Let's go naked

Manila and surrounding areas is hot with 93 degrees and 58
humidity. Those inside the air conditioned offices and malls
don't seem to mind this terrible temperature that will fry an
egg outdoors without fire.

In New York, San Francisco and other cities in America this
would be a good day to go to the beach or a nearby
park like golden gate for picnic and sunbathing. Some sailing
is also in order for those across the golden gate bridge.
Hello Sausalitoans, are you out there!!

This is also a good day to go out  and buy artworks in the city
and in the Sausalito galleries. There are cool galleries like the Studio
gallery on Polk st which has an up coming exhibit "Delicious",
of  affordable artworks focused on foods. Go check it out during the
reception night on the 17th of March and enjoy Napa cabernet
and biscuits STUDIO_Gallery@mail.vresp.com

Meanwhile back in the Islands, Ida Flores has an exhibit
on the 21st at the Mega Mall. I haven't seen the artworks
yet but I will update and show you a picture or two
whenever possible.

There is this coming weekend a community art show in Salcedo Village
Makati called Art at the Park. Again this exhibit is semi charity, that is
20% of the proceeds go to charitable organizations 30% to the gallery
and 50% to the artist. Las Islas gallery (galeriadelasislas@yahoo.com)
one of the organizers is confident artworks will sell like "bibingkas"
for they're priced out reasonably for the new generation of art collectors.
The artworks are varied from modern abstracts to still life to figurative
and nudes. Way to go folks. Enjoy them on your walls and when it's
time to unload them for others to enjoy you can always take them
to Gerome Gallery Auction.


that's all folks!
gotta go and i mean "gotta go"!!!

keep in touch and i'll be in touch!

jt

Orientalism

A filipina joins the ranks of 19th century painters who painted
the orient. The westerners painted most of the arab countries
and depicted their life and culture and landscapes.  In the last century
hollywood produced the movie Exodus with Paul Newman in the
starring role. It seems Philippines did not need a hollywood type
organization or a battery of European artists to tackle another part
of orientalism in another century.

Life and culture goes on wherever artists, writers, poets songwriters
and singers are touched by their sensibilities. This time Israel is in the
creative bag of Sheen Ochavez. Beautiful and decent size canvases are
devoted to Moses' "promise land".

Some people who have eavesdropped on the project are very much
eager to see this art exhibit for very few artists outside of Israel's
local artists have devoted this sort of energy and passion.

But it's not surprising to see this happen for historically the Quezon
regime during the commonwealth period had smart reasons to welcome
some of the Jewish people fleeing Europe onto the Philippine shores.
Also the Philippines cast the critical vote in the United Nations for Israel
to be recognized as a nation.

So there you are an artist in the person of Sheen makes this all possible
but it's not without sacrifices. She's on her toes until the show. There is
plenty of work to be done so don't expect her to show in any of your
shindigs but... a drink or two for the road won't hurt.

that's all folks!
it's time to take a shower. It's humid in the orient and the afternoon
is lazy in Manila and elsewhere. Don't know what to do next
but to get my fix.

keep in touch.

jt

israeli landscapes

Sheen Ochavez  solo exhibit is fast approaching like anything
else it will be there before you know it. Her makati studio is looking
like a mini museum with all these wonderfully composed artworks that
are products of an artist reminiscent of the incessant energy and strength
of our earlier art ancestors in Europe and America. She burns the midnight
oil literally till 4 a.m. "Or the ax shall fall" as they say.

Anyway, every artist faced with a solo exhibit goes through the same grind
of spending sleepless nights that usually culminates at "showtime". That's life!
Composing and revising and refinishing. Finding where mistakes happened and
corrections instituted. It's basically what happens during the finishing stage. More
of the cerebral exercise is exerted. This is where it all starts to boil until is simmers.
This is where you just spend hours and hours of staring and glancing and staring
again without moving your brush. About 80% finish but it's the remaining 20%
that takes up a lot of your time.

You'll get to see it at the Manila Hotel on the last week of May.
The first half of the exhibit will be at the Tower Hotel in the greenbelt
area where foreign dignitaries are invited.

That's the latest on this one.

Time to grab my coffee at the 1B Apartment Australian Cafe
on San Agustin st. in Salcedo village.

later.

Howdy

It might interest you to know that there are 3 viewers from Germany, 3 viewers
from South Korea, 15 locals and 25 from USA at this very minute.

Not a big crowd but perhaps the rest of the world are  still
dozing off.

It's very humid outside even if i'm 3 miles away to the ocean.
Can't concentrate on anything so i'll run to the Cafe
in Makati and enjoy the artificial cool breeze of the decade
old air conditoner.

See you later, folks.

Got Coffee!!!

Good Wednesday morning folks,

Have you had your fix yet?
I'll have my coffee in a few minutes...waiting
for the water to boil for my french press. It's
mild to strong kind of brew...just to initially
give me pep and mood to think of a subject matter
to talk about. This kind of endeavor  isn't freakin'
easy. I feel like Johny Carson suddenly losing a battery of
writers and now i'm on my own. Whew! that's a scary
thought. But fortunately I can afford to have dead air
online. Monologuing is somehow a manageable business
for the dry and corny in this medium without looking like a
stupid protozoan.

I say with all the new sky scrapers sprouting in Makati and
Pasig, Manila Hotel still  has an ambiance and quality one
can feel and experience that separates it from the so called 5 stars.
The lobby is set up for business meetings or slacking off
over coffee and even dining. They have live semi chamber music
ensemble that starts in the afternoon till 10pm. If you're a tourist
coming over to Manila you have to check it out even just for coffee
and girl watching on the side. The hostesses are all glowing
with charm and pretty smiles.

This is one place Hemingway and Manet and Picasso and Dean
Martin would be sorry to miss. If any of these creative bozos is
facing a "creative block" I'm pretty sure it's something they wouldn't
mind anyway what with all the beautiful distractions, are you kidding?

The hotel would be the site for Sheen Ochavez solo art show in May
about Israel's landscapes. (http://manila-hotel.com)

I'll leave you guys for a short breakfast.
Catch you later with fresh happenings.

art collecting seems to be picking up as far as the old artworks are concerned.
Lunas, Amorsolos, Ang kiukoks, Joyas are auctioned off to a  limited circle in
the greenbelt area in Legaspi village in Makati.
Every two months +Leon Gallery holds these events (leon-gallery.com).
New collectors as well as old faces gather to get a hold of these beautiful
artworks. There is another one coming on April 5.

+Sheen Ochavez is preparing works for a solo exhibit about Israel.
The show will be on 20th of May at the Manila Hotel. A lot of diplomatic
dignitaries and art collectors are expected to show for this event.

That's the latest update around the art studios folks.
I'll take a break and keep in touch!

art collecting seems to be picking as far as the