by OP Monzon
Paintings by Vic Bachoco, Denis Diego, Jo Florendo, Jun Rocha, Bong Sunga From Photographs by OP Monzon The Art Gallery | Philippine Heart Center, August 2013
VIC BACHOCO: KAMATIS, ITLOG AT TUYO, A FILIPINO FEAST
Vic Bachoco is an artist born with a keen eye for color and a gifted hand for painting. He is recognized as one of the top watercolorists in the country. Born and raised in Iloilo City, he finished Architectural and Mechanical Drawing at the Iloilo School of Arts and Trade. He began his life as an artist at Pepsi Cola and later as a staff artist at Vibal Publishing and Printing Co. He was a senior artist for years at Convey, a prestigious advertising company. After a lengthy career in advertising arts, Vic went to Saudi Arabia to try his luck and work as a visualizer, airbrush artist, and studio manager in an Advertising Company, the Middle East Marketing Communication. He flourished as an artist and earned the respect of many of his colleagues. He joined his first group art exhibit in Jeddah.
He was first in the top 5 Best Watercolorist, 2007 24th Kulay sa Tubig (Gallery Genesis), Art Center, SM Mega Mall. A finalist in “Lakay Nakawala Manok Mo” Gallery Andres Art Awards, 2006. An awardee in “Saving Mother Earth”, 100 years of Philippine Tuberculosis Society, 2010
His published works include the Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, by Marlene Aguilar, 2005; The Lives and Loves of Artist and Models, by Manuel Duldulao, 2006; The Saturday Group, The Art Book, by Migs Villanueva, 2007; Living with Art, Alcuas Aguilar cover, by Figueras Javellana, 2009; Merial Desk Calendar on the Filipino Family, 2009; 12 Artists Painting published in Philippine stamps, Tuberculosis Seals Campaign, Philippine Tuberculosis Society, 2010.
DENNIS DIEGO: HIS COLORING BOOK CONTAINS WILD EXPRESSIONISM
Denis Diego was only 19 when he started to work as an artist at Stable Garment shop. After this stint, he worked at BUP’s Advertising Shop as a T shirt design artist.
He was in his 20s when he realized that his Lolo Demetrio Diego’s talent to paint also run in his blood. Lolo Demetrio, known as “the painter” in the family, is a well-known artist, who painted alongside Francisco “Botong” Francisco, a national artist from Angono. The thoughts of Lolo gave him the inspiration to follow his footsteps and dream, “someday, I will be like him”.
This dream was reinforced when he saw his Lolo’s masterpiece at the National Museum, “Capas” hung side by side with Filipino national artists. “Capas” is a prize winning painting depicting the agony of Filipino prisoners in Tarlac during the death march.
He started to sketch and decided to be a full-time artist working in his home in Quezon City. He was happy to know that many collectors are interested in his work. This experience gave him the self-confidence he needed as a struggling artist.
With the help of Dr. OP Monzon, his first one-man show, “The Coloring Book” opened at The Art Gallery of the Philippine Heart Center in 2011.
ANGELITO ‘JO’ FLORENDO: ORDINARY ARTIST WITH EXTRAORDINARY TALENT
Jo Florendo started art apprenticeship with the best artists of Tanay – Domingo Ibanez, his maternal grandfather and Martin Catalos, re-known Rizal artist who gave informal art instructions to young people of Tanay.
Ka Ante Catalos gave Jo and his young companion art instructions on a regular and personal basis even when he was in his sick bed. One of the greatest influence in his style of painting is art critic Manuel Duldulao, author of many coffee table books in Philippine Art.
He joined the Tanay Artist Group when he joined an On the Spot Painting Contest, where he met artists Jun Tiongco and Lito Payawal.
He paints the rustic life and the landscapes of Tanay. He says the beauty of Tanay and the Rizal province is endless.
Florendo paints the best Koi fishes in town. His Koi fishes create a splash in the art community because it seems to be real, some fishes swim outside the frames in a seeming 3D art.
He delights in painting orchids and groups of flowers in a box as the subject in one of his exhibits. He has more than ten One-Man Art Exhibits and over a hundred group exhibits. He is a board member of the Art Association of the Philippines.
JUN ROCHA: PAINTING PLEIN AIR AND FILIPINO IMPRESSIONISM
Jun Rocha hails from Tacloban City. He studied at the University of the East School of Fine Arts and studied oil painting at the School of Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Chicago and watercolor at the American Academy of Art in Chicago.
He is a proponent of painting “Plein air” or the outdoor type of painting as they usually travel far and across the country to stop at spot areas to paint the scene in front of them. He loves to paint themes on Filipino impressionism.
He is a member of the Palette and Chisel, Plein Air Painters of Chicago, the Indiana Plein Air Painters and the Chicago Artists Coalition of Painters.
He received the Outstanding Artist of the Year Award from the City of Chicago Mayor Richard Dally. He had a One Man Show Exhibit of Paintings in Chicago and several Art Group Shows in many Chicago Galleries.
He was honored to be invited to join the Paintograph artists selecting paintings and interpreting it on his own vision, a Filipino way of impressionism.
BONG SUNGA: PASSION IN PAINTING LOCAL COLOR
Rufo Sunga, “Bong”, as friends call him, hails from Olongapo City. He studied Fine Arts, Major in Advertising at the Philippine Women’s University.
He was awarded 2nd runner up during the First Melaware National Place Design Competition; he also emerged as Finalist in the First GSIS Painting and Letras Figuras Painting Competitions.
Bong is a freelance graphic and visual arts and senior graphic consultant at Metro Pacific Company.
He participated in the Fiesta Tours Exhibit in Cebu, Davao, Palawan Boracay, Bohol and Batanes and Art Show in Hong Kong, organized by Ms. Wally Trinided.
He is affiliated with the following Art Circle Groups: Tuesday and Art Wednesday Groups, Watercolor Artists Club and Akwarelista Philippines. His works were published in a Crossroads, book by Ms. Heidi Sison and a coffee table book by Christian de la Paz of Artes Pilipinas
His subjects of paintings revolve around Urban Sceneries, Old Manila Series, Vigan and old houses, Japanese geisha, and clowns playing musical instruments.
He is honored to have joined the Paintograph artists, “it’s a small group of brother artists appreciating the arts. We have a common dream, we enjoy doing interactive painting, a summation of the minds of artists doing work as one on a common canvas”.
ORESTES P. MONZON, MD: ORDINARY PHOTOGRAPHS
OP Monzon earned his medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Santo Tomas. He is a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician.
He started photography when he was a resident in Radiology but considers himself as an amateur photographer and hobbyist.
Most of his photographs were taken from a point and shoot Kodak easy share camera. His students and friends were delighted to know that good photographs can be taken from a simple and inexpensive camera.
He had several one man Photography Exhibits at the Beato Angelico Art Gallery at the College of Architecture / Fine Arts, University of Santo Tomas, and at The Art Gallery of the Philippine Heart Center, “Ordinary Photographs”, Some People, Some Photographs, “Windows, Doors, Narrow Streets”. He joined several photography group exhibits - Philippine College of Radiology during its annual conventions, where he emerged as a winner; Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, among others.
He published a coffee table book on Philippine Radiology, “The Filipino as Radiologist” and edited several books on family life. His work was published in newspapers and magazines.
He is a retired professor of Radiology and Bioethics at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the UST and Chairman, past chair, Department of Radiological Sciences at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital. He is a member of the Philippine Board of Radiologic Technology of the Professional Regulation Commission.
After retirement, he discovered that he could paint. He paints with Ordinary Artists, an outreach group of senior citizens, PWDs, the hearing impaired and other ordinary people.
From Clinical Gaze to Artistic Look by Alma C. Miclat, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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COMMENTS FROM GALLERY VISITORS
Art takes a lifetime of study and harnessing of raw talent to produce a masterpiece. But sometimes the lack of time cause many artists to never materialize that goal. I think what Dr. Orestes Monzon and his friends have done in this exhibit is to bridge that gap. His raw talent and eye for taking photographs have been taken to a higher level by collaborating with artists of high caliber to reproduce these into masterpieces. Being in this event has made me realize the importance of collaboration in revolutionizing art.
We remember Claude Monet (the founder of Impressionist movement) and his circle of friends - Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camile Pissarro, Edouard Manet, Paul Cezanne, and Frederic Bazille whom without their support of one another may never have pursued the goal of mastering the depiction of light and color.
The Paintograph movement is revolutionary in a sense that the study of hybridization of photographs and paintings is new and gives hope for aspiring photographers and artists with raw talent to be part of producing masterpieces by collaborating with each other so that people may enjoy it for a very long time.
Dominic Velasco Cardinal Santos Medical Center
“Paintograph: Paintings from Photographs is a showcase of artwork from six very talented artists at the present time. As it aptly titled, the photographs of Monzon transcend to paintings as interpreted by five visual artists – Bachoco, Diego, Florendo, Rocha and Sunga. Each rendition displays extraordinary form and style, truly a remarkable product of art in its own unique form.
Archt. Rogelio D. Caringal Chairman, PHC Art Gallery Committee
“I have made my share of wrong choices, I’ve missed my share of opportunities, and a few times have chosen to stay within my guarded walls. Each photo reminded me of this painful truth but more importantly it showed me that as much mistakes as I have committed, I have done just as much good. And I as walked through the gallery, photo after photo spoke to me. And as I stepped out, my eyes adjusting to the sunlight, and with a smile on my face, I felt anew.”
Patrick Bugayong
“It is really surprising how photographs can incite different thoughts and feelings within a person. This particular exhibit was refreshing in that one does not have to strain to see better – everything is there on one look. It is as if I just walked through the rain and into a new place, with flowers on the window sill and cobblestones to walk on …. It’s wonderful.”
Vanessa Anne C. Bernal
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