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 2nd
As of July 9th
As of July 17th
By August 11th, 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.
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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.
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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 19th 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.
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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!
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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.
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