by OP Monzon
PETE VELASQUEZ came back to the country five years ago after working as an Architect in KSA. He came to retire but unknowingly entered a chance to reconnect with his past. He loves to paint and dreams to become an artist.
His recent 4th One Man Exhibit at Sining Kamalig at Ali Mall drew significant attention to the art scene by focusing on a subject dear to him. “Tunay na Ina” is an exhibit which he poignantly describes as a “soulful imaginative figurism of the universal subject – the Mother and Child”. His work deals with Filipino values, tradition, religiosity and way of life, which nowadays is called the art of Filipinism.
His house is a sanctuary where one finds his quaint and charming gallery filled up with paintings - the prayer at oracion, the grace before meals, the customary “mano po” and the quintessential mother and her child.
His studio is found on the third floor of the building, a museum in itself containing his early and major works of sketches, paintings and etchings. His pile of recent work is ready for the frame shop, his numerous sketch pads on the desk and his paint brushes and empty canvasses are always set for the call. He is presently working on an intimate painting of a nude mother and child, dubbed, “Gabing Maalinsangan” an oil on canvas masterpiece which he painted on an uncomfortable warm night, destined to grace his next art exhibit.
To regain his strength to paint again, a single bed is prepared for the nap, a guitar which sleeps under his work table reminds him of his younger Arki band days at Mapua and a glance at his early prints reconciles him with his self. These thoughts prevailed as it gives him a smile of reprieve and contentment.
As he closes a chapter in his life, Pete Velasquez unhurriedly unlocks another to welcome himself as an artist.
We came to his studio to claim our order of his “Tres Marias” print series, we are now the proud owner of #1-2/20. This is a high end digital copy of his painting of only 20 copies in this series.
APPRECIATING ART interviews Pete Velasquez with only 5 questions which he answers with wit, recollection and compassion.
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AA APPRECIATING ARTS: HOW HAVE YOU FALLEN IN LOVE WITH PAINTING?
PETE VELASQUEZ: How painting came to me is an evolution of my inner being for so many years. There were stages in my paintings - from idolization, or admiring someone else’s work, to discovering techniques, and finding my own creative signature. These were evident in many stages of different medium and in the spectrum of colors.
It started with simple drawings when I was a boy.
I believe I am gifted. Drawing is the start of my creativity. I draw to be able to paint.
As far as I can remember, my childhood is surrounded with drawings. It started with my primary school teachers asking me to draw using the chalk on the blackboard of animals and illustrations that were used for educational purposes in class. I like it when my classmates make fun of my drawings and adding their kind of stuff on the board, making the class laugh on it. It was an enjoyable experience.
AA: WHAT HAS VISUAL ARTS TAUGHT YOU?
PV: Visual arts is composed of architecture, painting, photography, sculpting and even music combined with it. I am inclined to do painting and photography. These interests served like a school to me, an institution of learning. We never stop learning, don’t we?
When I do photography, it is to capture a moment, when I paint, it is to make a moment in life not comparable with photographs or pictures.
Painting is imaginative creativity that a camera cannot capture. I prefer not to copy from photographs as reference, I would feel comfortable with creativity coming out from the vast space of imagination. Immersing myself in different medium, I learn that style is not important. It is discovering yourself, like a journey.
AA: WHAT NORMALLY INSPIRE YOU TO PAINT?
PV: Everything that surrounds us in our neighborhood interest me. The family we keep, the love of nature, our dignity as a human person. The value of work, farmers in the rice field. Our long lost tradition of respect for elders, culture, prayer. I would pick colors from the earth, the sun setting, the sunrise, the colors of the sky and the clouds.
I discover Godliness and faith looking at nature and its colors. There is beauty in the world we live in. It is only a matter of seeing, believing and composing the image captured on our mind, and ultimately, a dream to last a lifetime.
AA: YOU SEEM TO BE INEXHAUSTIBLE, WHY?
PV: I feel not so concerned about being prolific. I just work and paint on my pace. When I start to paint from an empty canvas, an image is already formed in my mind. It is a matter of rendering that image until it is delivered, pleasing my own self. I would like to be productive whenever I can. My dreams come often and I would sketch it right away before it leaves me.
AA: YOU ARE A CROSS SECTION OF A CREATIVE PERSON, IF ASK WHICH ONE YOU WOULD LOVE MOST, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE: ARCHITECTURE, MUSIC, PHOTOGRAPHY OR VISUAL ARTS?
PV: I have been in the world of Architecture for so many years. I sleep and wake up with architectural plans. Creativity has become my partner in life but it seems the world I live in now is visual arts.
My younger years was devoted to music which help me go through college. It was a tough life, playing music in the night, so I could study during the day. By destiny I was awarded a full scholarship and became an architect as my profession. I love my profession as it has given me our daily sustenance and an outlet as a drawing board for the visual art. I think I would love to go back to where I started when I was a boy – to draw and to paint.
Photography it seems is getting out of my studio, but once in a while I go out and shoot to break that monotony to paint.
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OP Monzon is a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician by education and training. He writes, collects art, organizes medical conferences, gallery exhibit openings and raises funds for charity. After retirement, he finds himself going back to his roots and discovers that he could also paint.
© AA Appreciating Art
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