Paola Germar as is more than
just a fashion designer, but a true contemporary artist at heart. Recently her
works in the medium of painting has been taken notice of the Philippines’ major
media: broadsheets, magazines and television! Last week, she was featured by TV
station IBC 13 for their web exclusive segment: GOODSHOT: Young Artists with illustratorJoseph Tecson.
Group Show featuring works by : Catalina Africa, Jan Balquin, Brisa Dominguez, Isobel Francisco, Tin Garcia, Paola Germar, Eleanor Giron, Gab Lopez, Lala Gallardo, Les Lee, Veronica Pee, Tanya Villanueva, Marija Vicente, Eva Yu, Jeona Zoleta
Last July, Nikki Ocean held her solo exhibit, entitled Prism Pains and Those Voices in the Wilderness, at the Finale Art File art gallery. She's a budding artist and I've seen her grow from her college days to the present date. You could say that I've been one of her biggest fans! After seeing her exhibit, I was inspired to create jewelry pieces that ran parallel and resonated with her paintings. This led me to experiment with different forms of beaded costume jewelry, as well as incorporating materials outside my usual style.
I have always been an accessory-loving person. I love wearing jewelry regardless of it being fine, bridge or costume. I also collect those made by different artists and retail brands. When I learned to make costume jewelry in particular, it played to my strengths as an artisan since I am a very visual and creative person. If I wasn’t doing this, I might have pursued painting or sculpture. Today, I see paint my canvass with my needle and thread as my brush and paint.
I am lucky to be surrounded by creative people from different fields, who are artists in their own way using their form of "art" to inspire, influence and showcase their own advocacy. I suppose this is an example of what art is about. At one level, art inspires and on another level, it's an indirect way to self investigation. Allain de Botton's animated guide to "What is Art For" explains it more clearly.
Live a life of meaning. Surround yourself with art! Keeping it real.- PJV
I have been living in the city for as long as I could remember, and in Manila alone there are so many places I haven't been to or explored. Travel and discovery, I believe, are innate qualities of my being. I may be an introvert, perhaps even bordering to becoming a social hermit, but the opportunity to explore hole-in-the-wall establishments, cultural hubs and art exhibitions always excites me. Through exposure you learn and get insights. And most importantly, you gain inspiration, even from those that most would consider as mundane. Creativity and inspiration are ideas that always seem to be beyond one's grasp but at times, especially when our minds are clouded. Through selective conditioning and unrealistic expectations, we fail to see any sort of redeeming beauty in the "ugliest" of places. To travel and explore the community you live in is a path one navigates to discover your own history, and discovering your place and the part you play in your community. Metro Manila is the center of commerce; the most populous city in the Philippines. One can be disheartened and discouraged to explore the city because of the impending traffic, noise and air pollution combined. However, as Carlos Celdran, an artist and cultural activist, puts it in is TED Talks, " If you can't find beauty and poetry in Manila, you'll never find it anywhere." Watch Carlos Celdran TEDx here:
With this in mind, I am planning my "walk this way" of Manila. Here are my pitstops for the month of August: 1. Revisiting Vargas Museum
Where: Roxas Avenue, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City
Operating
hours: Tuesday to
Saturday, closed on most holidays, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Museum fee: Php
20.00 for UP students, alumni, faculty and employees, PhP 30.00 for
everyone else; entrance is free every Wednesday for UP students, alumni,
faculty and employees.
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was a great master who
definitely was not popular during his era. In fact, citizens of Vienna, the
place of his birth, took great exception to his works such as “Danae” and “The
Kiss” for its sensual portrayal of eroticism and sexuality.On top of that, several pieces that he
commissioned for the university were also widely met with disdain due to his
vast use of symbolism. Despite heading one of the most popular art movements in
Vienna, known as the Secession Movement, and winning the grand prize for the
1900 Paris World Fair, Gustav Klimt believed that his popularity was going on a
downward spiral, and as a result travels to Florence and Rome.
It is in these places that Gustav Klimt created several of
his masterpieces. Though his work remained in the realm of symbolism and
non-traditional approach, his pieces were widely popular outside Vienna. “Death and Life”,
“The Virgin” and “The Bride”, were all creations made outside his country.
His style and techniques were well ahead of his time. And
though conservatives despised his work for scandalous reasons, his creations
serve as an inspiration for artists who wish follow their own path and to
experiment with non-traditional methods and materials. During the latter part
of his artistic career (and life) he was totally dedicated to art. GustavKlimt’s “Golden Phase” is named as such for his use real gold with his oil
paintings. He also collaborated with other artists, and on one such endeavor
for a wealth patron, remarked that he has reached his peak in ornamental
design. Known for a very deliberate and painstaking method, Klimt once changed
the background color of a prize winning work “Death and Life” in 1911, from gold
to blue.
GustavKlimt died in 1918, plagued by a stroke and subsequent pneumonia. An artist to
the very end, Klimt left many paintings unfinished upon his death. Gustav Klimt had an eclectic range of
influences that contributed to his style. His works are characterized by his
propensity to use gold, spirals and swirls, as well as phallic symbols the
feminine nature. Klimt’s works are best known for rejecting past styles,
eschewing them for symbols and symbolic elements. This places an emphasis on
what most of us look towards art, which is the freedom to create apart from
culture and tradition.
Gustav Klimt Mother and Child inspired Art Jewelry
As part of my practice and exercise, I take inspiration from visual artists like Klimt. What I love about his works the symbolisms and his use of patterns. At times they're playful and rich colors; but mostly his use of gold, yellow and orange to either give accent or be the main palette of his paintings. As part of improving my designs and art, I made these art jewelry pieces inspired by two of his works, "Mother and Child" and "Sea Serpent". Here are the pieces that I've made inspired by his works.
P.S. Here's another one I made with Novie, which we didn't get to photograph professionally as one of our loyal clients bought it once we had it posted on Instagram.
