LYDIA Velasco, alongside her family, has presented “Salinlahi IV,” an art exhibit of the whole Velasco clan showcasing their talent and artistic heritage.
The art exhibit showcased the cognitive connectedness of each Velasco artist, sharing similar subject interests, color palettes, and individual uniqueness.
It was held at the Drybrush. Gallery, which offers a one-of-a-kind curated selection of artwork of different styles and aims to attract new art collectors and at the same time support new and emerging talents.
Aside from the modern contemporary artist Velasco, the artists whose artworks in ‘Salinlahi IV’ were Tessie Pecaña, Fely Reyes, Sarah Doringo, Daisy Carlos, Isidora Duran, Lon de Cruz, Isabella Dela Cruz, Chie Cruz, Chigoe Cruz, Arlene Manalus, Lex Picaña, Michelle Molo, Phoebe Carlos, Kim Carlos, and Kris Ian Carlos.
Pecaña’s works are straightforward and her overall style leans toward classical realism, as she uses bold strokes, brilliant colors, and hazy and gentle edging that give her paintings an Impressionist touch. Reyes is a late bloomer when it comes to painting. She describes herself as a romantic who loves to paint flowers because of the love they signify.
Doringo is into acrylic pouring and applies different techniques to it such as combining colors, brush strokes, air blowing, swiping, and balloon marking. Carlos’ love for fairytales and nature is evident in her works as they often feature images of women surrounded by birds, animals, and flowers or being in a fantasy world.
Velasco saw members of her family drawing, and she thought of giving them an art exhibit so that the public would know they are good at it.
“I will make a painting and I will invite all of them to do it,” she said, adding that the experience would give them a “recall” and that they would do theirs so they could have their own identities.
“All of them have their own styles with regard to painting. I want them to have their own signature/identity. That’s what I did to myself at first — I searched for my own identity,” she said.
One painter in her family has paintings full of “hugot,” while the other one is showcasing a happy theme. In the said exhibit, there were four generations who joined the art show — siblings, children, nephews and nieces, as well as grandchildren.
The ‘Salinlahi’ started from Velasco’s grandfather who was a painter. Her grandmother, on the other hand, was likewise into drawing. When these two great artists got married, their offspring inherited their gifts.
Velasco’s children and family were not forced to be in the arts, but they have loved the passion since they were young.
Viewers can see the female figures in Velasco’s paintings. “I paint faces that I feel I would like to depict.” Yellow and green colors are usually in her paintings, as well as portraying elongated bodies. She has made an identity by using these hues and figures in her art pieces, she believed.
“You can really feel the movement of the body, that it is not static,” she added.
Velasco studied fine arts, majoring in advertising at the University of Santo Tomas. She began to paint in 1992 and developed her art, medium, and style over time.
She eventually focused on women as her subjects — strong, vigorous, hardworking, independent and assertive, yet at the same time tender, caring, graceful and sensual — reflective of all the facets of the artist’s inner self.
She also tries to portray women from their own perception of themselves and values the proper representation of women in art.
In the process of doing her masterpieces for the show, she felt the love for people and the pain in terms of the bad things done by other people to their fellow human beings.
Velasco’s sources of inspiration come from God as well as love of neighbor. In fact, she is fighting for them and her loved ones through her magnum opus. “I always paint on walls, and used to join rallies to call out the government.”
