Frameworks Homefront

I was pretty busy last Saturday - my building, Park Terraces, had its first staff outing in Los Banos, Laguna. However, I still found time to drop by Frameworks Homefront to pick up the 3 small paintings I wanted framed.

A couple of weeks ago, I had finally decided that it was time to have my mini-paintings, which I placed on small easels, to be given proper frames. I researched which frame shop I would go to. Rotech, although it has been quite affordable with positive results, already closed their branch in Sta. Lucia. I didn't want to brave the crowd in Megamall to go to the Rotech branch there.

I chanced upon the advertisement of Frameworks on OLX, which directed me to their Facebook page. Their shop was quite near where I live - so I called them to set an appointment.

I left the paintings there and they asked me to come back after two weeks. Finally, after much anticipation, I have the frames in my office already!

The Birdhouse by Renee Avila seems like its floating. I had it framed similar to a painting I purchased in Gintong Sining in Glorietta. I had an inkling the result was going to be spectacular, since the green is so vibrant, the black frame made it pop even more.

ANG Ink's Merm was quite a challenge, being such a small painting. To make it seem quite original, I also placed it on a predominantly black background to make the color vibrant - but I angled the mermaid so that the canvas would turn into a diamond shape. The frame's inspiration is from my 2 Anjo Bolarda wood blocks which I had framed in a similar fashion.

Miguel Toni's blue blossom - I couldn't really decide how to frame, since most of the frames we tried on it looked washed out. We finally decided to use a silver wood frame to accentuate its black and blue motif without making the painting look drab.

I have two Blanco paintings which I will be bringing to Frameworks - the owners are quite hands-on. They were the ones helping me decide on the matting and frame, they were giving good suggestions for each painting.

Should you need the services of a frame shop, why not give Frameworks a try? Prices are very competitive, and they make the frames in their shop right behind their store.

FRAMEWORKS HOMEFRONT
#46 Kamuning Road, Quezon City
telephone number: 02.4264482 / 0917.826.4482

Bigkis Sining Binangonan - Gener Blanco Artworks

I chanced upon an art exhibit that had just been set up in Il Centro in Sta. Lucia last Friday the 13th. I was driving by when I saw paintings by the entrance.

Kim and I stopped and we saw glorious paintings from artists hailing from Angono and Binangonan, Rizal.

There were paintings from Glenn Blanco, eldest son of Jose "Pitok" Blanco.

The youngest son of Pitok Blanco also had a painting on display. Peter Paul, when he was still a toddler, was featured prominently in his father's paintings.

Another group that exhibited their works is Bigkis Sining Binangonab. One of their members is Gener Blanco, related to the Blancos of Angono. And the family semblance is quite evident in his artworks:

Bigkis Sining Binangonan's other artists also showcased their works:

The exhibit will be open until May 22, 2016. I went back to the exhibit last Sunday, and I purchased paintings from Gener Blanco. It isn't everyday that you can easily purchase a Blanco painting without batting an eyelash -  so I purchased Dragonfly and Landscape. I'll be picking up the artworks on the 22nd, the last day of the exhibit.

If you live near the area, please pass by, and help support our local art scene and artists, purchase a painting or two, too!

Amorsolo Paintings in The Vargas Museum

First time I went into Vargas Museum was when I was a freshman back in UP Diliman. Since I was a student, admission was free, and every now and then, I found myself going to the museum in case I had a free period, I was lucky because it was just two blocks away from CSSP. 

The museum has quite a collection of Amorsolo paintings. Yesterday, after going to Mark Justiniani's Reverb exhibit, Kim and I went up to the 2nd floor, I wanted to look at the Amorsolos. 

I confess, I also went up to look at the collection of paintings because I wanted to get inspiration for the frame that I wanted to have made for the painting I had commissioned. 

Here are some of the paintings by Fernando Amorsolo, all part of the collection of the Vargas Museum:

How I wish I get to afford an Amorsolo in the future!

Assemblage at Cevio Art Haus

We had the chance to spend a lovely evening last night at the opening of the exhibit of Joey and Dexter Simsim in Cevio Art Haus in Bo. Kapitolyo. Aptly titled Assemblage, the two-man show of the brothers from Baguio, was a success.

The brothers opening words were a background of how they discovered contemporary art. Both are quite adept at realistic paintings, and it shows in their current work how they were able to beautifully combine their skill with their vision.

Cevio served drinks and light snacks, and other artists and some collectors were happily mingling about. Kat followed, and she enjoyed the exhibit as well. 

Collecting art can be such a dreadful vice! There wasn't a painting in the exhibit I didn't want to take home!

The price of most of the artworks were quite reasonable, although I have yet to pay for my commission work with my friend, Franco, so I thought it best to practice restraint. And for a nightcap, Kat Pauso brought us to Greenfield District's midnight flea market, where I saw some beautiful paintings by Joey Agbayani, one of which I was so tempted to purchase! See the beautiful painting of Eiffel Tower from the river Seine in the centre? It's absolutely adorable!

Valentine's Day in Pinto Art Museum

Spent the entire afternoon of February 14 inside Pinto Art Museum. There were a lot of people inside, and most of them were couples - go figure.

Those celebrating being single during the day of hearts, also chose to brave the crowd in Pinto that day. Some were jejemons - opting to have their picture taken with artworks they probably don't even understand. Some were kolehiyalas who have bastardised Filipino and English to its all time low by attempting so hard to sound like a bulok Kardashian - pronouncing the kalabaw above as cal-ah-bahw. I apologise for the double negative on bulok Kardashian.

Regardless, being in Pinto was like returning to your one great love after so long. The time apart may have given you a different perspective on how you appreciate some of the artworks, but it doesn't change the fact that your love for the paintings there are just as great.

That's us by the way, trying to take advantage of the fact that the couples were out of sight.

So there's no need really to comment on the uniqueness of the art museum - that in itself is a different post, which I'm sure other bloggers have already noted, or the only thing other bloggers have noted.

So, I'll be sharing to you highlights of the afternoon in the museum. And how I tried so hard to put myself in the shoes of the artists to try to see if I could feel the emotion they must have had when they were painting.

Below is the famous Karnabal, made by Salingpusa - a collaboration of different artists, Elmer Bolognan being one of them.

Again, here's a snapshot of the following gallery - taking advantage of the absence of the couples.

This gallery contained a lot of Elmer Borlongans, part of the collection of Dr. Joven Cuanang.

One of my favourite pieces in the gallery is located here, it depicts a basketball game in a baranggay. Disclaimer, I do not like basketball, I just like the painting.

Geraldine Javier's Holy on Sundays also struck a note. Its an oil on canvas made in 1999. I love the negative painting technique.

Jose Tence Ruiz's Blu-Skreen Kotillion I thought looked a lot like Marie Antoinette.

Joven Mansit's School of Fish really looked like a  vintage photograph, had it not been for the seafood, I would have thought it was an actual photograph. 

Neil Manalo's Prusisyon really seemed like its candles would glow in the evening light. 

Winner Jumalon's painting of Dr. Cuanang's doctor's bag and the actual bag preserved on  a glass-encased pedestal. 

Another still life of the doctor's bag.

Notable paintings from the erotica room - a beautiful impressionistic nude, and a painting depicting narcissism.

Here's the view from the 2nd floor, overlooking one of my favourite galleries in the museum.

Monte mayor's beautiful triptych, Swim, Bike, Run.

And this beautiful angelic boy by Sarah Fable Gfeller. I really truly believe that this was how I looked like as a toddler - in my dreams.

Orencio's Daybed and Shade - these were located in the alcove. They almost made me want to buy the lone Orencio that was being sold in the Museum Shop. 

And right next to that alcove where the 2 Orencios were facing each other - a commissioned piece by Daniel dela Cruz, nymphs descending. 

J'adore absolument this painting by Sarah Fable Gfeller, because I will be purchasing on Monday a piece from a student artist of UST a painting with flowing fabrics also. This one is Knot II. 

Elmer Borlongan had an exhibit in the museum which was opened last February 1, 2015 - Labyrinth of Kinship.

Bili na kayo ng Bonsai, Oil on canvas, 2014

Sitting Pretty, Oil on canvas

Aside from the influx of Valentine's Day art enthusiasts, we somewhat got the day going by having Panna Cotta with fresh fruits, and iced teas, that were supposed to have been served in Mason jars, at the new concessionaire for Pinto Cafe, Peppermill. 

Here's a nice snapshot of the bridge leading out of the gallery with indigenous art. And of course, the obligatory selfie. 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope all of you had a great day!

Pinto Art Museum

1 Sierra Madre Street, Grand Heights Subdivision, 

Antipolo

tel. no. 02.697.1015.

closed on Mondays, otherwise open from 9:00am to 6:00pm