The Anthem Philatelist

  After shifting to Cubism in 1994, Celso Pepito thought of ceasing to paint in an impressionistic manner.  However, after thinking that such privilege to paint this way is a gift from God, he opted to paint again in this style in 2009.  It was one of his ways to commune with nature.  He usually does this on-the-spot painting with friends. Painting below are scenes from Consolacion , Liloan and Oslob , Cebu . Oslob, Cebu While his friends were doing the whale shark, he painted this road in Oslob                                                                           Bagacay Point, Liloan, Cebu, 2009                                 Sometimes beset with boredom,...

I've been road running for the past 3 years. A few days ago however, I ventured into a different running adventure-  trail running.  Earlier on, I always wanted to run in varied off-road terrain, but friends warned me that injuries are higher in these types of run .    A colleague of mine, dislocated his knee and another had bruises in his shins and foot courtesy of the rocky terrain. My witty, humorous, fitness loving travelmate  Dr. Clifford "Ipyok" Aranas almost collapsed due to anaphylaxis after being bitten by a bee. Some even got lost (due to absence of signs) and became severely dehydrated (due to lack of water stations).  So, I told myself: "I'll have to prepare for this event"- the first ROX (Recreational Outdoor Xchange) Trail run in Liloan , Cebu sponsored by Salomon .    After much reading from various books and frequent site visits to Runner's World , I came up with these strategies, which I call the ABCDE strategy, for a successf...

Still Life, Oil Pastel on Paper, 18"x 14", 2009 Fe Madrid's art are in the formative years. 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 her own.   Bagacay, Liloan Cebu, 2009  

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 situated in Mandaue City   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. His first art teacher was Cebuano master cubist , Celso Duazo Pepito but he was personally mentored by Jose Kimsoy Yap Jr. , who taught him the notion of "less is more" and "not all has to be seen".   Giving in to the clamor for artistic expression, Cesar  Castillo ...

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.    Parola sa Liloan, Watercolor, 2009 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 ,...