AA APPRECIATING ART INTERVIEWS
by OP Monzon
As a dancer, he loves movements with great passion, and it also shows in his strokes the glow of colors and the play of shadows and lights on his subjects reveal the vibrancy of a passionate artist. - A quote from Joemarie Sanclaria Chua profile
Joemarie is undergoing metamorphosis. Now is his stage of a stunning butterfly, gleefully flying from flower to flower bringing new ideas to his art and plays with children whenever he sees them, more palpably felt in his paintings.
He is prodigious and curiously different. Before he ever came to visual arts, his world was performing and directing on stage. He was a theatre person.
Joemarie was trained to perform, to dance and to act. Whether directing or acting, his tenacity is to entertain, mesmerize theatre goers for them to take home the essence of the play. His life in the theatre is a full circle that revolves around being a performer, as in “Bibliotheque Concert”, a choreographer, as in “The Wizard of Oz” and “West Side Story”, or a director of a musical, “A Tribute to Joy”, “Rhythm of Life”, among others on stage or behind the curtain.
He was disciplined to deliver, precise at the proper moment, detailed and meticulous and to never, never fail. Such a delightful trail to bring from performance stage to painting on his canvas.
Has this experience in theatre contribute to visual art? Is performing art any different, or similar to that kind of art we draw on paper or canvas? We pose similar questions to this artist and more in our encounter.
Joemarie is every artist’s curator, not only in the parlance of an art exhibit helping a fellow artist plan and unveil his work but also as a buddy, a friend, a companion in the arts. Or a big brother.
He opens doors and opportunities for everyone.
We have met Joemarie as an on line member and friend of AA Appreciating Art, posting his work at the site. We remember him well as we see him everywhere – to an artist’s opening night, participating or giving a demo in art workshops or a go around buddy at art competitions. Our better vis-a-vis meeting was when he curated “Art Beat” a group of physician and allied medical professional artists aiming to put up an exhibit of their own where I was invited to participate. He would look at every exhibit detail, from the physical arrangement to program, Literally, he would take care of preparations beyond set up and pack up of exhibits. He would personally remind everyone to submit our profile as ... err, medical people tend to forget, recap our responsibilities during exhibit opening.
Joemarie admires the turn of the century French art impressionism. He admits it plays a great influence in his painting career. As he discovers more of himself, he develops a way of painting style distinctively his own.
Joemarie's paintings are endearingly Fiipino, he subscribes to a Filipinism form of art expressing the trait and values of the Filipino family. We are fascinated by his story telling on canvas, such as a hungry boy heading home on his carabao, in “Gutom na si Kulas”, a child learning about everything around him including butterflies, in “Laro ng mga Paru-Paro”; or boys on top of a van trying to catch fireflies, in “Light up my World”. This last painting is profoundly poetic as it brings happy memories from childhood and growing up in a nurturing family.
Homer Fernandez, on Sanclaria Chua, as a featured artist at Transwing Gallery says: “With a painting like Laro ng mga Paru-Paro, Joemarie tries to save the remnants of nature that can always spark off the harmony within dysfunctional families, and making them whole again.”
Joemarie Sanclaria Chua exudes kindness as he gladly answers these questions for us:
ON YOUR ART EXHIBITS, WHICH ONE HAS IMPRESSED YOU MOST?
”Canvas for Life” is a fundraising event in Singapore hosted by Hands for Hope-Asia. It is a compassionate kind of an art exhibit, a giving of oneself for the sake of another. The return that it makes to me as a person is larger than life - a great feeling to offer my work with fellow Filipino artists contributing and helping children who are victims of sexual abuse and trafficking in the Philippines.
PREDA Foundation, where we held the therapy workshops for the kids is the main beneficiary of the Singapore exhibit.
LESSONS AS AN ARTIST
When one loves what he does, there could be no conflict nor difficulties. Difficulties arise when we start to think about personal and monetary gain. Like any other, artists should not focus on what they can get, but rather on what they can give. Everything else follows. Though I do not expect that I get something from what I give, I am always surprised of the graces that follow after. I only realize in time that it came from Him.
God could not be outdone in everything. He remembers, always.
To worry is the last step, but to set your goals is a most important step to a successful planning. I always believe that artists’ love and passion for the arts come first and foremost.
Finally, I am happy to find my identity in this world - being true to myself is the key to happiness and living the full life is a joyful and adventurous journey.
DIFFICULTIES THAT OPENED OPPORTUNITIES
I have a very painful childhood. I never experience a real childhood from home or from school.
But art came to the rescue and helped me develop my skills and self-confidence. The performing arts offered a very good therapy. Feeling the beat and rhythm of movement on stage helped me escape the bitter truth that I was unwanted. I found happiness in the visual art, in the unity and stewardship of brother artists, how they treat me as a colleague.
I found in them a sense of well belonging.
Art heals everything, even the deepest torment. I always believe in the saying that “the artist is what he paints”.
When I was young, colors have turned alive in front of me. I used to watch the play of colors when the light fell on spilled oil and grease that come out of a car engine. I love the bus ride to the province enjoying the sites of trees in yellow and green, the rice field in brown and gold and the river that playfully run amidst rapids through stones, or what can you say about a bed of flowers in the field?
Everything colorful makes me so happy.
YOUR THEATRE BACKGROUND AS A CONTRIBUTORY TO VISUAL ART
Performing in theatre is so much like painting on a big canvas. We rehearse repetitively to make the act perfect. It is similar to the artist who draws a study in preparation for a bigger work or begins with pencil sketches before starting any medium.
Work in visual arts is hidden from the audience, the artist usually works alone at his studio on his own time and pace giving the same passion and performance. Performance art usually ends on the stage; visual art is to be seen during an opening of the art exhibit to an audience who appreciate the value of the artist’s work.
In the theatre, the audience claps their hands, in visual arts, they grasp your hands in awe.
Performing arts is similar to visual arts, they share the same rules – balance and harmony, blocking and pencil pushing, rehearsals and underpainting, spotlight and color. Gracefulness and fluidity.
Performing art is a girl dancing on stage, visual art is painting a girl dancing on the canvas, both catch lithe and elegant poise and a refinement of a body in motion.
Performing on stage touches the audience’s heart, just the same way we touch them in visual imagery. Both arts have stories to tell.
PAINTING STYLE
I have always loved the old rustic kind of Philippines setting. They provide a clear view of our unique culture. My kind of impressionism is more realistic than the French style of broken colors. What I intend to explore in my impressionism is the play of lights and the profound effects of shadows on a more realistic premise.
AN ARTIST CLAIMS HIS BEST WORK, WHAT IS YOURS
There is no particular favorite when it comes to my artwork. I consider all of them as coming from my bosom. I do the best of what I can in all of my paintings, they are all my best work, even the “little” paintings that I do is a work in detail. I deliver them like delivering a baby into the outside world, my own flesh and blood, my pain and suffering, my joy and happiness. My imprimatur.
I heard this once from an artist when he was asked, what is your best work?
Life is a continuing adventure, and so is painting. I could not say this is my best work, for my next painting could be better. Never put a period in your life, a comma could be better. An artist should never compete with others, he should compete with himself and do his best to his “next painting”.
Each one of my painting is important to me as they have been a part of my life.
© AA Appreciating Art 2017
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