The Capilla Santa Ana Museum in Toledo

On a recent visit to Toledo City, Cebu,  we had the opportunity to visit the Capilla Santa Ana Museum and Community Center in Diosdado Macapagal Highway, about 7 kilometers from the city center.  The museum is housed in a quaint chapel and hosts a variety of religious icons, art and relics from 18th and 19th century Europe.

The exhibits are unique to this place as they are from all over Europe acquired through the fervent acquisition and collection of  a relative of the Gaite family. The family runs and maintains the museum.  We saw several relics of Saints (more than 10) and of the Cross where Jesus was nailed.  Several European renaissance paintings, wooden and bronze sculptures, vestments and sundry religious items are exhibited here.  There is even an 1859 Steinway piano displayed at the upper part of the chapel.

Entrance fee is 200 pesos for foreign tourist and 100 and 50 pesos for local tourist and students respectively.   This is a must see for religious art lovers.

The Republic of Namirara

Nami Island is an oasis for culture and leisure in peaceful harmony with humanity and nature. After a five-minute ferry ride, guests meet a forest of verdant trees holding up the sky and open grassy areas where ostriches, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, ducks and peacocks warmly welcome visitors in the midst of wild flowers. On Nami Island, artists from all over the world show-off their talents and share the sense of peace of mind the island creates. The island is the site of Nami Island International Children's Book Festival (NAMBOOK) and other cultural events take place every weekend, making Nami one of the main cultural and artistic tourist attractions in Korea. In 2006, the island declared its cultural independence and was reborn as Naminara Republic. They have their own national flag, anthem, currency, passport and phone cards, stamps, orthography and even a certification of citizenship. Nami is home to several galleries and is the site of the Song Museum, which also houses an outstanding collection of international ethnic musical instruments. There are indoor and outdoor stages, facilities for seminars and workshops in addition to a 46-room modern hotel and 10 cottages. 

Nami Island is dedicated to improving the mental and physical well being of children throughout the world. As such, they serve as the main sponsor of the Hans Christian Andersen Award and contribute generously to Unicef. Serving as the location for the internationally famous television series Winter Sonata has helped the island attract 2,000,000 Korean and foreign visitors every year. Naminara is unique in other ways, also. At night, all the lights are turned off on the island so that visitors can harmonize with nature under the light of the moon and stars. Most of wood and bottles generated by visitors to the island are recycled and re-used. Nami has a very open hiring and retirement policy so a diligent and honest person can work until they are 80 years old if they wish. On Nami Island all feel close to nature. Smiling people with peaceful hearts walk, Along the river where a song of love spreads. And become one, With lasting freedom, As poets, painters and musicians.

Stamp of a Genius...Hamzah Marbella

A 6 years old child prodigy designed this stamp. His name is Hamzah Marbella, the youngest member of the Art Association of the Philippines (entered at 5 years old). He has also been widely recognized by his peer adult artists and local art dealers as a most prolific child prodigy in visual arts.

With the theme "Mailbox of the Future", he designed a postage stamp which expressed how the mailbox, which represent the postal business, together with stamps and letters, will look like in the future. In 2008, he won first prize in the a postage stamp design competition in South Korea and got himself P50,000 as prize, aside from the honor and prestige.

Hamzah has also produced some 300 outstanding artworks and have been awarded with more than 100 top prizes, honors and citations and accolades since he started painting at age two. He is now nine years old.

Some of his notable awards include- Outstanding Artist Award (Ani ng Sining) from the National Commission for Culture and Arts (2009), Grand Prize, Colors of Art Competition, Certificate of Recognition at the UN International Children's Art Competition, Award of Excellence, International Stamp Design Competition (2008). He is also an honor student and consistent scholar in his school in Cavite.

Presently his art is presently exhibited at the Galerie Joaquin at the Podium.

Van Gogh, Cezanne and Beyond and my Art Cube

Does too much excitement make you forget...or am I getting old?

A few weeks ago, during our visit to San Francisco, I had the opportunity to fulfill a dream in my life- to see the works of the great Masters of Art- Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin. and the rest. While my wife was shopping at Costco, I saw an advertisement that the works of the post-impressionist masters are displayed in the de Young Museum at the Golden Gate Park. My wife was unable to come with me; she had to pack our things for our flight back home later that night. Good thing that my newly married sister, Mary Elizabeth, who also loves art, was kind enough to accompany me to the Musee d Orsay exhibit.

The Musee d Orsay is a strain station created for the Paris International Exposition of 1900 which was transformed into a museum by world renowned architect, Gae Aulenti. It first opened to the public in December 9, 1986 with its goal to highlight the art of the western world from the period 1848 through 1914. Its collection, one of the world finest, is composed of paintings, sculpture, drawings, decorative arts, furniture, photography and architectural work from this period consolidated from the collections of the Louvre, Jeu de Paume and Modern Art Museum in Paris as well as major gift from private collectors, artists and their heirs. Their collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings represents the finest survey of its kind in the world.

The museum was full when we arrived late in the afternoon. One has the option for an audio guided tour, but since we were pressed for time we skipped this one. The exhibit was entitled, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Masterpieces from the Musee d Orsay, which was the second part of the two part exhibition, the first showcasing the Birth of Impressionism.

In this exhibit, eight signature paintings by Cezanne, such as the Bathers, were shown, illustrating his pioneering exploration of pictorial structure. Great works of Van Gogh were also featured, including, a Self-Portrait, the colorful Bedroom at Arles and my sister Mary's favorite, Starry Night over the Rhone. I kept trailing a learned "art critic" who was avidly explaining the paintings to her friends. I learned so much from her, like how the chair in Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles was blocking the door, the simplicity of the floor and the who the pictures were in the frames. She said that Van Gogh was in depression during this times and ostracized himself from the world which led to his eventual suicide.

One of my favorite pointillist painters, Georges Seurat was also featured. My favorite was Model in Profile. His paintings are light and dreamy from afar, but when you go near the painting, you'll notice that all the strokes are in dots. It must have taken him a long time to finish one painting considering that a hundred thousand dots would be required for one work. Paul Gaugain's influential position is also represented through ten of his superb works like the Portrait of the Artist with the Yellow Christ and the Tahitian scene Arearea. Toulouse-Latrec also makes an appearance with bold The Lady Clown Cha-U-Kao and the contrastingly intimate, The Bed.

Other artist prominent artists featured in the exhibit include Monet, Signac, Denis, Moreau, Bonnard and Vuillard (the Le Nabis), and Henri Rosseau. His Snake Charmer was mystifying. Expansive canvases by the Nabis created a tapestry-like environment, filling the gallery space with the gaiety painted light and flat patterned color. It was truly a visual treat.

Riding a cab on our way home, I saw Ludwig van Beethoven's statue in front of the California Academy of Sciences building. We told the cab driver to stop cause I need to have myself pictured beside my musical idol. We alighted, and my sister took some pictures- which brings us back to my first statement. At the back of the life-like statue, I placed the Art Cube which I purchased from the Museum store before posing for pictures. I never got it back.

On our way to the airport for home, it suddenly dawned on me that the Art Cube was left at the Golden Gate Park. I sat at the pre-departure area dismayed and rode the plane for 16 hours thinking and dreaming about life, my wife and kids, the paintings and the Art Cube.

When we arrived two days later, my sister posted on her FB wall- "dorky brother, we found your cube"....

The National Anthem of Germany

The text of the anthem has been written in 1841 by the liberal poet and professor August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, using the melody of the Austrian imperial anthem "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (God save Franz our Emperor), which has been composed by the famous classical composer Joseph Haydn in 1797 and which appears in his "Emperor Quartet". Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote his text on the small island of Helgoland off the Northwest German coast, which at that time was under British rule.

He had been deported from the Kingdom of Hannover because of his liberal ideas, which included the demand to establish Germany as a unified nation. Consequently, the first verse of the "Lied der Deutschen", beginning with the words "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) was originally meant as an appeal that the idea of a unified Germany should be more important than the many particular principalities which existed at that time.

However, when Germany became a united country in 1871, the "Lied der Deutschen" was ignored officially, rather the the former Prussian royal anthem "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz" was used unofficially. Although Germany had been proclaimed a Republic on 9th November 1918 upon its defeat in World War I, it needed nearly four years until "Lied der Deutschen" was declared the new national anthem by the social democratic President Friedrich Ebert on August 11th, 1922, although it was used on state occasions in the intervening years. At that time, all three verses were used.

The anthem was even retained when the Nazis seized power in 1933, however the first verse of Hoffmann von Fallersleben's song was misused as a slogan that Germany should rule "above all" other countries, Haydn's classical melody was changed into a military march, and the anthem was added with the party song of the Nazi party, the Horst Wessel Lied. In 1945, the use of all national symbols of Nazi Germany, including the "Lied der Deutschen" was prohibited by the Allies.

In 1945, Germany was governed by the Allied powers and thus had no official anthem. And when West and East Germany were founded in 1949, initially neither state wished to use the "Lied der Deutschen" because of its association with the Nazi government and its misuse of the sentiment in the lyrics.

After Germany had become reunified on 3rd October 1990, Federal President Richard von Weizsaecker confirmed in a letter to Chancellor Helmut Kohl, dated 19th August 1991, that the third verse of Hoffmann von Fallersleben's "Lied der Deutschen" (Song of the Germans) with Joseph Haydn's melody are the official national anthem of the reunified Germany. Contrary to popular belief, no stanza is currently forbidden to be sung, however, only the third stanza is the official national anthem. The regions of Germany also have their own local anthems, some have been used for centuries, some are new inventions after the war.

The stamp above features Haydn issued in 1959, the anthem composer. Below is a stamp of Fallersleben, the lyricist issued in 1991.

Bag-ong Hinan-aw (New Perspectives)- A Contemporary Cebuano Figurative Painting Exhibit

Figurative Art in Cebu owes its sense of realism and classical ardor to the late Martino Abellana and those he mentored, particularly Romulo "Molong" Galicano. Since the eighties, Galicano has taught and encourage a band of Cebuano artists to excel in the academic techniques of figurative painting, and who has since emerged as the leading edge of a new generation of figure painters. They include Boy Briones, Pepe Villadolid, Carly Florido, Dodong Tallo, Jun Impas and Jonathan Galicano.

Bag-ong Hinan-aw (New Perspectives) is a brief survey of this new movement in Philippine art that combines academic technique with contemporary vision that combines tradition, innovation, and Cebuano creativity to a new degree of excellence.

Publio "Boy" Briones (b. 1949) originally graduated with a BS and MBA from UP before learning how to paint during landscape sorties by fellow Cebuanos in the provinces. He subsequently took watercolor workshops and sketching classes at the National Academy of Design in New York (1987-1994). Mentored by Romulo Galicano, Briones focuses on interior scenes of churches and figurative genre with a dramatic chiaroscuro effect.

Carlos "Carly" Florido (b. 1940) is a self-taught artist who has been guided by Romulo Galicano upon returning to the Philippines from the United States. He has been a member of Kolor Sugbu since 1993 and has participated in group shows in New York, Washington D.C. and Germany (1993-1994). He participated in the "Homage to the Masters" at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (2002) and "Ode to the Pasig River" exhibition at the Ayala Museum (2006).

Jonathan Villanueva Galicano (b. 1978) finished Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2003. He was recognized for his innate artistry since his elementary student days at Our Lord's Grace Montessori School, where he was hailed Artist of the Year. Jonathan has participated in nine group exhibits, and has done several mural projects throughout the country. He is a member of the Portrait Society of America, and the Ugnayan Filipino Arts Foundation.

Romulo "Molong" Galicano (b. 1945) studied as an apprentice to Martino Abellana in Carcar. He subsequently took Fine Arts Studies at the University of the East. He became a member of the Dimasalang Group of Artists, and is renowned for his Manila streets capes, portraits of Manila's elite social circles, and his recently developed semi-abstracted style of figurative painting.

Florentino "Jun" Impas is a consistent winner in art competitions since his high school student days in Surigao del Norte. His most recent awards include: the Excellence Award at the China- ASEAN Youth Artwork Contest (2008), and 2nd prize at the GSIS National Painting Competition (2009). Impas has held five solo exhibits, the last being at Art Center, SM Megamall (2009). Currently based in Cebu City, his specialty is in portraiture and rural figurative genre subjects.

Facundo "Dodong" Tallo Jr. (b. 1952) was a self-taught artist in Carcar, before arriving in Manila in 1979 to study under Romulo Galicano. His first exhibition was an all Cebuano Artist Show in 1980, followed by "Habagatang Arte" (1985) and "Kolor Sugbo" (1989). He specializes in still life and interior scenes.

Jose "Pepe" Villadolid (b. 1946) first learned to paint from his uncle Diosdado Villadolid. He met Romulo Galicano in 1991 who taught him more pointers. Pepe then took up painting professionally in 1998. He has participated in several group exhibitions at Casa Gorordo Cebu (1998 and 1990),: Rustan's Cebu (1989); San Diego, California (1991): Cebu City Museum (1992); New York (1993); Cebu SM Art Center (1996, 1997, 2006); Metropolitan Museum Manila (2002); Ayala Museum (2006) and Vargas Museum (2006). Pepe Villadolid won the Grand Prize for the Martino Abellana Painting Competition in 1996.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Jose "Kimsoy" Yap Jr.

Jose "Kimsoy" Yap Jr. was born on March 7, 1944 in Bindoy, Negros Oriental, Philippines. Graduated from the Cebu Institute of Technology with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Architecture, he then continued and studied painting at the National Academy of Design School of Fine Arts in New York. He also currently teaches at the University of San Carlos and Cebu Academy of Arts.

Having studied at the National Academy of Design School of Fine Arts in New York, Kimsoy's painting style depicts traces of western influence, yet an intrinsic Filipino character remains in his art pieces. What is striking in most of his works is the conscious use of line and space; making the most of each minute stroke, for example, to bring about the best effect with the color, size and texture of the paper considered. The phrase "less is more" could be applied to some of his works lending a deeper drama to each of his paintings.

Shown are some of his works: "Bliss"- a sketch of Vincent and Yanna, my 2 children, Match maker and Lost Childhood.

Some of his awards include:
1970 - 3rd Prize- South East Asian Art Competition (Singapore)
2003 - 2nd Prize, On-the Spot Painting Competition, Sibonga,
2004 - 2nd Prize Painting Competition , Liloan, Cebu
1973-1987 - Numerous Awards from National Academy of Design School of Fine Arts
1974 - James Suydam Bronze Medal 1976-Louis La Beaume Prize
1978 - Mary Hinman Carter Prize 1979- Alice G. Melrose Prize
1981 - Julius Halgarten Prize 1982- Elliot Silver Medal for Drawing
1987 - Leon Neckhamen Prize Member Organizations: Kolor Sugbo

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Fe Madrid Pepito

Fe Madrid Pepito had her love affair with art when she was in elementary school. In college, she took up Commerce for two years and shifted to another course, with a Degree of Doctor of Optometry. this seemingly non-related course did not, however, alienate her artistic bent since it offered scientific knowledge about light and vision, or optical illusions which play a large part of our visual nature. Her skill was also enhanced by the drawing requirements concerning physiological optics, not to mention that she was also married to an artist, Celso Duazo Pepito.

With several shows to her credit, Madrid is in constant touch with local artist and, aside from keeping up the domestic chores, she somehow manages to paint. A CAI member, she also served as secretary to a number of art-related activities.

Madrid's art is in the formative stage. Her favorite subjects usually revolve within the household, though she often joined in workshops and painting excursions with the CAI group. A doting mother of three, her works reflected to 'mother & child' themes, still-lifes and nude figures. The life of motherhood and family as an intimate source of inspiration probably draws her more to painting and drawing. Basically a self-taught artist, she chooses oil and pastel as her favorite medium. A glimpse of her works may lead on to feel its surface's crudities, but pastime or passion, it testifies a personal warmth of it own.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Cesar Castillo

Cesar Castillo was born and raised in Cebu City. Though he had shown interest in arts, he ended up taking Mechanical Engineering course in the University of the Visayas in 1986 just to fulfill the request of his parents.

After graduation, he worked as a quality controller in the glass plant department of San Miguel Corporation, Cebu branch. Though busy with his works, he always found time to develop his artistic skills, turning his free time into opportunities for learning. As his artistic quest evolved, he started to find self-confidence in every painting he created thus giving him the privilege to slowly expose his art to Cebu's art patron and enthusiast.

Giving in to the clamor for artistic expression, Castillo decided to go full time in painting. His works are showcase of his concern for details and reflection of his innate love for colors.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Maxcel Migallos

Maxcel Puentenegra Migallos is a realist painter who was born and grew up in Davao City. His is a of Fine Arts Major in advertising at the Philippine Women's University in Manila in 1980 where he was named Most Outstanding Art Student. In 1981, he was featured in the "Ten Young Artists" art exhibit at Greenhills Art Center. In 1983 he move to Cebu. However, a year later he pursued another discipline and took up Architecture and finished the course in 1987. He practiced architecture and taught at the University of San Carlos both in architecture and fine arts program of the University.

He has participated in numerous group shows in and around Cebu as a member of the group first in Cebu Art Association nd later Kolor Sugbu where he is currently its president. In 1997, he was featured as one of the five Visayan artists in the third part of Manuel Duldulao's art book "Century of Philippine Realism". Prior to this, he was also featured in a coffee table book published in Cebu, "Cebuano Art Heritage". In 2008, he was also one of the Cebuanos featured in Duldulao's "Philippine Art Show".

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Benji Goyha

Benji Goyha was born in Samboan, Cebu on October 30, 1957. Though he loved to express himself in painting, he ended up enrolling in architecture at the University of the Visayas, Cebu, Philippines.

In 1981-89, he worked as an artist in one of Cebu's leading department store where he organized art related activities. His association with the Cebuano artists had been his turning point, going back to painting where he found freedom and satisfaction for his artistic expression.

Goyha, later established his own business in the field of silkscreen printing, but his membership with the Cebu Artists' Incorporated had encouraged him to pursue his love for painting. His works showcase his love and concern for nature and the invironment. He paints with broad brush strokes and plays with soft somber colors. His utmost objective is to bring prominence and recognition to his hometown, Samboan.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Audie Estrellada

Audie Estrellada is a naturally gifted visual artist. He showed his talent at a very early age. Not fully contented with what he was capable of, he looked for ways to enhance his craft by enrolling in the International Arts School (IAS) in the 1980's.

His artworks are wide-ranged and multifarious: still life, landscapes, seascapes, figures, human interest, cultural and values-oriented themes and landmarks.

His media are oil on canvas, watercolor on paper, acrylic and oil antiquated wood and driftwood. He also experimented on sculpturing, doing images of religious saints. Most of his artworks dwell on realism.

His major awards were: First Place- Open Art Competition by the Art Association of the Philippines; Grand Prize, Filipino Inc.: Outstanding Siquijodnon in the Field of Visual Arts.

The artist is also involved in social activities. He is a Rotarian and a member of the LGU Committe on the culture and arts. He also conducts Summer Art Workshops.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Jose Brillo Villaver

Jose Brillo Villaver was born in Cebu City on March 13, 1959. His early interest in painting has brought him to the hall of the University of the Philippines Cebu College where he completed his certificate of Fine Arts in 1980.

Before embarking on a full time mission as a painter, he first engaged himself into product and interior designing. Altough he was financially rewarded during this stint, he slowly realized spending much time in this area never gave him satisfaction. Thus, in the year 2005, he decided to go full time on painting.

Villaver's paintings are reflective of his concern and appreciation for the Filipino's tenacity in dealing with life, appreciating not only the positive but also the negative aspect of living. He employs heavy textures, applies radiating warm and cool colors, and uses strict heavy lines to emphasize his chosen subjects.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Billy Pomida

Born in the island of Samar in the Philippines on July 11, 1963, Billy Pomida started the rudiments of drawing at a young age which inspired him to take up Fine Arts in college at the University of the East in Manila. In 1986, he worked as a graphic designer for a government research institution before devoting to full-time painting in 2001. Since then, he has participated in numerous group exhibitions in different places in the Philippines and a series of Three-Man Shows in the United States in 2002.

He has won numerous awards, among of which are the following: One of the Top Five Watercolorists for 2001 and 2007 and the runner-up for the 2008 in the Kulay sa Tubig Annual Invitational Watercolor Competition and Exhibition in Manila, Grand Prize, Cebu Arts Association 70th Anniversary Painting Competition in 2007, Grand Prize, President Ramon Magsaysay Death Anniversary Painting Contest, Grand Prize, Dona Modesta Gaisano Foundation Painting Contest in Cebu 2002, and First Prize, Civil Service Commission On-the--Spot Painting Contest in Tacloban City in 1991.

Above is Billy Pomida's watercolor painting of the Liloan lighthouse in Northern Cebu, now the centerpiece of Ayala Land's project Amara- a high-end seaside community.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Gabriel Abellana

Gabriel Abellana comes from a family of artists. His father is a sculptor, musician and a dentist. His uncle is considered as one of the most influential artist in Cebu. He is a graduate of Fine Arts at the University of the Phillipines Cebu College.

Abellana is a plein air landscape artist but never ceases to artistically evolve by experimenting in abstraction using nature as inspiration. He mounted several group exhibits locally and internationally. He is presently a member of the faculty in the University of San Carlos Fine Arts Department. He also administers the Cebu Academy of Arts which regularly conducts Summer Art Workshops for children and adults.

Abellana organizes the yearly Doña Modesta Gaisano Foundation Annual Painting Competition. He is also an active member of the Association of Museums and Carcar Heritage Conservation Society.

Cebuano Artists Painting Collection- Celso Duazo Pepito

When we look and appraise a painting by Celso Duazo Pepito, one will immediately come face to face with a brilliantly made work of art. He was born 51 years ago on November 22 in Daan Bantayan, Cebu. He plunged into the world of art as a young man who showed special skills in lettering. He was surprise when he steps into the halls of the University of the Philippines that the fine arts course was after all about painting. His painting career took off soon after college.

There were years of facing struggles hurdling one trial after another. Like college education, experience is considered as the best teacher. His paintings are known to contain imagery that is brought to life by crisp and clear lines, bold strokes and his usual usage of bright color scheming. But deep within his subjects are personal motives and intentions that come from his heart.

The man is with a mission he believes not impossible. Apart from the physical manipulations of the hand that holds the brush, the works carry messages that Pepito infuses to visually communicate. The paintings aren’t just made of the medium but it can be said that the messages he wants to convey and the meaning the artwork may possess is what completes the painting. Even with the seemingly straight-forwardness of Pepito’s paintings it is unwise to take them at face value because there is more to it than meets the eye. Because there are several symbolisms in the composition though these symbols are not hidden or coded. Pepito do not hide them, the symbols actually doubles as aesthetic elements and embellishments. These symbols have become a common feature and fixture.

His paintings are usually made up of three planar divisions used as backdrops to his modern figural subjects. What isn’t known to many is that they carry personal meanings. Pepito has three different explanations for the three geometrical partitions. One has to do with strengthening family ties; the second is about the spirit of nationalism while the third embraces religious spirituality. These three concerns sum up the totality of his art and person. The first symbolize the family and the number takes significance because he’s got three young-adult children who are all boys.

Pepito is an unwavering believer that positive change in society will start in the family. This is why his works always and never-fails to show and depict family values and tradition. Second is that of nation-building and nationhood. They represent the concept of Luzviminda, the three geographical parts of the country. Pepito’s paintings are nationalistic in the sense that it gives a positive picture of what the Filipino life style is. And notice his choice of colors the preference are our national flag colors. Lastly the third stands for the Holy Trinity. This is Pepito’s commitment to a continuing apostolate.

Pepito's painting style is in the modernist vein that verges towards cubism hence they are heavy on polygons. But what is the most readily discernable is the octagon shape rising high above his canvas. To him the bright octagon symbolize hope, a virtue Pepito never seems to run out with.