UPCOMING DECEMBER EXHIBIT

I got an email from Sandy of The Reading Room (it's a quaint little shop in Cubao X which carries these wonderfully quirky things) and she asked me if I'm interested in hanging a few pieces at HALO Restaurant. I figured that I love Cubao X so much when I did that art fair thing in October that I immediately said, "Yeah sure babe".

So, I got to be introduced to Halmen, the wonderful lady who owns the restaurant. We talked and she showed me her place's walls (which I immediately felt very comfortable with considering my huge buttocks don't exactly fit well on the tiny seats meant for smaller frames); and on Saturday, December 20th... I'll be hanging some of my smaller works on paper and maybe a couple of paintings in that lovely, quirky and soulfully intimate restaurant.

I am still figuring out exactly which of the smaller pieces I'd hang in Halo Restaurant since I am in the middle of doing some huge works for another bigger exhibit next year (this one's going to be pretty exciting). However, digging through my works I thought I might as well let this one go and have it hang properly on another person's wall. It's about three of my four nephews.

I'll be posting in a few days more details about the exhibit on the 20th. In the meantime, I am re-posting this old one below.

THE BOYS IN MY MIND

33.5 X 24.5 cm
pen and ink on acid-free paper

1. WIGGY

“Hello”, the gruff voice of a young teenager answered at the other end of the line.

“Who’s this?” I asked.

“Wiggy.”

“Wiggy? Is that really you?”

Pause.

“Yes it’s me Tito Dan.”

“Goodness, you sound very different. You sound grown.”

“I’ll get Daddy.”

He’s eleven and a half years old and already he sounds different and grown. It was only a couple of years back when he and his younger brother Deus would jump me by surprise from behind the door every time I go inside my brother’s apartment. Though, I am a big and strong person, it can take its toll on my back to have two urchins clinging on to me like two wriggling chimpanzees

“Nirarayuma ako kay Zach pag nagpapakarga siya sa likod ko.” (I’m getting arthritic whenever Zach hangs on to my back.) I once heard him complain of his baby brother.

I smiled. Now it’s his turn to have a small chimp cling on to him.


2. DEUS

“TITO SHREEEK!”, shrieked my ten-year old nephew Deus.

“Will you quit screaming into my ear? You can speak in a normal tone you know.”

“You promised the Game Boy Advance II. Have you already bought it?”

“It’s still a month away from Christmas. I promised you’ll get it on that day, did I not?”

“Yeah, but did you remember? I want a black one with casing. Get the Advance II because it has a much better colored screen. It has better graphics, better sounds. And get me those games like Harry Potter or Superfriends edition, or you can get the WWF wrestling games or Super Mario.”

“Deus.”

“Yes Tito Shrek?”

“Quit calling me Tito SHREK and you’ll get your Gameboy Advance II – a day before Christmas.”

“Yes, Tito Dan”, and I saw a sweet cherub-like smile flash on my nephew’s face.

A week after Christmas, my brother called to tell me that Deus has already reached level four on The Fantastic 4 game on his brand new black Gameboy Advance II with its sleek black casing.

“Cool”, I gladly remarked.

A few minutes later, I received a text message from Deus and it read, ”Thank you so much for the Gameboy Advance II. I truly enjoy it. You’re cool TITO SHREK.”


3. ZACH

I have been doing a series of little bald fat boys and so far, I have done more than thirty of these small works. Some of them are small paintings while the others are pen and ink drawings on paper – all of these were inspired by a little child. His name is Zachary.

A little bundle of one year of padded flesh that trundles along the floor like a drunken Japanese midget every time he hears his favorite purple dinosaur’s tune, Zach, as we fondly call him, carries more attention upon him than a firecracker popping early in the morning. He laughs. He giggles. He wiggles his buttocks with wanton delight, making us adults around him prod him more in his antics. He’s simply adorably cute as all babies are.

One time, my brother’s wife was berating Zach’s older brother Deus for a mischief he’s done. Being badgered by his mother, the latter was avoiding her gaze and turned the other way. Zach, with legs spread apart like a sumo wrestler stepping into the ring, walked towards his brother, turned Deus’ face towards him, pointed his finger at him and started to berate him in his baby googly talk. At that moment, a mother’s anger turned into laughter.

The day I gave my brother two of the paintings of the bald fat boys was the day that Zach knew who inspired the works.

“Tol, tignan mo si Zach.” (Bro, look at Zach), said my brother as he pointed towards his son trudging towards the hanging works.

“Kanina pa niya ginagawa yan. Hinahalikan niya mga painting mo nung mga batang kalbo. Hehehe, alam nga niyang siya yun” (He keeps on doing that.. He kisses the paintings of the bald boys. He knows they’re him.)

Zach gingerly reached up to the hanging paintings, touched them and kissed the image.

A BOY, A BOOK AND A TALKING BIRD

click here for the online version of the book

Being part of CANVAS.PH, we're committed to spreading Pinoy Art and Culture, through events, exhibits, working with institutions and individuals, and through the books we publish. We've been doing this for almost five years now too.

Recently, we just released a new gem of a book called MESSAGE IN THE SAND. It's the story of a young boy who did his own part to save a little piece of his world. It's a very handsomely bound book using big typefaces that even your little ones can easily read. The little detail that am sure the little ones who'll be reading this book would enjoy is the little box I placed where the small owner can write his/her name on the first page. It's written by Charmaine Aserappa and the fantastic images done by Roel Obemio. It's a keeper of a book that generations of children will enjoy.

... and talking about saving the environment, I found this parrot. He's got his own message for all of us showing how wonderful the natural world is.

Here's Einstein:

IN GRATITUDE

"One of them could have just simply said "thank you" instead of just trooping inside. I shouldn't have opened the door and wasted my effort," I confided to Sheila as I took my seat at the table in the restaurant.

"Oh, you're pissed. What's the matter?" she asked.

"It's that troop of fat-assed ladies over there that just came in," I told her as I pointed to her the three women and a kid at the far end of the room. " I was heading for the door in front of them. I could have just went in but instead I held the door open for them to let them pass through first. Guess what?? Not one of them even said "Thank You". Even doormen whose job it is to open doors for people are given those two simple words. I'm NOT even an employee of these restaurant," incensed, I took a french fry and plopped it in my mumbling mouth.

"Hayaan mo na. (Let it go)," she quipped as the burgers were laid on the table by the waiter.

I looked at George (the waiter) and said, "Thank you."

_______

I figured I'd say THANK YOU for all those who have read what I wrote here, looked at the pictures in my blog and have typed down a word or two. The lives we all lead might be busy. The times might have changed. The digital world have somehow changed the kinds of interactions we have with one another. But I still think, nay, I still believe we'd have to say a simple THANK YOU to one another.

It's a good reminder of our own human-ness. :-)

Again, THANK YOU!

_______

p.s. Thank Goodness. Pacquiao won. WOOHOOOOO!!!!

SAKO NG SEMENTO
14" x 20"
pen and ink on paper

BAYANG MAGILIW

BAYANG MAGILIW

14” x 20”
pen and ink on paper

Remember Yellow?

I knew I'd see him again after several months since I last saw him being beaten with an umbrella by another hapless victim of his skirt pulling. This time, he was at his usual post in front of the Mcdonald's at Taft Avenue but I doubt if I can still call him that moniker.

"Pssst... bosing. Bili ka ng bandila (buy a flag),” he poked me with a tiny flag on a stick as I was standing there reading the headlines on a news stand.

“Oh, may gulong ka na pala. Tagal mong nawala ah (I see you have new wheels. You’ve been gone for a while),” I said with a start. I also noticed that he didn’t have his yellow umbrella and his lifeless leg dangling from a string wound around his neck anymore.

“Oo bosing. Pinutol na nila dyan sa Pasay Gen mga paa ko. Patay na daw eh. Ngayon katulad ko na talaga si Gloria (Yeah boss. They finally cut off my legs at the hospital. Now I am as tall as Gloria),” he answered while pointing with his free hand the two stumps that were once his legs.

I couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the way he compared himself with our diminutive president. Come to think of it, they are both short now that he’s sitting on a small wheeled contraption with shiny wheels.

“Tulad din ni Gloria, may bandila din ako. Bili ka na bosing. Araw ng Kalayaan naman ngayon eh (And like Gloria, I too have a flag. Buy one. Today’s Independence Day anyway),” he said as he egged me to get his flag.

I did buy one from him for twenty five pesos and stuck it on my gate when I got home.

The next day, when I went down to buy pandesal from Quirino Bakery across the street, my tiny flag was gone… and so was Yellow.