An all-Filipino-artists group exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City in celebration of the Philippines Independence Day. It showcases works of international Filipino artists who contributed greatly to the Philippine and international Art Scene. This exhibition promotes the rich artistic Filipino culture and talent to the world Jensen Moreno Art Teacher/Visual Artist/Designer Cyril Turao Visual Artist John Paul Lakan Olivares Production Designer Joel Mendez, M.D. Fidel Sarmiento Nomer Adona Visual Artist/Gallery President/Art Associa- Art Teacher/Architect/ Owner/Philanthrophist tion of the Philippines CG and Visual Artist Czarina Danielle Yap Edwin Martinez Visual Artist Visual Artist/ Photographer Hershey Malinis Art Teacher/Interior Designer Joma Ramos Julmard Vicente Nasser Zulueta Corporate Trainer, IBM/ Military Reservist/ Modeler International Visual Artist Visual Artist Aleah Angeles Visual Artist Jama Ramos Art Teacher/ Photographer/ Executive Producer Phoebe Beltran Art Teacher/ Principal, Britesparks International School Alvin Paraguison Aubrey Fajardo Visual Artist Visual Artist/ Photographer Jayson Cortez Joey Cobcobo Visual Artist Rafael La Madrid Visual Artist Visual Artist/ Printmaker Raquel Eugenio Digital Artist/ Photographer Pinoy Ako - 1 Info: THE ORGANIZER JENSEN MORENO www.jensenmoreno.com Pinoy Ako - 2 Jensen Moreno, an art professor in one of Philippines’s prestigious universities, Mapua Institute of Technology, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2011, but the move did not stop her from continuing to teach and create masterpieces. In fact, she hit the ground running and taught art to children in Vin’s Space in District 2. In addition, Mai’s Gallery showcased her work just a month after her arrival, and she had her first solo exhibit in Kinh Bac Restaurant and Gallery in District 1 soon after. After her short stint as an art teacher in Saigon South International School and Trung Khuyen Nhac Music and Arts School, she is now one of the well-respected art teachers in The American School of Vietnam teaching visual arts to primary and secondary students. Jensen finds fulfillment in teaching young minds all she knows about art but she finds it equally satisfying producing her own work. Oil is her medium of choice and although she focuses on seascapes and abstract paintings, she found her niche in portraiture. In fact, known Filipino doctor and philanthropist, Dr Joel Mendez believed in her talent so much so that he has bought most of her works while still residing in Manila. As an art student, she spent hours in the library poring over works of art stud- ying technique. “You are [painting] in the moment with the masters,” she explains. Although she may be channeling the great masters when she starts attacking the canvas, she finds inspiration from her art professors in the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. When not busy teaching or working in her small studio at home, she is actively participating in charity work. In late 2011 she worked with the SMILE Group Vietnam where she donated one of her paintings for auction and also taught art to kids afflicted with HIV. In January 2012, Jensen was also involved in the charity event upholding the visual and performing arts, La Vita e La Morte last month where she showcased three of her most recent works. Creating works of art and transferring her passion to the younger generation continues to be her driving force. And ultimately, she would also like to become involved in TV production to create a show that will inspire and bring art closer to the masses. By: Lyra M. Dacio Pinoy Ako - 3 THE ARTISTS... Jensen Moreno Joel Mendez M.D. Fidel Sarmiento Nomer Adona Aleah Angeles Czarina Danielle Yap Hershey Malinis Jama Ramos John Paul Lakan Olivares Joma Ramos Nasser Zulueta Phoebe Beltran Raquel “Racky” Eugenio Julmard Vicente Rafael La Madrid Alvin Paraguison Cyril Turao Joey Cobcobo Jayson Cortez Edwin Martinez Aubrey Fajardo Pinoy Ako - 4 JOEL MENDEZ, M.D. Dr. Joel Mendez, a diplomat of the Philippine Board of Bariatric Medicine and president of the Anti-Aging Society of the Philippines, he is well-known health and fitness consultant to stars and celebrities. With a tv show on philippine TV He also owns the chain of Weigh less health clinics in philippines. He owns Big and Small Gallery Co. and has done countless group and solo art exhibitions. Pinoy Ako - 5 FIDEL SARMIENTO NOMER ADONA Sarmiento’s interest in colonial houses stemmed from his initial college work while taking up an architectural degree course at MAPUA Institute of Technology. After one year, he found out that architecture was too linear and too technical in its approach to drawing. He realized that he was fascinated with the vintage appeal of period houses, more than the logic of the structure. He readily shifted to a fine arts course in painting at the Feati University. Enjoying a university scholarship, he was armed with pure essence in what was to become his art. His fascination bas brought him to various places where large settlements of old houses abound. Their collective charms allure him. These places are living dioramas where the rich colonial past dialogues robustly with the forward-moving present. Much of this interaction resides in Sarmiento’s old house paintings. He presents both the interior and exterior views of provincial ancestral houses, whether full or cropped, depending on the dictates of the composition and the corresponding mood he, as an artists, wants to amplify. There are also street scenes, to Pinoy Ako - 6 properly situate the houses and their environs. There are also pigeons, cats and other pets thrown into the compositions to breathe life into the paintings. Fidel’s paintings have very refined architectural details and strong interplay of light and textures. He does not only capture the mood of the morning light, he actually paints the light. Sarmiento paints directly onto the canvas. Studies are done mentally, and the use of photographs is resorted only to point of reference for composition. He infuses details like plants, animals, and human figures to dramatize contrast between what is vintage and what is contemporary, an indirect allusion to the generation conflicts between the old and the new. Sarmiento, having gained the respect and support of his fellow artists, was elected President of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) for three consecutive terms. He opened new horizons for the members by fostering relationships with the artist’s groups in other Asian countries and encouraging art competitions sponsored by both private and public companies. Nomer Adona teaches High School Art, including IB and AP Visual Arts at Saigon South International School. Currently he is taking his Masters of Education with the The College of New Jersey. Nomer is an architectural, city and urban designer before his international teaching career. He designed many hotels, office buildings, schools and private residences in Malaysia and in Vietnam. He worked with multi-national firms who helped in conceptualizing cities, urban and tourism master plans in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China and the Philippines. He is the winner of many competitions in Photography and 3D Visualizations. Nomer, aka. “nomeradona”, is a very well known figure in online international CG com- munities. He wrote many 3D Visualization tutorials which are now published in many online sites and magazines. He was also featured and interviewed in several CG sites; chaosgroup.com, sketchupartists.org, cgpinoy.org, suplugins.com, and Sketchup Ur Space.org. Lately he re-discovered his passion with paintings, His unconventional use of heavy architectural materials including water proofing, sand and cement putty, coupled with the use of embossed preSpanish Filipino script called “baybayin” is aparent in his work. Nomer’s love of God, family, country, and culture transcends in all of his artwork. Nomer also joined previous art exhibitions in Hanoi. Pinoy Ako - 7 ALEAH ANGELES Aleah Angeles, resident artist of Mendez Big and Small Art Co. is the latest talent in rising batch of young painters from the Philippines. Exemplifying a sound technique in realist painting and a fertile, feminine imagination, her works are typical compositions with a warm romantic flair, Inspired by the figures of young girls, which the artist herself relates to and draws from life based on her own photographs; her paintings often show them in recumbent positions, half caught in dreams and fantasy. Lazy Daisy portrays Angeles’s alter-ego, falling asleep under a tree with her half read book draped over her face. Trapped in the pages of her fairytale or fantasy novella the heroine in her slumber is sweetly unaware of the looming dream-forest behind her, as though conjured directly from her unfinished tale. With her ruffled skirt, knee-socks slipping down her legs, outflung hand, Lazy Daisy is an archetypal rendition of corrupted girlish innocence. Recently , Aleah ‘s work were part of Christie’s Auction in Hongkong. Pinoy Ako - 8 CZARINA DANIELLE YAP Changes in the world accelerate in this Information Age. Gadgets are upgraded regularly, some great things become obsolete, and lives of people piled up with itinerary of obligations which were not even necessary for survival. Revival of trends keep the balance, as nostalgia for youth is a powerful force to keep the aging adults feel more like living than just growing old. Czarina Yap, as a young adult, lives in a highly urbanized setting, a part of the workforce, and is constantly exposed to a consumerist culture. She deviates from her obligatory existence in the corporate world and immerses herself in the world of arts and culture, philosophy, and of course nature. Her expression of ambition and progress caters to both sides of her environment. In her mixed media paintings, with abstract-expressionism as a major influence in style, she expresses every young person’s goal of having ambitions, being pushed to progress. The curved direction of her flow of colours reflects the magnitude of the forces in the universe. It’s like a landscape painting without a horizon to set the limits for the beholder. For her still-life paintings, the slippers as her humble subject tells a lot of stories of companionshipa basic human need, that even the advancement of technology has to satisfy. Czarina’s paintings are born out of honest thoughts and responses to the world and the present time without neglecting the past. By: Ma. Benji Angeli Belgica Pinoy Ako - 9 HERSHEY MALINIS JAMA RAMOS Jama Alcala Mangalindan-Ramos, inspired by her grandfather, Larry Alcala who is an internationally known Filipino comic artist, shares her craft through art exhibits and workshops. She is currently taking up Master of Arts in Art Education and she finished Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication at the University of the Philippines. Aside from being an art educator, she contributes her photographs to magazines, websites and a television show. She also enjoys exploring uncommon media like digital projection, wine and human hair. Her passions in life are captured in her art. [email protected] Helena Sharon “Hershey” Baquir Malinis is a freelance interior designer, design professor and artist from the Philippines. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in Interior Design at St. Scholastica’s College - Manila where she is currently a member of the faculty of Fine Arts and Interior Design. She is pursuing her graduate studies at the University of the Philippines - Diliman taking up Master of Arts in Art Education. She favours art in the form of photography and painting - acrylic on canvas where her subjects distinctly feature the art of light and shadow. Her artworks have been exhibited both locally and internationally. Aside from her professional art and design practice, Hershey has also been an active volunteer teaching arts to various Philippine organizations. Contact Info: +63 917 814 3774, www.hersheymalinis.wordpress.com, [email protected] Pinoy Ako - 10 Pinoy Ako - 11 JOHN PAUL LAKAN OLIVARES JOMA RAMOS Jose Mari “Joma” Ramos took up Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines majoring in Visual Communication. He also once served in the Philippine Military Academy and as a reservist in the Philippine Air Force. His has a very keen interest in military history and presenting it through photography, illustration and technical art. Artist, Designer, Advocate, and Teacher; John Paul ‘Lakan’ Olivares’ work is inspired by his travels around the archipelago and living with different urban, rural and tribal communities. In these travels, he has searched for the Filipino spirit, which he tries to share in all his activities. In his paintings, he reflects a soulful connection with the various traditional indigenous cultures and the sensibilities of the people. Passionately rooted on Philippine lore, the free spirited artist orients his audience to his journeys by way of graphic representations of nationalistic concepts which are simply expressed, yet sincerely articulated by his meditative art process. Beyond native motifs etched in his art, Olivares conveys themes that celebrate universal connectedness with his environment, which inspires him to share his own visions of beauty through his various work. Pinoy Ako - 12 Pinoy Ako - 13 PHOEBE BELTRAN [email protected] NASSER ZULUETA Nasser Zulueta is a man who lived a thousand lives. A noble spirit with a fighting power to weather the obstacles that life has thrown him, he has proven that pure raw talent and determination can shine through whatever circumstance. At the very core, he is an artist whether his circumstance allows him to be so or not. His art doesn’t define him. His art is him. Although now recovered from his accident, his right hand still experiences some limitations, yet these are things that he does not mind. In fact, he attributes his improvement by the drive to get better despite his physical boundaries by not considering them boundaries at all. True enough, with whatever physical freedom he has or does not have he can still paint better than most people who have full use of every limb in their body. From many tribulations, now comes wealth of possibilities. Currently a sophomore in U.P. he is taking up Fine Arts., a shiftee from Architecture to Painting. Still learning from life, he is continously forming a clearer sense of self as an artist. Through the hardship of his many obstacles his fighting spirit pushed him through. Living a life no often lived by people of such a young age has given him a deeper emotional dimension in his works. His realism has taken on a new meaning as his reality is one that is as colorful as any work of art. Pinoy Ako - 14 Phoebe’s works have been influenced by her training and experiences as an interior design graduate from the University of the Philippines. Her paintings and photographs present silhouettes, reflections and representations of organic natural forms and drama of everyday life. The silhouettes of people in the canvas paintings represent stories and feelings that transcend culture and generations, while her back paintings is a confirmation of art’s intimate process. Phoebe also serves the community in different capacities as arts advocate. As educator, she has taught art in elementary, provided art therapy sessions for children of battered women, co-authored Music, Arts and P.E. textbooks for students and given workshops on teaching strategies for art. As researcher, she has received a Japanese government scholarship to study the collaborative efforts of university, public school and local museum in training art teachers in Japan. She is currently working on a study about the development of Philippine elementary art curriculum. Pinoy Ako - 15 RAQUEL “RACKY” EUGENIO JULMARD VICENTE Julmard Vicente takes his roots from the Cordillera region. As a proud Igorot, Vicente finished his Certificate in Visulal Arts at the Baguio City campus of the University of the Philippines and completed his Baccalaureate Degree in Fine Arts, Major in Painitng, at the University of the East. He is the president of Pintura Organization College of Fine Arts, UE Caloocan. Raquel Eugenio, a third place winner from Legwork’s viewpoint Inter-University photography competition, and a member of The Philippine international cartoons, comics and animation, is a young digital artist and photographer. Her works mostly consist of, but not limited to, high contrast portraitures of people in their vulnerable states, people lost in their own thoughts and worlds, and also high contrast landscapes. Her style sought to portray the truth behind the façade and congeal a moment along with the feelings she had at that instant. For more information, please visit http://theredstringsoffate.tumblr.com or email, [email protected] Pinoy Ako - 16 Rafael La Madrid’s is member of “Black Jack Art Group, a group of young artists formed by Dr. Joel Mendez. La Madrid loves female figures set in idyllic settings. He participated in various exhibitions like the “Origin”, “Pain on Paper”, “21x21” and the recent “Red Child” all in Manila, Philippines. RAFAEL LA MADRID Pinoy Ako - 17 ALVIN PARAGUISON Alvin Paraguison is a native of Bulacan, Philippines. He won the recent mural art competition. His work is easily recognize; juxtaposing famous cartoon characters, floral patterns and cropped portraitures and figures. He became known with his own version of “Rose Period”. Cyril Turao is a native of Iloilo of the Vizayan region in the central part of the Philippines. Turao is another resident artist of Mendez Big and Small Art Co. This surreal artist uses iconography, symbolism and allegories portraying disagreement with sectarianism. In his work BEYOND THE JOURNEY OF A LOST SHEEP Turao said ”Sects and denominations are not a part of God’s plan for saving mankind”. Pinoy Ako - 18 CYRIL TURAO JOEY COBCOBO Joey Cobcobo is an upcoming visual artists who is known for his blockprinintg, monoprinting, painting and installations. He is an instructor at Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), member of Printmakers Association of the Philippines (PAP), Philippine Committee of Asian Artist Inc. and Art Association of the Philippines (AAP). He exhibited in the Philippines, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. JAYSON CORTEZ Jayson Cortez is another resident artist of Mendez Big and Small Art Co. He hails from Malolos Bulacan and member of 6 O’clock Habit Group. Pinoy Ako - 19 EDWIN MARTINEZ Edwin Martinez is another native of Bulacan. Member of the 6 O’Clock Habit Group founded by Joel Mendez. Most of Martinez work are in black and white and every figure he painted speaks with deep hidden emotion. Martinez is another upcoming young artist from the Philippines. Aubrey Fajardo is a graphic and visual artist from Manila. He graduated at the Far Eastern University Major in Fine Arts. A member of Black Jack Group and resident artist of Mendez’ big and small Art Co. Pinoy Ako - 20 AUBREY FAJARDO SPECIAL PARTICIPATION: Emil Alarcon Jessa Almirol Jay Bermudez Rey Bollozos Reynard Borillo Melanio Bulauitan III Romilo Caballero Lawrence Cervantes Joel Chavez Gabriel Escudero Yayie Garcia Ann Catherine Malubay Jay Marquez Martin Maturan Marvin Quizon Marc Aran Reyes Alvin Sales Jhong Tangiday Jay Torres Jazmine Villanueva Antonio Pelobello Jr. Pinoy Ako - 21 Sponsors: Special thanks to: Lyra M. Dacio - The Word Vietnam Magazine www.hellosaigon.com Jennifer Dizon - Saigon Players www.saigonplayers.com President June Torres - SAPI, Vietnam Jensen Moreno - www.jensenmoreno.com Saigon South International School Poster Design by: Racky Raquel Eugenio Catalogue Design by: Nomer Adona Pinoy Ako - 22