Dear Artist
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Dear Artist *
Dear Artist: Diaspora, Burnout, and New York City: Food as a way of survival and loving
"Is visual art still a viable career for me?”
In the middle of the pandemic, I began to reevaluate my actions toward art-making.
It's crazy now, and I haven't really established a strong foundation myself here. What do I do when I'm not compelled to do art as I used to make them before? Why am I still here when a lot of people are fleeing from here?
Dear Artist: Mastering the Art of Nesting + Making Peace with Your Physical Environment
My definition of Nesting:
Nesting is an act of not only creating and building an intentional physical space for yourself, but also for possibilities of creativity and positivity in the said space.
An act that will result in having a space that allows stimulating creative thinking and activities.
Dear Artist: How to Get into The Flow State So You Can Get More Out of Life
Today, I want to talk about every day.
Sounds redundant. But yes, I want to explore and discuss why every day is important and how the things we do regularly affect us (at least in my own experience and self-awareness), and How can we quickly go into a flow state to help us have better days.
Dear Artist: 3 notes for Refocusing Your Art Practice in 2021 + GUIDESHEETS
2021 is will not be total "TABULA RASA" (a clean slate) - since 2020 has left remnants and changes that will be changing humanity as we know it.
With the new year comes a chance to press the "reset" button mentally and to review the year that has passed.
2020 has been a mix of extreme ups and downs, and I would like to believe collectively for the whole world. What mattered truly was to survive the darkest days that we didn't know was coming for us.
Dear Artist: 5 Notes to Remember as You Age with Your Work
Here is a blog post dedicated to my friend, L. She was a really good friend of mine back in high school --- as the emotional sad girl I was, once I click with you, your imprint on me never really goes away.
Dear Artist : Nailing Down Intimacy with Your Own Work
One Monday night, I was able to catch up with a close friend of mine who I really admired so much.
This person introduced me to watercolor and it led to my new found love with illustration and painting during my first few years trying my hand at art. At that time, I was still an infatuated teenager who put someone on a pedestal and focused all my attention (Maybe it was young love? Lol.).
Dear Artist: 8 Actionable Ways to Nurture Your Creative Spirit
Like any part of the body, your artist’s side needs nourishment too.
Ysha, my seven-year old niece, began her creative routine when she was five years old. She picks up a sheet from a pile of scratch papers. Using colored pencils and pens, she illustrates cartoon sketches and folds the papers as panels. She giddily narrates the story of her sketches to us.
How to Gather Visual Inspiration + Inject Them Into Your Work
Recently, I’ve been obsessed with brainstorming for Clarisse The Label and doing some research and window shopping full of eye-candy + keep every other detail for all things that will inspire more of the future projects I have in mind.
(Above are pictures distracting me from my shop-to-shop walk Top to bottom: jewelry store at New Jersey, a pink color story from Uniqlo, High contrast colors and Luxe from Gucci New York, An Army from Topshop, Can stack and view at the Butchershop at Perth.)
The Bread: On Art
The inspiration of this piece draws from the famous Filipino phrase: “Kapag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng tinapay.” (If someone throws a rock at you, throw bread back.)
It borrows essence from a Bible verse I never knew was connected with the phrase.
A Message for You: SURRENDER Yourself
The holiday fun was enjoyable while it lasted — from gift-giving to non-stop parties – Christmas in the Philippines had its own right and a fair share of Christmas traditions from food to spirituality.
When I was a kid, I would have this crazy list of people I would give handmade presents to or have a wish list that seemed never-ending, go to mass I honestly never sat through well and patiently with and be up and about when Santa will come
Anatomy of a Lover: Sediments from Work
Inside of us is a persona waiting to be awakened; a lover who seeks happiness in the presence of himself, with contentment willing to be shared to the world as it grows inside him, slowly changing what was once non-existent.
Inspiration: Universe, Dreams, Flower Cards + The Art of Asking
More of my musings lately are focused on inspirational and philosophical side of art as an entity or an idea. I found good reads that I recommend to people who would like to discover the sense underneath the tip of the iceberg.
HOW-TO: D.I.Y. Embroidered (memories) on Postcards
Ever wondered where you would use the fancy or rather overrated postcards that were either free, given or sent to you by impulse? Postcards can be freely found in hotels, one-stop souvenir shops, old to new bookstores, well, actually anywhere paper dwells and exists. At some point, we would want to dispose of them, and it would hurt, at some point (and it probably should).
A Gush of Blood: Notes from a Retreat
“…2016: In Transit. I’d live this year like it was my last. I have to regain the desperation of the flow of my inspiration. I have to work on what my soul truly speaks to. I must have the plunge of my life.”. These were the exact words I wrote on one of my late December 2015 journals that I knew had look upon which I didn’t want to go unattended.
Creativity and Productivity Tools for the Anxious/Distracted Artist
The exciting, but sometimes dreadful word of “to-do list” has eaten me alive many times since college came along, and for the past few months, I’ve been trying to embrace the pause button, the “no” word and practice of things to nurture my knowledge and curiosity like workshops, talks, trips and specifically “not obsessing on finishing everything”.