Painting Master Classes with a Mix of Coffee

Though a few weeks have already passed since the start of Rianne’s Master Classes in Dumaguete City, Kim has just recently able to take hold of the data she want to use for this post (and a short break from Anais’s very curious mind to take a long enough nap). So here we will run on some initial photos and short details on why they choose Dumaguete City to be the spot for a mix of coffee and art culture brought to everyone from the Granmum Creative Studio team.

Moon Cafe

The couple is interested in many things but the two things that they want to go together in their offered classes here in Dumaguete are caffeine and art. A cup of coffee alongside artistic expression is a powerful mix that incite the creative muses to flow through (not to mention the emergence of a creative atmosphere in the space one holds). Having these consciousness gave rise to the idea of art classes on coffee shops as what was practiced in France in the golden age of Art in the 40′s where one would see artists communing. The sight of Salvador Dali, Anais Nin, and Henry Miller in one table would put one into a stoic figure, struck by the sight of artists savoring the bliss of caffeine. To put forward this same culture and nurture it, below is the invitation Rianne made for everyone who wants to be part of flourishing the bliss of caffeinated art.

From zero to hero on the painting craft, Rianne takes on the role of teaching his students the technique in painting suited to his students’ capabilities which does not limit the scope of their learning. He believes that everyone of his students have their own pace and personality which affects much of the work they do on their paintings and the styles they take on the craft. The initial  classes he have had with the Lacson sisters (Anna, Angeline, and Agnes) together with some of their friends took place at Moon Cafe which is near the Dumaguete Rizal Boulevard and the historical Silliman Hall.

For those in town and interested in achieving that perfect shade and hue brought about the techniques of the old master painters you will only need to leave a comment below or contact the number reflected on the poster for more information and details so that you’ll not only enjoy a refreshing cup of caffeine but experience the graceful art tried and tested by the old great masters of the craft.

Have a blissful cup full of artsy thoughts!

Mechaniaco

What does one get when a maniac of machines make his machine creations into surrealist art? The result is Mechaniaco, an online art exhibition of Rianne Dawn Salvarita in Facebook, one of the top social networking sites of today. Click here to  view his 16 watercolor on paper works which is made up of diverse creatures formed from human appendages, found objects, and birds together with their bird houses or cages.

The brainchild of Mechaniaco was the idea of creating creatures with practically imaginative and innovative uses (or practically nothing at all). One interesting piece is the Granmum Coffee Maker with improved cocking lever and fish think tank where you will be able to brew different fishy ideas in life. With extra strength pulling with the lever will cock in a magical creation never-before-seen in life whether living or dead. Another moving piece is Organizmo, seeing it you can actually visualize a scenic view of nature doing her fair share of living while you are in your living room watching a football game. And another is the Host Drone, a great creature to send in times of sneaking around a cup of warm extra extra chocolatey chocolate in your room behind mommy’s back. It’s stealthily fine walking appendage gives it the skill to walk even above water without detection. These and so on and so forth.

The Mechaniaco lot are also creatures believed to be mobile and doing their fair share of duties in the Granmum Creative Studio grounds and premises which makes them one hell of a pet in anyone’s home. Caution: They will make it more alive then anything you’ve ever done in this world or out.

Rianne’s foundness with the surrealist genre started ever since he held his brush at a very young age. One can see the originality in his painting specimens whether imagined or real. This explains the conception of these unique beings that would greatly make your life a bliss among the chaos in the world.

Should you want to order one, don’t hesitate to contact us through the comments section, we will be delighted to go over your choice Mechaniaco even for the whole day just to give you the best of both worlds and universe.

Stories to Tell

It took quite a long time for Kim to finally post these works for Moreen Austria, their artist friend who asked her to make a press release, artist statement, and artist profile for her exhibit last November 2011. Having been pregnant for 8 months at that time, Kim became busy looking after her health physically, emotionally, and psychologically as it is the couple’s belief that what the mother feels is what the baby feels inside her womb. With all that through, she was able to go through her previous works and skimming them she found these pieces. The press release was published in some local news agencies in Negros Island,

Press Release

Stories to Tell Solo Exhibition at Italia Restaurant

By: Kimberly Daphne Salvarita

Diverse scenes of women, children, and men representing a specific moment in time and space are the depictions Moreen Austria presents in her latest solo exhibition entitled Stories to Tell this Saturday, November 12, 5PM at Italia Restaurant, Bacolod City.

Entirely self-taught, Austria usually presents works in Ala Prima style and textured depictions through impasto application or accentuating her works with cloth, laces, buttons, beads, foil, dusts, and any other items that bids her fancy. She shared that usually these items came from things that hold a special memory in her life. This in turn makes each of her works very personal.

A mother and her child amidst colorful butterfly fairies and a Maria Clara with her guy floating in a dreamlike fashion against a starry night; these are just some of the moments Austria will be showcasing in Stories to Tell.

In this exhibition, Austria tries to put on canvas diverse depictions of love and affection while staying on her colorful coloring nature that heightens each creation’s life. Viewing her works is not like walking through an exhibition, it is rather looking through a kaleidoscope of memories as seen through the artist’s eye.

Austria is one of the many resident female artists of Bacolod City. She has become part of many artist organizations as Feminine Touch, BABAYI, and the Art Association of Bacolod (AAB). She also has exhibited around the Philippines in diverse art spaces including Cebu and Manila.  

The visual art show will run from November 12 through November 30. Italia Restaurant is open Mondays to Sundays 7AM until 10PM.

 

Artist Statement: Stories to Tell

The exhibition is the artist’s way to show her visions of love and affection around us. She stands as story teller to her audiences, opening their horizons on the variety of depictions of love and affection shown in this world—each painting, a kaleidoscope of memories through the artist’s eye.

Accentuated with laces, beads, cloth, and other things that bid the artist’s fancy, she gave her works rare harmony with its bright colorful hues. Wild and naïve are her strokes that it creates the emotion of the characters in her paintings. It captures the moment in which the artist feels the emotion just like a photograph taken in an instant to document occasions of one’s life.

Consistent in her signature Ala Prima style in pure color application, the artist explores the concepts of love and affection in every piece portrayed like a Scheherazade that paints a tale rather than of words.

These works are stories told through the canvas from diverse scenes reflected in the artist’s imagination being the soothsayer of her audience.

Artist Profile

Moreen Austria is one of the resident female artists in Bacolod known for her works with women figures in colorful hues. Her earlier works often portray ballerinas, mother and child, vendors, and women of traditional times wearing Maria Claras or Baro’t Sayas. Most of these works are done in Ala Prima style accentuated with cloth, beads, foil, dusts, laces, and other things that she sees fit. Recently, she explored on adding male figures in her works as part of her journey in finally deciding to devote her time in painting.

Austria has exhibited in many art spaces across the country including Cebu and Manila. She also became a member of different local art organizations as Feminine Touch, BABAYI, and the Art Association of Bacolod (AAB).

Kim really enjoyed making these colorful and interesting pieces from Moreen’s playful renditions of love and life in canvas. It became a great exercise for Kim and baby Anais before inside Mommy’s womb–a wide playful scene in the painting of words.

Sound tripping and Driving to Dumaguete

It was a cold but nice morning  in Bacolod Wednesday last week. The sun was still trying to peek through the horizon. The Salvarita family on the other hand was on the road, driving slowly towards the City of Gentle People, Dumaguete.

One can see many beautiful sights on the way, the lush green fields full of sugarcane–stout and ever so green, the different trees that line up the road occasionally with huts or houses beneath it, and the many different kinds of birds that peek and sing almost everywhere.

As nature is part of the many things that interest the family, traveling is the second best for them. It’s always an adventure as it never fails to entail discoveries that are unexpected yet worth discovering. The other thing that makes this trip satisfying was listening to the music of She & Him. Zoe’s voice never leaves you wherever you go. Below is one of the family’s favorite “You Really Got a Hold on Me.”

Seductive and beautiful, that is how one can describe Zoe Dischanel’s voice. It never fail to lull the family’s young one to sleep with a smile–confirming the start of her trip to dreamland.

The family arrived in Dumaguete in time for lunch with a short stop in Kabankalan City public plaza and Bais City public plaza. There fresh air and trees made the family’s stop worth more than anything. Nature heals and refreshes.

Woman in Women for Women Exhibition

It has been awhile that the home page of this blog was filled with material. Do forgive the artist couple of their miss, welcoming a new member in the house really entailed the great 3Rs: rearranging, reorganizing, and responsibility (especially if the addition is a little bundle of love that is full of energy and high frequency).

But now, as adjustments are nearing its fitting, they are back in business! Thank you for the patience.

For this month, the art movement in store is exhibited at the Negros Museum in Bacolod City for the whole month of March to commemorate the global celebration of Women’s month. The featured artist is Rianne’s father, Roger Salvarita.

The following are the details of the exhibition written by Kim.

Woman in Women for Women

Bacolod City, Phil. — The fascination of women is almost every artist’s fascination since the classic painting masters whether in nude or fully clothed. Now at this time of global fascination of women as a figure of society and as remembrance of her significance, Bacolod artist Roger Salvarita launches Woman in Women, his first solo exhibit for the year 2012 for the whole month of March at the Phinma II Gallery, Negros Museum in Bacolod City, Philippines.

Gallery walls are filled with women in diverse roles of society which makes this exhibition unique from his former exhibits. Within the folds of these women collection lays iconic beauties and personalities that will bring crowds to reminiscence.

The Star for All Seasons, the UN Goodwill Ambassador, the Queen of Philippine Movies, these are just a few of the women Salvarita chose to deliver in his signature style that gives a direct and bold attack to painting.

Survived as one of the 80’s cinema painters, Salvarita had worked on many cinema paintings in Bacolod that engraved his skills in cinema style painting giving his works a realistic look as what is needed in these kinds of projects.

As a way to present his original cinema style at the same time commemorate women, Salvarita gives his audiences a way to cherish the days when cinemas weekly present paintings for publicity rather than posters and the reign of women media icons of significance. The Negros Museum is open from Tuesdays through Sundays from 9AM to 5PM.

One of the Top Women Actresses of the 80′s, Ms. Dawn Zulueta

The Star for All Season

Both works are part of this exhibition as the woman icons of Philippine cinema.

Artist Statement

The names Star for All Season, Queen of Philippine Movies, and Box Office Queen are just a few pen names from the movie industry’s women faces that stood as idols, icons, and personalities to the masses.

But before the age of posters and print media, cinemas were the place for bold realistic paintings and not merely for moving pictures. One would look at huge billboards to see what shows are up for the week, huge realistic paintings of celebrities at four to eight feet high walls towering above the theater façade, done by realist painters seldom seen and credited for their work.

In this collection, the artist walks back to the dimension of his lifetime where theaters hire artists for one reason only—to give the public a taste of what is to come within theater walls where the moving marquee of pictures are shooting in front of their eyes.

Everyone–man, woman, child–is invited to view the exhibit and experience the reminiscence of time past.