The Anthem Philatelist

Spring Lake, 1965, 48" x 26" , Avanzado Family Collection Growing up in our old home in Mandaue , Cebu in the early seventies, the centerpiece of our living room beside the piano was the beautiful 48"x26" Spring Lake, a 1965 impressionist painting by Nida Alcoseba Samaniego. Nida Alcoseba was originally from Carcar , Cebu but she lived her most of life in General Santos City .  She studied Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas and one of her professors was the National Artist Prof. Victor Edades . Her daughter Marite said that the painting in our living room was her signature painting style, which has elements of realism and impressionism .  She relayed to me that she has a similar painting, but the theme was in Autumn , (Autumn Lake) whereas our painting depicts Springtime.    Nida's daughter, Marite Samaniego Castro , is also a well-respected artist who manages an art gallery in Manila . From my correspondence with her, I learned that Nida pas...

Gabriel Abellana comes from a family of artists. His father Dr. Ramon Alcoseba Abellana , is a sculptor, musician and a dentist. His uncle, Martino Abellana , 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 .    As a lover of nature, Abellana is a plein air landscape artist and makes nature the subject of his art. He stated that nature is God's creation and painting it makes you closer to God; 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 a...