Local Cafe's Art Exhibit

Java Jam is a coffee shop in Balanga City, Bataan that also doubles as an art gallery for local contemporary artists. I am not a coffee drinker, but I do frequent the place to meet with some friends. Sometimes I just wanted to relax and admire the paintings while sipping on some hot choco. 

The paintings of A. R. Tiamzon, Jr. are featured during my recent visit to the coffee shop. He used oil on canvass as medium. His works are for sale, ranging from 3,500 - 6,500 pesos. A nude woman with almost perfect body is the subject of most of his paintings. The faces of his subjects are hidden and sometimes showing a painful feeling of humiliation. Most are painted using dark and fiery colors that for me signifies strong feeling of displeasure. Circular lines associated with fertility surrounded the subject of one of his paintings. The almost perfect figures of the women showed how the artist adores the curves of  a woman's body while the expressions on the subjects faces revealed how he wanted them to always comply with his commands. 

Book Reflection: "A Stranger in the Mirror"

I was still in high school when I first read the novel "A Stranger in the Mirror" by Sidney Sheldon. Like many of his works, it deals with fictional characters having unhappy endings. The story opens with the description of Toby Temple's childhood, how his mother encourages him to develop his theatrical talent by joining amateur contests. Toby grew up knowing that he was going to be famous. With that in mind, he did everything he could and even used some people just to get on top. He succeeded and became a Hollywood star. In one of his shows he met Jill Castle, a starlet who later on became his wife. When Toby got paralyzed and was already useless to her, Jill murdered him. She then committed suicide when David Kenyon, her true love, discovered the one secret she's been hiding - her dirty past engaging in a pornographic film.

The title of the novel signifies the truth about the lives of  famous people such as actors and actresses. Some of them became strangers to their own selves for they have to play, almost everyday, the part of a masked person that the world wanted to see. They can't just do anything they want without being judged by the public. With this understanding, I was able to deal with my insecurities. I used to be the kind of person who gets easily affected by what people say, always thinking of myself as the target. But now that I have looked into the mirror and recognized who I am, I learned to love and accept the real me and what's inside.  

MIRROR by Fallen Ashes

In general, I consider this a wonderful story because it taught me to be strong and have determination in accomplishing my goals. Way back in high school, I graduated with good academic standing and passed the UPCAT because of my perseverance. Like Toby Temple who followed his passion and gave 100% in his career, I realized that I need to know what I want and make it a priority in my life.  As the saying goes, we are all super stars; we just have to discover what we're truly capable of and shine. But in contrast to the character's way of attaining one, I will, without doubt, try not to step on anyone just to get what I want.

Museum of Antique Houses

Bagac is blessed with beautiful sand beaches which made it a perfect location for resort and hotel businesses. Thanks to its natural beauty, the town is now popular for its first class resorts. One of which is the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar of the New San Jose Builders, Inc. The resort features a collection of antique houses, restored to their original beauty. The construction started early of 2005 and the resort officially opened summer of 2010. I was able to witness the restoration because my father used to be the supplier of the construction materials needed on the site. I think and in my opinion, the original owners of the antique houses made the right decision when they sold their properties to the New San Jose Builders, Inc. They not just earned from selling their antique houses, but they also acted for its preservation.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a museum of mansions and houses of the old Philippines. Spanish architectural design with a fusion of Filipino craftsmanship can be experienced and marveled on. Because the setting is a perfect reproduction of a typical 18th century Filipino community, a lot of photographers and artists from different parts of the globe frequent the area to make their own masterpieces. To make a guest's visit more informative, Las Casas offers guided tours of the inside of the houses. Antique vanity mirrors, chandeliers, massive wooden furniture, and different musical instruments adorned the interiors of the mansions and bahay na bato. Intricate designs on wood carvings embellished the ceiling as well as the windows of the structures. And because Las Casas is a recreational area, strict maintenance and preservation of the antiquities is being administered by the management. Paintings and old photographs are hanged on the walls for decoration. Bronze sculptures of kids happily playing are scattered around the area, showcasing the different Filipino games such as the luksong tinik, palo sebo, and hampas palayok. The resort not just preserved the beauty of Spanish-Filipino architecture but also our native traditions.

with my PISAY friends (summer of 2010)

An Artistic Exploration: Sta Catalina de Alexandria

Considered as one of the oldest churches in the country, the Sta. Catalina Parish Church is located at the heart of the town of Bagac, Bataan. According to historical records, it was built by the Franciscan Fathers in the 1600's. It conform the Spanish tradition of building the church at the central plaza to further the spread of authority through Christianity. The structure is not magnificent enough to be compared to other baroque churches in the Philippines. It is simple with just a few ornaments. Initially, the church has an L-shaped design but recent renovations changed it to a cross or T-shaped one. The facade of the structure has also been renovated but was patterned from the original. Equilateral arches are used to house the big windows and the main entrance door, while Doric columns supported the lintel and roof of the facade. Two odd shaped bowls, instead of gargoyles are placed on the roof sides for decoration. The bell tower, attached to the right side of the facade is divided into three floors ornamented with old style cement banisters. White and gray are the choice of colors for the exterior face, while mosaic stone walls are for the sides of the church.

Because of the renovations, the exterior of the church lost its antiquity which made it less appealing compared to other old churches in the country. The only features of the structure that are preserved are the coral stone walls on the sides and the antique ceramic tiles on the floor. The interior embellishments of the church are mostly new like the mosaics of angels on the altar and the murals of Jesus Christ on the walls of the two side wings. To facilitate flow of form, equilateral arches painted with gold linings are once again used and this time to house the antique images of saints. One can say just by looking at the images that they are well preserved and are still in perfect condition. The clothing of the town's patron saint "Apo Ina" looks extravagant as well as those of Virgin Mary's. According to the church secretary, the clothes of the images are mostly donations from the rich families of the town amounting to at least 20,000 pesos each. The retablo is not exaggerated like the typical ones from old churches but is as appealing too. Glass stained windows and antique wooden sculptures of the Stations of the Cross ornamented the walls of the church.

The reason behind the simple architectural design of the building is that it was created by a society of underprivileged fishermen and farmers. Aesthetics during those times were not given great importance by the locals. Compared to other structures in the town plaza, the church is quite huge but still looks very inviting because of its many entrances. The size of the main door of the facade is the same for all the doors of the church, while big stained glass windows that can be opened outward surrounded the structure. Natural ambiance can be felt from the light and air entering the huge windows and doors as the well as from the view of the earthy colors of the interior murals. 

Aesthetic Experience

An artistic experience for me is when a person actively participates and exposes himself to the world of art. It can be exemplified as a person who studies the artwork's elements and principles, or the artist making his masterpiece. What is important is that both of them relish their experiences. They should have also share their knowledge in the arts for the world to better appreciate. Art is like a voice that should be heard and understood. An artist makes an aesthetic object for us to marvel on and give an explanation of.

Way back in high school, we have a subject in second year Art Education wherein we analyzed paintings and other art forms. Ounr teacher used a slide projector and explained to us important information about an art such as its creator, the period or time it was made, and its interpretations. Honestly, I was fascinated by how significant every detail in an artwork was. But because we have more important subjects to study other than art, I didn't give much effort and time to learn from it.

I consider this acquired knowledge in my high school Art Education my first artistic experience. Since then, every time I see a painting or sculpture, I can't help but analyze it and make my own opinions and interpretations. I was not gifted with any talents in painting or drawing but I have a passion for the arts. I like staring at beautiful objects and examine even their smallest features. I have high admiration for artists and a bit of curiosity on their personal lives, especially the inspirations behind their creations.

Before, I thought that art can only be found in museums and operas in which only the rich and privileged have access. But my perception changed when I was introduced to my high school's own play productions and art exhibits. During my third year in high school, I was given a minor role in our play Ramayana wherein I gave my best in the portrayal of my character. Our class painted backdrops for every scene of the play and we also made our own props. I consider this amateur theatrical production an artistic experience because I was able to express art by way of my acting and through our original set designs. Aside from school plays, our class also held exhibits of our original art pieces. We applied the techniques we learned from our art and drafting classes in those pieces.

My awareness and knowledge of the arts widened when I reached college. I decided to explore the world and learn from it. With my new found freedom, I was able to travel in different parts of the Philippines and recognize other cultures. Let me start with the streets of Vigan. In this city, I was able to wander through and appreciate the beauty of the old Philippines. Vigan's well preserved houses and churches are great examples of the fusion between the Philippines' building design and the colonial European architecture. With my trusty camera, I acted like a professional photographer taking pictures of the antique houses and their grandiose interiors. I also rode a kalesa and went to an Ilokano pottery maker. But unfortunately, I was not able to witness actual pottery making but only the products. Going down south to Laguna, I was fascinated with the small town of Liliw. This 4th class municipality is popular because of its export quality shoe products. I fell in love with the town's native shoes and slippers because of their artistic designs, not to mention the various styles to choose from too. The town of Liliw maybe small but their culture is rich. Another city that is rich in culture is Cebu. The locals used natural materials such as Capiz and wood in making various accessories and furniture. Their guitars are also of export quality as well as their food products.

In the near future, I plan on exploring other countries such as Paris, France for its art museums, grand architectures, and influential lifestyle; as well as New York City for its diverse culture - edgy and at the same time very sophisticated.