside from meeting these former teachers in there, the other awesome thing about this exhibit was I got my painting displayed right on top of the painting of this really super-duper talented artist (also from SPA-INHS) Kristoffer Brasileno. That was like, wow! I'm soo proud of this manghod (little bro, because all students/ graduates of SPA-INHS are considered siblings) of ours because of his skill and imagination when it comes to painting. Just check out his portfolio!

There you have it, just a couple of highlights of that night back in October 5, 2012. It probably felt ordinary to many of my artist friends, but it was amazing for me. It was a like-a-little-virgin moment for me, more amazing than my first kiss. And they say nothing can beat the first kiss, well they're wrong. A lot of things has surpassed the wonder of that first kiss. Seriously.

More pictures:

Sir Alan, me and Nong Harry Mark Gonzales (artist I also featured about here)
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

This many participating artists!
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Wow! And I'm one of them! Heehee...
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

    

With Raisa, and still very much overwhelmed!
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Me, Nong Don Demetita and Marrz Capanang while waiting for the opening to start.
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Some of the artworks-- Sorry I wasn't able to hold onto the names of the other artists. :( But if you want any info, you can always contact the UPV Art Gallery.

"Listen" by Melissa de la Pena
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Artist: Claudine Dignadice
Sort of Dinagyang-esque, don't you think? 
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

Artists, clockwise from top left: Florentino, Aseniero, M.S. Lamaslig, & Salazar

Artist: Onnik Florentino
Uber-realistic rendition of a little girl. Nice, huh?
Photo Credit: Raisa Joy G. (for Gorgeous) Castel

A piece from another former INHS-SPA artist-in-residence, Ma'am Yannie Rose Noble, now Tuazon.
Photo Credit: UPV Art Gallery

Artists, clockwise from top left: Leoniel Cerbas, PG Zoluaga, Prologo, & Richard de la Cruz

Just looking at the artworks awes me so I'm keeping these pictures here for me to look at when I'm running out of inspiration. You know - to stimulate me. ;)