CXLIII: GIVE ART ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2022

This past year’s Christmas Day art endeavor was a bit different from previous years’ in that the usual smooth and scheduled process was significantly delayed, and therefore this blog entry too is, by about two weeks.  In fact, the only part that wasn’t was the artwork itself, therefore we should probably talk about that first.

The search for a suitable Christmas artist began early enough, perhaps even slightly earlier than in the past.  By around Holy Week, I had received a strong recommendation to contact a young artist based in Malolos, and by July, I had managed to contact him.  Very quickly, he responded with three studies.  

The first of the three was a rather standard Mother-and-Child, therefore we could easily eliminate it.  The second was an interesting scene of an older gentleman hanging up a Christmas lantern by a window with the help of what might be his young grandson, but without a more complete background story, it might come across as unnecessarily melancholy or too dramatic for the season.  And the third one was a Nativity tableau with a Filipiniana theme.

This last one, while rather spartan and still almost standard, became the springboard for what we eventually chose to do – a Nativity scene in a church mirrored by a small Filipino family opposite it.  

By mid-September, the artwork was fully laid out and ready for rendition.

The warm and rich Christmas-sy red background came first

followed in short order by the Holy Family in their recognizable traditional colors

and soon after that, the human family as well.

In just a few days later, the artwork was complete, and one could already clearly make out Saint Francis of Assisi, the putative inventor of the first Nativity tableau, positioned on the main altar.

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As in previous Christmases, most Christmas card recipients would receive a small book pack, which this year consisted of three (very) slim volumes.  First was a quite revelatory treatise, “Trolls for Sale” by Jonathan Corpus Ong.

Next was the follow-up to last year’s very popular book pack entry, Tarantadong Kalbo 3.

The third was a brief but sufficiently comprehensive biography of the greatest Filipino hero of our lifetime, “Benigno Aquino” by Sylvia Mendez Ventura.

This year, most Christmas cards could be accompanied by the reliable and much-sought-after Ortigas Foundation desk calendar for 2023.

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Actually, the Ortigas desk calendar probably wasn’t as reliable as they were in the past, as they only came off the press at the end of November, whereas previously they could be on sale as early as October.  But ultimately this tardiness did not matter, as there were too many other delays on the critical path.

First, we had to switch to a different printing press for the physical Christmas card, as one of the founder-proprietors of the press that we had been using for about fifteen years by now had passed away and the family had decided to close the business for good.  

Unfortunately, I had only known about this business decision rather late in the day, so I had to hurriedly find another press, which, with professional assistance, I managed to do.  But with a change of vendor predictably comes teething pains, including mistakes in font size for the artist note on the back of the card and a wider overall aspect ratio for the finished card due to a different print sheet size versus what the previous press had used.  As a result, the printed card too was delayed in delivery and arrived nearly two weeks later than planned.

The more serious delay was that of the book packaging, and this too was due to a death – of our long-running and truly reliable craftsperson, Rheeza Hernandez of Malolos.  She had been undergoing treatment for cancer, and had received surgery not long before supplying the package design for our 2021 Christmas pack, which was hoped would finally arrest the disease.  Sadly, it was not to be, and that turned out to be the last package that she would ever make for us.  Rheeza passed away in mid-2022, just as I was about to remind her to start thinking of designs for this year’s gift pack.

I had to find other ideas and sources of suitable package designs, and I did find one, though perhaps more pedestrian and less innovative than anything that Rheeza could come up with.  These were mat-woven red-colored and Christmas-ornamented book purses, which were practical enough.

The problems came once the books and calendar were being placed into them, as their zippers would break upon opening and closing.  A frantic repair job on most of the packages resulted in wholesale replacement of the flimsy zippers, which in turn destroyed the mat material of many of the purses, rendering them to be scrapped.  Limited supply of the purses necessitated the use of other package designs, such that there were several different kinds of Christmas packaging this year rather than just one standard one as originally planned, including:

unornamented 

unpainted

freshly-harvested they’re still green

or fancy enough to take to a picnic in the 19th century English countryside.

Some of these replacement packages were delivered to us after Christmas, with the result that we had to dispatch several of the book packs “naked”, i.e., without these bespoke packaging designs and instead in just clear cellophane fastened with packing tape.  The delivery delay also caused some of the packs to be distributed closer to New Year’s Day.

Sorry, Rheeza, I blame you for this disaster.  You are sorely missed.   May you rest in peace.

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In the end, we hope that everyone who was supposed to receive something did, even on a delayed basis.  At minimum, they should have received the Christmas card, with cover artwork by Renz, whom we should turn back to now to formally introduce.

Born in 1996, Renz Cortez Dela Cruz is a licensed mechanical engineer and artist from Paombong, Bulacan, who currently resides in Malolos.  He had been drawing as early as his kindergarten and primary school years, competing in several school-wide poster-making contests, and went on to represent his high school in provincial and regional interschool art competitions.  While an engineering major at the Bulacan State University, he was influenced by peers who were fine arts majors to explore oil as a medium.  Today, he also produces drawings in ink and paintings in watercolor.  

And his artwork:

Renz Cortez Dela Cruz

HALINA SA BELEN!

Oil on Canvas

18” x 24” / 46 cm x 61 cm

2022

“Halina sa Belen!” depicts a scene shortly after early Christmas morning mass, where a small Filipino family, despite their likely eagerness to return home to open gifts, welcome visitors, and share a specially prepared festive meal, takes time out to visit the life-sized Nativity tableau by the church’s main altar and venerate the Christ Child in the manger, watched over by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph.

And so from Renz and all the other providers of this year’s (mostly delayed) Christmas art and literature showcase, and my family and me,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

Originally published on 14 January 2023.  All text and photos (except where attributed otherwise) copyright ©2023 Leo D Cloma.  The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

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.”

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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.