AA APPRECIATING ART INTERVIEWS
by OP Monzon
Have you ever thought that it is every artist’s wish to have a First Solo?
Ask every artist and the answer is a big yes. As a matter of fact, Celeste Lecaroz’ first list in her bucket is to have her first solo ever since the bug lured her three years ago to a new world.
In the art scene, a First Solo is an initiation tradition, a baptism of fire so called, or a debut to being introduced in a social gathering of friends, artists and collectors. Her dream is fast approaching as she prepares intently for the big day to formally launch her career as an artist on a subject precious to her.
WHERE DID SHE EVER GET HER THEME OF AN EXHIBIT?
She calls it SPONTANREALISMUS, after Voka, an Austrian artist who struck her attention.
SR, as we may call it is a style composed of bold strokes of vibrant colors which he called ‘drawings with paint’. The composition may reveal an abstract expressionism, a still life or a portrait. She finds the style very impressive, attractive and striking for it has the kind of magnetism that charms every gallery viewer.
Celeste on Spontanrealismus, “… is a spur-of-the-moment kind of realism, an expression that brought me to paint on large scale canvas. Inspired by many who became interested with my art, I found myself painting incessantly, work after work and canvas after canvas. A disbelief even to myself that I have finished quite a number of painting in a span of time.”
Celeste’s growth as an artist is phenomenal. She has always been tagged as the be-dimpled beauty with the brush and paint on hand. She describes her spontaneous realism as something emotional, expressive and driven. But the return that it makes is tremendous on her person, an exciting world – a unique kind of self-expression and countenance in fulfilling her work.
(Editor’s note: For further reading, the reader may go to: The Austrian artist Voka and Spontaneous Realism, http://www.voka.at/bio-3/)
Lecaroz felt the dynamic energy conveyed in her work, in the same way people feel when they come to see her exhibit vis-a-vis. She never lose momentum on the process of painting, she never gets weary and exhausted except when the painting nears ending. She is completely absorbed in the process and consumed on the soul of the subject, now being translated to upbeat colors and dazzling brushstrokes.
HOW DID SHE EVER STARTED?
In 2015, she encountered her first coloring book, a bestselling “Secret Garden” by Johanna Basford. She was amazed at how adults could do such imaginative art on coloring. Together with other Filipino coloring enthusiasts, she has uncovered the versatility of colored pencils as an art medium. In a few months, she was writing blogs on the techniques to spread interest in the art of adult coloring.
Due to its drawing popularity, Celeste established Over Coffee Coloring ™ (OCC™) and suddenly became the darling of Koloristas, the term given to Filipino coloring enthusiasts. That was the year adult coloring books became ever popular. She was giving lectures far and away in the country on the intricacies on how to color. Hopeful coloring book aficionados followed her.
The coloring fever has become nationwide.
Being a “Kolorista brought her to the covers of adult coloring books, art exhibits in museums, galleries and art fairs. Unexpectedly followers purchased her work like paintings.
Thus began Celeste’s journey as an artist.
HER PAINTING OF THE JONES MEMORIAL BRIDGE IN MANILA IS A CELEBRATION
A great honor that is etched in her heart is when she was sent on a mission to Washington DC. She was to turn over one of her two paintings of the Jones Memorial Bridge to the Richmond County Museum as a gift of the Philippine Government in commemoration of the Centennial Year of the Philippine Autonomy Act, otherwise known as the Jones Act for Philippine Independence. The other Jones Bridge painting was given to the family of Congressman William A. Jones, received by his family, Ms. Elizabeth Hart Jones, and sister Anne at the Jones Family Home in Warsaw, Virginia.
HER PAINTING STYLE
Two painting styles seem to be in Celeste’s comfort zone: spontaneous realism and classic realism.
Aside from SR, Celeste’s interest is figurative and portrait art. She paints certain facial expressions and body poses as captured in her canvas. She hopes to achieve a body of work which speaks to all, but will especially resonate something in women, a theme that will touch their hearts. She says, “The message does not have to be “about women” or “about feminism”, but for the women to realize that this artist wishes to convey a special message of empowerment and confidence.”
Celeste attends art workshops offered by different master artists and a regular attendee to sessions on figurative, portrait and landscape art of different art groups such as the Philippine Pastel Artists, Freedom Art Society, Filipino Portrait Artists Guild, Inc. and the Amber Group.
AS A HOUSEWIFE, ON MOTHERHOOD AND HER WAY OF LIFE
Celeste has an AB Social Science degree from Ateneo de Manila University. A researcher and broadcast journalist, she was a TV Anchor at ANC. She is a dedicated homemaker (an endearing word she says, she is also a home-baker) to dear husband lawyer Marvin Aceron and mother to four lovely children.
During her younger years, Celeste learned to embrace the charism of the Focolare as a way of life. The movement taught her to smile in whatever trivial undertaking she meets every day. One of Focolare’s reliance is to be the first one to love in moments of relationship differences, it is a first rule to be happy.
She says, “Though I have a truly happy family life, a part of myself needed to evolve. I have realized that visual art is the answer to all these prayers, waiting to manifest all this time. With this realization I should waste no time to foster the love of art, to further study the techniques and to work on it.”
Editor’s note: The Focolare Movement and Chiara Lubich, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focolare_Movement
REDEFINING HER SKILLS IN THE VISUAL ARTS
She joins art group exhibits, goes to art fairs and supports artist friends in a similar way they are sustaining her and gives encouraging remarks on artists’ posts. She is as an organizer and overseer in Art Association meetings, conferences and art contests. And to maintain her stamina in her art, she jogs relentlessly, hits the ball right with a good swing on the course and maintains a healthy diet.
HER FIRST ONE WOMAN ACT
Celeste beams with a smile as she talks about her first woman show. She has been preparing for several months now and has decided to formally close all doors to social commitments to finish a certain number of paintings to exhibit (except for dear artist friends who are also opening their art exhibit and need her support).
She is eager to draw the curtain to formally initiate her take-off as an artist.
LECAROZ opens her FIRST SOLO ART EXHIBIT with a theme on SPONTANREALISMUS on May 12, 2018 at 6:00PM at the GATEWAY GALLERY Araneta Center Cubao. It will run until May 26.
ABOUT THE WRITER:
OP Monzon is a physician in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. He facilitates AA APPRECIATING ART on Facebook to offer opportunities to the Filipino artists. He is part of ORDINARY ARTISTS, a group composed of senior citizens, persons with disability, hearing impaired and ordinary people with a view that art and life is a gift. He writes, collects art, organizes medical and family life conferences, gallery art exhibits and openings and raises funds for charity.
After retirement, he found himself going back to his roots and discovered that he could also paint.
© AA Appreciating Art 2018
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