THE LABORATORY

By simply gathering experience as they came with the acceptance of whatever (the) results from previous choices. 

That is the foremost driving force in coming-up with my artworks most especially the Visual Manuscript that aims to record, thus journalized details of each and every feelings of the given moment.

   There are two artistic polarities converging within me. What are these basic impulses? Namely, the urge to write and the desire to paint....both energies fluctuates almost simultaneously, that is why I saw the need for a steady input of data -- which my visual journal as a lifetime thesis presents in randomized thoughts.

   Therefore, Realizationism may occur during or before the actual performances.

   Here's a very inspiring song to all my friends... originally a Tagalog song "Pagsubok" meaning Trials. I hope you'll like it. This song is also for my son Elijah whom I am very proud, that he'd chosen to take the road serving the Lord. Congratulation for a very successful Concert "Festival of Praises"
watch "Pagsubok" by Orient Pearl 

THE FLOW OF REALIZATION

            Immortalizing memories or sometimes telling stories; expressing feelings or simply spending the moment; searching for an answer or experimenting with the medium; all these and much more are recorded on my Visual Manuscript.

            The process of creating a visual journal came to me one time while doing a design for my folder to be used on my portfolio of art collection. Eventually, that discovery coupled with my intention to keep memories and retain work for future references, which included works that I even considered a failure had became to be a passion that ultimately at the same time develop into a personal style that I’ve been searching.

            As I self-search and analyzes each and every aspect of what the world offers I came to my lifetime thesis which is Realizationism Art – or simply the process of careful discernment of everything and anything. Thus, translating occurrences which transpired around or within me; by interpreting them as visual idiom and honest recording of feelings, I was able to comprehend the lesson in the process.   

            I never believed in accident or random event. Things happened as a direct result of something being done or the law of cause and effect. Miracle is something that takes place without the natural law. Sometimes, we ignore coincidences and dismiss the idea that it happen by mere chance. To me that seemingly random act was a direct intervention from God. I saw that divine guidance as an inspiration, or something that needed our full attention.

            Although my art works appears to be just a playful juxtaposition of images and colors I never consider them as mere accident but a preconceived intent and careful placement of thoughts to achieved the desired revelation. When an inspiration arises (coincidence) I welcome them with an open mind and carefully distinguish the relationship. When the symbiotic of things are concocted perfectly into a piece of artwork with all the elements of arts put together such as texture, colors, colors & shapes we can call it a success.

    Keeping a covenant within a personal frame of artistic goal was proven to be a self conquest. The source of energies varied from the swift thrust of inspiration limited only by the vigor played at the moment.

    What I have long played as a role vested or claimed by instinct are still the primal force that transport this energies into my veins...THAT personal goal whether of value to humanity or just to quench a thirst should never be defused.

    The gradual flow of the minimal instance until it transform into an event....that when at further self-evaluation the causes were cleared. Realization from the product of schemed agenda. Therefore,with a discerning spirit via reflective pose I have at the core seen the tonal essence of a well directed life.

MY LIFE TIME THESIS

What is a Visual Manuscript?
  

   The CCP-Visual Art Workshop was a self-discovery type curriculum where we are not directly thought but allow us to explore the given agenda or project presented. Also, we are asked to make at least 5 books or portfolio of our artwork in series. Which means, one subject (i.e., serigraph we had to make 20 copies) we have to make multiple copies which in turn we shall include in our books. Perhaps, the influence of that book-making had inculcate in me the love for filing my works.

  After the workshop I continued my self-search and taught myself on various fields and mediums in art to discover my identity as an artist. During the process I discover tear-out style that became my personal signature on my art works. A tear-out style is an adaptation from collage or assemblage technique that was a common feature in my artworks. That later became incorporated into my compilations....It has always been my aim to tell stories and rarely do I make an individual work for framing. Thus, it is the birth of a visual manuscript or journal, which tells stories employing artistic technique.

  The Visual Journal also serves as a memoir or records of events and situations; also being a laboratory of learning and unlearning.

Thanks You...Bangon Pilipinas

      To those who gave their unconditional support to Bro. Eddie's candidacy and to the rest of Bangon Pilipinas candidates, I would like to thank and salute you all.

         From the very beginning we knew the odds and the great obstacle to present a man whom we trusted to embody our ideals and hope. It has been a great battle against the system and the established bureaucracy, and I am deeply saddened that we are not given a chance to truly reform the sad state of a morally declining government. I respect the voice of the people and sincerely believe that it had been the most peaceful and clean election we ever had. I know it is the choice of the true majority....despite reported election related crimes and apparent vote buying. Any ways…

        Thank you so much everyone who voted for my candidate and for expressing your voice in this election although a lot of you had suffered so much...

        I also would like to congratulate Mr. Aquino for winning the much coveted chair in the land. As Bro. Eddie conceded & said, we will pray for the success of your administration for the next 6 years to come. And I hope you will continue what you had promise during your campaign sortie. My first request if ever somebody from your supporter would ever get the chance to read this letter is to attend to the injustices the Arroyo government did to the Filipino people. They are still in power and sadly a lot of them appear to be getting back their position both in senate and; the lower house. God guide your action and decisions.

       Thank you so much Bro. Eddie Villanueva for answering the call of Bangon Pilipinas Party to run once again on this election. I'm happy that we shall have you more again in Jesus is Lord Church as our Pastor again....we are looking forward to hear your voice leading the church again and in helping to change the life of millions all over the world.

       God bless The Philippines.

CHANGE: The Election That Never Occur

   What happened was just a change of mask but the same face. There are a lot of competent individual who flunk the poll but nearly 90% incompetent non-performing officials where re-elected and mostly even garnered landslide votes. I thought the people wanted change? The politician themselves promised “PAG-BABAGO!!!”

     What is the real clamor that the masses were crying before the election? Do we simply want Gloria out? By the way GMA is The first and only president that was never elected but stayed in the office for 9 years. Do we want change simply because we want change? Change because we are tired of our miserable poverty and lack of opportunity? Do we want change because we want to have that chair in Malacañan too? We shout change from corruption to honest service.

    On the contrary, those people in position have another tactic and present “change” in a deceptive manner….They sell to the public a very powerful message that the only one who can solve corruption is the same people with experiences or the specialty on policy making. Experiences tell us otherwise that it merely scratches the itch and worse it also helps spread the disease.

    I’m not saying that we totally oust everyone from the government and replace them with new breed of social reformist. I suggest we become more discerning when it comes to choosing leaders. WE still chose leaders who can help us directly instead of looking at the big picture and consider the greater good.

    The real change I’m talking about is a change of heart. Where the real symbol of justice does not respect personality or institution.

    It’s an insanity to think there would be radical change when dynasties are prevailing. Is there democracy when very few family rules? That is monopoly of power and parallel to communism; where the intent is to protect the lineage and wealth.

   The culture of voting for a winnable candidate is like betting for a lotto ticket. Vote buying prevails over good platform.

Empanadas, sketches, and all in between

     I have not drawn or exercise for the past days....it was due to many factor, most especially domestic priorities. Our empanada business was one. I gave up the job or circumstances lead me to it as the situation dictates that I am trapped in a very dangerous place as an administrative supervisor under the now defunct PRMC. (I perceived that I can not write all the detail for now) 

    Shown on the left is the empanada, that is now making a mark in our community. There is an interesting story behind my mother's recipe that she now pass to us. It never occur on my mind that this same snack will have a saving grace impact on my future. If God allow, I will write the childhood story behind the humble pie.

   So as I was saying, I have really done any major artworks as 2010 enters...the last was a work done after the typhoon. But doing another visual journal needed my hand to exercise...as I always do, I search magazine, find a face, then try to sketch...it is always easier to bring back the energy when a beautiful face was the target. Unintentional but the same same model was used on this drawing as the last painting I did. 
   That's the first successful sketch on my latest book >>>
   Oh yes it took me a lot of rekindling before I get the right mood to finish. The model name is Billy, a nurse. You may not want to get well if she is the one taking care of you. 

 The night stood still...my eyes deeply wander, 

in what corner shall I reminized the path, 

I chose to erase. Wish to leave me alone.

It remains that the odour stood as well,

of eroticism, of whence a sinful past

was there evoke...

The lost forgotten, Nay...never will,

She had marked so deep inside 

my whole historical record...

The sacred mysteries of an artist that lay

Rejoice in me my dear 

   I have kept the secret so well, in writings but it is all there if you are keen enough to discern all my manuscript....starting from the very ambitious book, Realizationism, An Artist Journal, circa 1986.  

     
 

   Following the tradition of my Visual Manuscripts, this blog shall be random and spontaneous as the need arises to express issues and event happening or had happened in my existence. My interest is so varied that I can't think of any particular topic in which to direct my journal blogging here. I have started Religious topic on The Armor Of God, as well as The Art of Realizationism that talks about my art. I think I am so complex and often this varied focus become a disadvantage to finish easily a project at hand. I now have 6 visual journal/manuscript on the process, the latest I've started just a couple of days ago "A Whisper To A Scream" cover page shown above.

   All the manuscript bare resemblance as a book that expresses my artistic explorations, they are the laboratories of my personal quest to express what is in my heart. Now, as I have said before that it is my life time thesis that shall evolve with me. Perhaps, it will continue with my offspring as I lay to rest. 

Then He created man....

Of all the earth's physical creatures that God has made, man alone can exercise free will. Simpler life-forms, such as microbes and insects, are preprogrammed to react in certain ways to certain stimuli. They behave in accordance with their environment and have virtually no independent decision-making abilities in the sense that man does.

The actions of more-complicated life-forms, such as mammals, are also largely governed by instinct, though they do make rudimentary decisions when reacting to stimuli and adapting to situations.
Human beings alone among earthly creatures have an advanced sense of time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God "has put eternity in [our] hearts." In other words, we can contemplate the future. We make far-reaching decisions and plan our lives months and years in advance.
We also study the past; we have a sense of history. We learn lessons from our experiences and the experiences of others. God gave the capacity for advanced decision-making abilities only to man among His earthly creation.

God designed human beings to make choices. Yet we have never learned how to make consistently wiseproperly informed choices. Nor have we learned how to effectively manage our emotions, motives and desires and their influence on our decisions.

On Gloria's Exit...

     Here's one big reason why we should really really take this coming election seriously...This is my appeal to the next president...

        Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's food expense for 2008 in Malacanan Palace is a whooping 7 Million per month. I rounded - off the figures for I don't have my pen with me when I listen to Commission on Audit Report. Around 40 Million on electricity per month and on transportation expenses 70M.

       Wait if you are planning to take your jungle bolo to the Palace, listen to this...more or less 640 Billion Pesos unliquidated expenses from the period of 2008-09...this simply means GMA had not yet submitted report where that tiny change goes? Let me borrow Mirriam's famous campaign line  "...people's money gone with the wind !!! "

      I think I recall Madam President GMA admonished Government Offices to take drastic austerity measure a year before that COA audit report...Hmmmm so the Palace is thrifty in that sense. 

     Now let's compare her neighbour just a few step away from where she stays. His name is Juan dela Cruz with 3 children, his daily budget on food is roughly around 50 pesos on good day he spend 100. Now let us say all 30 days he had good take home pay, that would be 3,000 per month. His monthly food intake would equate only to a single cup of coffee in GMA's table.

    So back to my appeal to the would be President this year...Please have Mrs. Arroyo answer where these money go?

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine 

deception on education...

     I was thinking maybe the government should do something about our education program. We should all together clear to our student Darwin's theory of evolution. It is a very dangerous philosophy. When he suggested man came from monkey, the evil thoughts was put to mind in our children....they become less loving because they feel they are just animal without purpose but to multiply or evolve into another species. It is very clear in Genesis that God made living things according to its kind...and he made Man special because He created it into His own likeness.

     Textbook used in school should be revised too. Actually, it had been proven by some sensible and God-fearing scientist that Darwin's theory is outdated and had no concrete evidence to support but just pure speculations. For one, he said that a bacteria is a simple single cell, but latest study shows that a single cell bacteria is actually far more advance than the latest computer in the world. Isn't it amazing that God's wisdom is so vast that we can not fathom even the tiniest of His creation.

     The human anatomy? Without design do you think it would stand up properly and in balance? If we consider the size of our feet to the body structure, it is almost impossible that we are even able to walk with our tiny feet. God is so amazing that by simply observing his creation, we will just look in awe and  marvel.

     I think we should include more of God's word into science. Than science trying to prove that all happen without a creator.

Colossian 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

the rebirth....

Gallery visit helps a lot during my self-search period as an artist...The Visual Art workshop (1985) rekindle my once dying passion for painting. Financial situations took me into another course. The line "I never knew what brought me here....as if somebody lead my hand, it seems so hard to understand my course was planned...." was the theme going on in my head during college.

Indeed, God had his better plan for me.
I always wanted to take fine arts, and to me to be able to paint for the rest of my life was the only worth of my existence. Never in my wildest dream to become a teacher but....
One summer day while in my sophomore years in Philippine Normal College while trying to purge a degree in Education, the Music and Arts Director Dr. Loreto Castillo-Gloria picked me to represents the college for a visual art workshop at Cultural Center of the Philippines. It was to me the most surreal but happiest moment of my college days.
So the rest was history....

I founded the campus artist guild we name SAPIN
SAmahan ng PIntor sa Normal in 1986 and we were able to put up to group exhibit. It became the vehicle to unite various rival sector or parties in the campus. Politics is very much alive inside the school then....

colors of the flood....

Ondoy was the most devastating typhoon that I ever experience (Although I think Milenyo was far more stronger) which causes neck-deep flood that came so sudden. It took almost all of my artworks with it....I made sure my Visual Journal collection would be safe....it took many tears to put them together and I can't let it just be destroyed.
The work you see here is the aftermath reaction to the solemn state of Philippines, especially Luzon and Metro Manila area who was not used to such calamity....it does not respect any personality or status. I lost count of how many lives were destroyed but I can still see vivid images up to this day.
I think why the work was greatly admired was because of the emotions I put in it. That face came from a torn magazine that was soaked in the flood. The finished product shall be posted maybe some other day....