The Anthem Philatelist

 The National Women’s Month Celebration has its roots in the recognition of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th, a historical event stemming from the organizing efforts of women in the early 20th Century. Between 1909 and 1911, working women in the United States, united under  the National Women’s Trade Union League and other groups, protested against low wages, lack of protective legislation, and harsh working conditions. These demonstrations were a response to the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March 1911 in New York City, claiming the lives of over 140 working girls, primarily Italian and Jewish immigrants. The subsequent observances of International Women’s Day invoked the appalling working conditions and unfair labor practices leading up to the disaster. The 2024 National Women’s Month Celebration aims to capitalize on the recurring theme “WE for gender equality and inclusive society,” introduced in 2023. This theme, launched to renew commitment to...

Vendors, Early Works in Watercolor Darby Vincent Alcoseba is a illustrious figure in the contemporary Philippine art landscape, bridging classical Cebuano ( Sugbuanon ) realism with a modern, global sensibility. Born on June 26, 1983, in Cebu City , Alcoseba belongs to a four-generation artistic dynasty that has heavily shaped Visayan culture. While he initially pursued an academic path far removed from canvas and pigment, his inherent lineage eventually caught up with him, prompting a dramatic pivot that established him as an internationally recognized master of realist and surrealist painting. The Weight of Artistic Heritage To understand Alcoseba’s art is to understand the legacy he carries. His great-grandfather, Jose Trinidad “Noy Peping” Alcoseba , was a founding member of the historic Cebu Art Association in 1936. Noy Peping had 3 children- Vidal Sr, Wigberto and Leo. Darby's father, Antonio "Tony" Alcoseba , son of Vidal Sr., is a revered master of watercolor wh...

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 .  The Alcoseba's of Cebu is a multi-generational family of renowned visual artists that includes Peping, Vidal, Leo, Tony and Darby Vincent . 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 S...

Abstract expressionism is the term applied to new forms of abstract art developed by American painters such as Jackson Pollock , Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning in the 1940s and 1950s. It is often characterised by gestural brush-strokes or mark-making, and the impression of spontaneity Within abstract expressionism were two broad groupings: the so-called action painters , who attacked their canvases with expressive brush strokes; and the colour field painters who filled their canvases with large areas of a single colour. Wenceslao “Tito” Cuevas (September 2, 1938 –March 19, 2012), a renowned third generation Cebuano artist, whose non-conformist attitude paved the way for Filipino modern art to emerge in the Queen City of the South . He is regarded as the Father of Cebuano Abstract Expressionism Cuevas exposed himself to art outside the Philippines. "This exposure paved way for his signature abstract expressionist style. Splatters of paint and bold brush strokes done...