Last Friday, I jumped at the chance to join the group AgosKulay in an ArtJam. The group was formed in the early '90s and is currently headed by Mr. Jonas Salvosa. I also met Mr. Paul Yap who has been painting since the '70s. Since their younger days, they've established and been part of pockets of communities that would come together to hone their craft and make art. Up until now, they carry the same spirit that lead them to create and to keep on creating. They've shared much of their energy in keeping the art wheels turning in their own unique way. Even if it is as simple as taking the time to talk to a beginner like me.
Paul says:
1. "Remember to look at form, contour and placement"
2. "When you look outside- there's just not one kind of green. Look at layers of color. There's green that has blue in it, or green that has yellow in it. It moves from light to dark or dark to light."
Conquering the blank page was the most challenging thing to overcome publicly. People were watching us capture what we see. I was so overwhelmed by the experience that starting was such a blur. My untamed mind kept rambling- "How do I do this? What do I do now? Why did I even get myself into this? BlahBlahBlah..." It was so disorienting that I had to shush myself to start.
Jonas says:
1. "Just start. Don't be afraid to make a mark."
2. "Start with simple lines and learn tonal value. Look at depth."
3. "There's talent but you need to develop technique."
A big part of looking is to see it for what it is, and to be able to do that I had to learn how to listen to what it was showing me. What did I see? My own limitation. I knew I had a long way to go... 10,000 hours away to build technique. Experiencing this was one of the most humbling and liberating feelings. I guess this is what it means to let go of one's ego. What a good way to start. Now the question is, how can I turn this into a habit?
