CXLII: Give Art on Christmas Day 2021

 In the continuing effort to exact revenge on the pandemic by conducting one’s affairs as normally as possible, subject to the perfectly understandable constraints of scientifically-supported health precautions, we prepared for Christmas 2021 in pretty much the same way as we did last year.  Which is to say, in the midst of Covid and on-again off-again lockdowns, we scouted around for a suitable artist who might produce a respectable artwork for our family Christmas card.

As in many previous years – a good sign that our anti-pandemic revenge strategy was working – we did not have to look too hard, as one such artist came through via a mutual friend.  It helped tremendously that his portfolio of completed works was available to view publicly on his social media, which included works such as the following:

San Juan Evangelista

Santa Ana

Saint Joseph’s Dream

Dwelling almost entirely within the religious art genre – almost stampita-like – and in a unique hyperdetailed style, this artist could certainly create something different for our Christmas card, I thought.  As with previous prospective artists, we asked for possible subjects and studies, and by mid-August 2021, he had sent me three, with accompanying write-ups even:

PAHALIK 

“At Christmas time in many towns in the Philippines, the parish’s treasured image of the Niño Dormido (the sleeping Christ Child) is brought from house to house for the faithful to venerate and kiss.  Laid on a lace cushion and shielded by a linen cloth, the image of the Infant Jesus is carried by sacristans early on Christmas morning. 

“From the point of view of Catholic faithful, the ‘Pahalik’ is not just a physical activity but a manifestation of how we must always accept Jesus, with the eagerness and excitement of a child.  It shows how children ought to do their best to have Jesus within them: as a source of happiness and hope for a better tomorrow.”

ISDANG PAROL 

“Inspired by the quaint, illuminated lanterns of bamboo and paper from the Christmases of our childhood, the ‘Isdang Parol’ is a symbol of our struggles in the sea of life.  The celebration of Christmas is therefore a way of connecting Jesus Christ our Savior to our struggles in this vale of tears.  He is the standard of righteousness and the source of all life.”

But it was a third study – actually the first of the three that the artist had completed and sent to me (via the Viber messaging app) – that caught our attention the most:

PANUNULUYAN

“The ‘Panunuluyan’ is a beloved Christmas tradition that brings together Filipinos in their journeys of faith and hope.  It reenacts the long and difficult search by Saint Joseph and the pregnant Blessed Virgin Mary for a room at an inn.
 
“The traditional form of this Christmas drama is a procession of the images of the Holy Couple atop adorned carozzas, with townsfolk singing and reciting lines while knocking on three to four houses that represent the Bethlehem inns.  A “ginoong maybahay” (head of the household) would turn them away at each stop until the procession ultimately finds itself at the parish church, where the Christmas story is retold in the “Misa de Aguinaldo” (midnight mass or vigil mass).
 
“This seemingly primitive and folk theater-like ‘Panunuluyan’ tradition is still part of the uniquely ‘Pinoy’ observance of Christmas.  In the eyes of the children who witness this annually, it is a gripping and therefore effective retelling of the story of that very first Christmas night.”

It did not take long for us to converge on the “Panunuluyan” as the chosen subject for this year’s Christmas card.  By October 19^th, the artwork was definitely work-in-progress:

And just a few days later, on October 23^rd, the foreground was essentially done,

with just the pink-and-purple sky and lanterns-framing missing.

By October 26^th, the artwork was complete.  On the same day, the artist sent me an expanded write-up of this subject, with an updated artwork title:

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

“Growing up in Hagonoy [Bulacan], I was blessed to experience several cultural and religious customs still being preserved to the present day.  I used to join my mother, a ‘mandarasal ng kaluluwa’ [member of a traditional group of prayer devotees] along with other old women of our barrio whenever they gathered for these observances.

“There is always a sense of nostalgia, and I am instantly brought back to the Holy Weeks and Christmases of my childhood every time I witness a procession of old ‘santos’ on ‘carozzas’ [wheeled processional floats].  

“Working on this painting brought back a lot of memories.  In some years, our house was chosen to be one of the stops of the ‘Panunuluyan’ with the images of ‘San Jose’ [Saint Joseph] and the pillow-pregnant ‘Virgen’ [Blessed Virgin Mary], accompanied by the parish’s men, women, and children, with a band of musicians, while they re-enact the holy couple’s search for an inn that fateful night in Bethlehem.  For us who belong to the simple household of a ‘karpintero’ [my father is a professional carpenter], that virtual experience of being part of the journey of the birth of our Lord will always be memorable.

“This painting, entitled ‘Tuloy Po Kayo!’ [‘Welcome – Please Come In!’], is an ode to my town and its people, and ultimately to the Holy Family.  It is also a message of hope and warmth, and a call-to-action for such beautiful traditions to endure, no matter what crises we experience in life: the more we should let the Holy Family into our hearts in the face of all these lockdowns and being detained in what often feels like a never-ending pandemic. 

“Through this artwork, may we still keep our faith strong, and may we hope that after all these, we may carry on with these traditions begun by our ancestors and bequeathed to us.”

And here is the official photograph of the artwork, taken in HD-quality by the artist himself:

TULOY PO KAYO!

18" x 24" / 61 cm x 46 cm

Watercolor and Gouache on Paper

2021

Here is a bit more about the artist, written in the third person but in his own words:

ABOUT THE ARTIST

“Ronnel Lacas is a licensed architect and painter from Hagonoy, Bulacan. 

“He discovered his passion for drawing when he won his first competition at the municipal level in his kindergarten year.  In elementary school, he won several national art competitions with the supervision of his teacher-coach Ms. Ana Maria Rubio.  While in secondary school, he was exposed to more art styles and mediums under Mrs. Yolanda Narciso, and won numerous awards and other accolades while representing the school.

“His first encounter with watercolor came when he majored in Architecture at the Bulacan State University.  It was a love-hate relationship, as watercolor is a difficult medium, but was mandatory for students in rendering their architecture drawings.  Nonetheless, in the course of his university studies, Ronnel was able to develop his own technique in watercolor, and until today, he continues to explore water-based mediums such as gouache. 

“Growing up in a religious family in Hagonoy, he was fascinated by processions of life-sized images of saints, and became interested in the art of ‘pagsasanto’ [the technical and devotional aspects of creating and caring for religious images].  Seeing antique images of saints mounted on ‘carrozas'’ during Semana Santa [Holy Week] and other town fiestas, Ronnel saw how real-world crafts combined with seemingly other-worldly religiosity result in religious art that might give one a proverbial ‘glimpse of heaven’.  As a result of this interest, ‘santos’ garbed in gold-embroidered garments became some of his favorite artwork subjects.

“Ronnel’s painting style is heavily influenced by, among others, the classical Renaissance and Baroque style of ‘chiaroscuro’ or the interplay between light and shade.”

- - - - - - - - - - - 

As in previous years, recipients of our Christmas card also received one or more specially-chosen items, reflecting our family’s interests and preferences, including:

The Ortigas Foundation’s 2022 desk calendar, a mainstay of our annual Christmas pack; this time featuring artworks from the pre-war “Philippine Magazine” by artists including Fabian de la Rosa, Jorge Pineda, and Fernando Amorsolo, who would all subsequently achieve broader renown.

Twisted, the 25^th Anniversary Edition, by Jessica Zafra, a favorite writer of many of the people on our Christmas list.

“Tarantadong Kalbo Volume 2”, the latest compilation of painfully funny cartoons and comic strips by visual artist and animator Kevin Eric Raymundo.

“Never Again! [to Martial Law!]”, a collection of semi-apocryphal anecdotes, Martial Law-era jokes, and interesting reviews of books from the post-Marcos era, by an energetic and amiable 90-year old retired UPLB professor, “Doc Cris” Maslog.

For many recipients, the three books were packaged in a durable linen “book purse” 

courtesy of our regular craftsperson in Malolos, Rheeza Hernandez.  Incidentally, Rheeza was also our source for the Pampanga-made “pink parols” hung in our family’s homes and popular with many other like-minded families as well.  Here it is, hanging in our city apartment’s living room, overlooking the leafy neighborhood park.

And with that, from Rheeza, Jessica, Doc Cris, Kevin (a.k.a Tarantadong Kalbo), the Ortigas Foundation & Library Team, Architect Ron, and my family and me, to you and yours –

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

Originally published on 31 December 2021.  All text and photos (except where attributed otherwise) copyright ©2021 Leo D Cloma.  The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

CXLI: Give Art on Christmas Day 2020

Given how this past year has turned out so far (yes, as I write this, there are still a few hours left to the end, and therefore some probability, albeit small, that things will look better), one would be tempted to just throw one’s hands up and put everything on the back burner, as it were.  I have on the other hand taken the exact opposite approach, which is to ignore such short-term inconveniences as mobility constraints and the like and go about several activities, even virtually, as if it were business as usual.  Let’s just say that this is my version of revenge.

And so, in the midst of the first lockdown and as if it were the most normal thing to do, I made inquiries as to who might be a suitable artist for our family's Christmas card artwork this year. From an old school friend and my network of university connections came a nomination, and initial inquiries by SMS and email proved promising.

The young artist, upon our request, emailed some samples from a diverse portfolio of his works from the previous few years, including:

     Rendition of Georgia O’Keefe’s Purple Leaves

                       Untitled, Commissioned 2018

                    Rendition of Masferre’s Sumadel, Tinglayan

                        Untitled, Commissioned 2017

                    Untitled, 2017

I thought that these artworks were assurance that this artist could not only render human figures realistically but also bathe them in lively colors, both essential in creating a Christmas-themed artwork for us.  By the end of April, we had struck a deal to proceed.

In about another month, which is to say by the end of May, the artist emailed me two studies for the Christmas artwork.

The first one, which he titled “Warmth Under the Capiz Lanterns”, depicts a boy receiving a puppy as a Christmas present.  “I equate the boy’s joy to being under the warm yellow lights of a thousand Capiz lanterns,” he said about this study.

The second study depicted the reunion of a boy and his Overseas Filipino Worker father against a traditional Filipino home’s wooden balcony at sunset.  The artist called this “The Arrival,” saying, “Most Filipino children will relate to the joy of seeing their parents, unfortunately in some cases, only on Christmas day.”

I thought that both studies were excellently done, but told the artist that I felt that “The Arrival” was too melancholy not only in subject but also in appearance.  We therefore agreed that he should develop “Warmth Under the Capiz Lanterns” further instead.  In particular, I suggested that he add not only more children but also more capiz lanterns, and he took to it.

In about three weeks, in the second half of June, he had sent me a preliminary sketch.

And in the succeeding weeks, the artwork progressed rapidly to completion.

      As of July 2^nd 

      As of July 9^th 

      As of July 17^th 

By August 11^th, the artwork was finished.

    Raja Jardiniano

    WARMTH UNDER THE CAPIZ LANTERNS

    Oil on canvas

    18” x 24” / 46 cm x 61 cm

    2020

Now let’s hear more from the artist himself about his new artwork:

For this painting, which I named "Warmth Under the Capiz Lanterns," I chose oil paint for my medium.  I painted myself and my siblings and some of our pets, with capiz lanterns in the background, in our old wooden balcony. 

I had always loved Christmas as a child.  I remember loving it so much that we once had four Christmas trees because of me.  That’s four Christmas trees simultaneously!

For my younger self, everything was just so magical at Christmas: from the warm lights, to the beautifully adorned trees, and everything else in between.  Christmas is also one of those rare occasions during which my family gets to be all together. 

Also, I love my lola's cooking, especially the desserts.  I remember eating them in secret before she would serve them at the dining table, though she always knew all along that I had already done so.  She also gives the best gifts – I included one of her most memorable presents to me in the painting. 

The balcony that I painted was the one from the old wooden house that we used to live in.  It had capiz windows and we would hang capiz lanterns as Christmas approached. Of all the houses that we had lived in, it was the one where I had my best childhood memories.  It was a very big house – so large that my siblings and I could ride our twist bikes along its hallways. 

I was also only able to include two of our many pets.  Back then, we had two horses, fifteen cats, four birds, two rabbits, two sheep, a goat, some goldfishes (that always died), two ducks, and three dogs. 

Overall, I enjoyed creating this painting very much – it was a very nostalgic experience for me. 

And to round off our acquaintance of this young artist (and in case his words above were not sufficient), here is his short biographical note:

Raja Jardiniano was born in Dasmariñas City (Cavite) to a family of artists – both his parents are full-time artists and four of their five children are also into the arts.  

Raja is currently a sophomore in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program of the University of the Philippines in Diliman.  After he completes this, he plans to pursue a Music degree, to major in Composition.

________________________________________________

As in previous years, recipients of our family Christmas card usually also received at least one other small gift.  Our mainstay gift is the Ortigas Foundation and Library desk calendar.

For 2021, and perhaps in recognition of so many who were driven to talking to their plants while in lockdown this past year, the calendar features sample pages from the posthumously-published volumes of Philippines-based Spanish Augustinian botanist Father Manuel Blanco (1778 – 1845) that listed over 1,200 indigenous plants, drawn in color by the leading Philippine artists of the second half of the 19^th century, including Miguel Zaragoza, Felix Martinez, and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.

Alternatively, one might have received from us a copy of “The Collected Stories of Jessica Zafra,” 

published to great acclaim in late 2019 and a repeated must-read in 2020 and beyond.

Each year, we challenge our regular craftsperson Rheeza Hernandez of Malolos to create an innovative packaging design for our Christmas book gift.  This year was perhaps her most creative attempt ever, a face mask and bandana-scarf to wrap the Jessica Zafra book furoshiki-style.

___________________________________________________

And so, from Rheeza, Jessica, Father Blanco (and the Ortigas Foundation & Library Team), Raja, and my family and me, to you and yours –

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

___________________________________________________

Originally published on 31 December 2020.  All text and photos (except where attributed otherwise) copyright ©2020 Leo D Cloma.  The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

CXL: Give Art on Christmas Day 2019

Admittedly, 2019 was not a good year for more creative pursuits, because while I managed to get around to visiting a few old houses with the akyat-bahay gang and poke around some dark bodegas with the antique police, the usual obstacle of time (as in, the lack of it, due to a posh new job that calls for somewhat more travel and a lot more teleconferencing – though I’m not complaining; it’s all good overall) got in the way of writing, preparing, and sharing new articles on The Akyat-Bahay Gangster site.

But one thing I did manage to attend to in the Busy Year of 2019 was find a suitable artwork to commission to make into our family Christmas card.  In the first half of the year, I pursued several leads, and honed in on one, a talented artist working in a relatively unusual (though not unique) medium.  Sadly, the artist begged off due to the lack of time resulting from the demands of his day job.  (Sounds familiar?)  So I had to restart my artist search, and consulted a very knowledgeable art-connoisseur friend, who promptly and generously gave me the contact details of two artists he believed might be able to create something suitable for us.

After reviewing their portfolios online, I picked one of them, and contacted him in late June.  He responded, saying that he was then currently preparing for an art exhibition, but promised to attend to my inquiry more fully afterwards.  I did a follow-up in late July, asking if he could already send me some rough ideas and studies, and he committed to get back to me shortly.  Indeed, by late August, he reverted with not just a rough idea but an actual fully-drawn-out study in watercolor.

I thought, wow, how colorful and interesting.  Upon my request, he provided some background on the subject and its composition, translated and paraphrased here:

“My original title for the artwork was "Mabungang Pasko" [A Fruitful Christmas], but upon reflection I felt that it was too literal.  To pique the curiosity of the viewer, I gave it a bit of a twist.  A more intriguing title "Tatlong Luningning" [Three Splendors] came to mind. 

“The Filipino Christmas is unusual, because as early as September, the Christmas spirit is already making itself felt.  Alongside our busy-ness, we all feel eager for the coming of Christmas and secretly wish that not only would December come soon but also that every day of the year could be Christmas Day.  That way, the Holy Spirit would always remain with us, with Hope, Faith, and above all, Love.

“Symbols and elements in the artwork:

• The lady on the right diligently attends to her small business in order to provide a proper livelihood for the family.  

• The gift being unwrapped holds a welcome surprise and a message of generosity to others.

• Fruits represent bounty and plenty.

• The dog and the cat demonstrate peace, harmony, and understanding.

• And the “three splendors” hanging from the hut’s ceiling above are simple Christmas lanterns that stand for the light in our lives, reminding us that the Christ Child was born to become the Savior of mankind.”

I thought that not only was the study pretty well-fleshed-out but also that the accompanying reflection on what it meant to the artist was very comprehensive, even more than what I would have expected from just a study at this stage.  His biographical note posted on his website, which he had separately invited me to check out, indicated that he had completed a Fine Arts degree in university.  That for me explained his approach to the study and how he was able to put it in words so eloquently.

His website also showed several of his other completed artworks, including the bright and sunny “Caravan”,

the charming “Dog Whisperer”,

and another Christmas artwork, the poignant “The Best Gift”.

It was obviously not difficult to give the artist the go-signal to proceed.  In the course of the succeeding weeks, he provided updates on how the painting process was progressing.  For starters, he prepared the canvas by means of a pencil layout using a grid, scaled and enlarged to the target size of 18 inches tall by 24 inches wide.

Next, he fleshed out the outlines of the figures using a sable brush.

The final stage was coloring, which involved first using semi-flat pigments prior to applying the final more detailed coloring.

By late September, the artwork was complete, and I took delivery of it in early October.  Photographing it for the Christmas card and the actual printing of the cards were completed in the succeeding weeks, and by early December, the cards were being allocated to family members and dispatched to the ultimate recipients.  Overall, and despite the uncertainties and difficulties in the first half of the year, it was a smooth and straightforward Christmas artwork-commissioning process after all.

Teody C. Racuya

TATLONG LUNINGNING

2019

Oil on canvas

18” x 24” / 46 cm x 61 cm

Teodelorenz C. Racuya, born in Muntinlupa City in 1976, completed his basic education in his hometown.  Teody is the youngest child of renowned realist Loreto Racuya and had the opportunity to spend time in his father’s studio honing his technical skills while growing up.  He later pursued a Fine Arts degree at the Philippine Women’s University, majoring in painting.  His style of academic realism leaning towards modernism, which he refers to as “dynamic impressionism,” is unsurprisingly popular, and Teody’s works are in great demand in frequent art exhibitions in the Philippines and overseas and by many private clients, garnering for him numerous awards and prizes.

Teody especially conceptualized “Tatlong Luningning” (roughly, “three splendors”), depicting an enterprising mother running a small fruit stall to adequately provide for her two daughters.  They take a short break on Christmas morning to appreciate the simple graces of generosity (their gift-giving), abundance (their good stock of merchandise), and peace and understanding (their domesticated pets).  Above them are three traditional Philippine lanterns, harking back to the original Star of Bethlehem that heralded the birth of Jesus, the Christ (“Messiah”) and Savior of the World.

- - - - - - -

Some of our Christmas card recipients also got a book gift, this year Jessica Zafra’s Twisted Travels: Rambles in Central Europe.

In keeping with the subject, our regular craftsperson Rheeza Hernandez devised a simple cloth wrapping in a small variety of Christmas-y designs, and affixed an aircraft keychain to the knot for good measure.

Other recipients might have gotten our other mainstay gift, the Ortigas Foundation’s desk calendar, which for 2020 features mid-19^th century colorized illustrations showing life in the Philippines as seen by visiting Europeans.

- - - - - - - 

From me and my family to you and yours, 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

- - - - - - -

Originally published on 31 December 2019. All text and photos (except where attributed otherwise) copyright ©2019 Leo D Cloma. The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.