Photos courtesy of Anna Tungul, Menchie Vitente, and Vanessa Bautista
They came, they saw each other and they shared one dream: a curated exhibit in full, vibrant colors.
Anna Tungul, Menchie Vitente, and Vanessa Bautista have different backgrounds, but found common ground as women artists who seek a curated platform for their artworks notwithstanding the prolonged lockdown.
In February 2021, the trio met during a group exhibit sponsored by Ayala Malls and spent time together during the early hours of the ingress and egress procedures. They found good company with each other and spent countless of hours chattering about their frustrations and anxieties, exchanged tips on painting, and hoarded art materials on sale for the sheer thrill of it. Eventually, their shared interests and passion for the arts led them to forge a bond despite having different personalities.
Their commonality lies in their journey as women artists and their collective dream is to reveal their colors to a more intimate audience. As if the universe listened to their conversations, a door of opportunity opened when Gallery 928 owner Jeff Dimalanta offered Vanessa a solo exhibition. The invitation later gave way to a three-woman show among their circle. It all came into fruition with the “Dreams in Technicolor” exhibit held last September 24 to October 4.
With three unique artistic styles, the show came together as they boldly professed their affinity with colors. “In this exhibit, we used vibrant, rich colors of nature translated in my floral pieces, in Menchie’s collection of birthstone paintings and seascapes, and in Vanessa’s bold abstract paintings. Each piece is different, but together we are one, since we have one dream, one journey to make our dreams into a reality,” says Anna.
“For ‘Dreams in Technicolor’, I was able to make 12 artworks. It is a collection of impressionism to abstract impression of flowers. These floral pieces in bold brush strokes express my love for colors and show many different vibrant hues of nature that always inspire my arts. I believe that, in this series, each piece of my artwork breathe and express colors that provide pure happiness,” adds Anna.
With 25 years of experience as the creative head of fashion brands PaperDolls, PD & CO., Apple & Eve, and Milly by Paperdolls, Anna’s flair in mixing and matching colors, in adding textures, and in illustrating figures all comes together in cohesive compositions. She’s a Fine Arts graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas and her artistic journey is an integral part of who she is. More importantly, through it all, she kept true to herself both on personal and artistic terms. “I am basically a happy person that’s why my works are colorful and vibrant.”
Menchie is a graduate of the UP College of Music and is a piano teacher pre-pandemic, but has been into different arts and crafts for over 25 years now.
A crafter at heart, she has recently delved into mixed media by playing with materials such as semi-precious stones and crystals, tatting (a kind of lacemaking), and the use of genuine sea glass in her seascapes. Her art style is leaning more on impressionism and abstract expressionism. She generally paints pieces that are pleasing to the eye and connotes happiness, too.
A late bloomer in the field of painting, Menchie first dabbled in watercolor florals in 2016 and started painting seriously in 2018. She took workshops under different art teachers and finally studied under the tutelage of Maestro Fernando B. Sena, and has since joined several group exhibits. Her medium is acrylic, watercolor and soft pastels. She is currently a member of Philippine Guild of Watercolorists (PGW) and Philippine Pastel Artists (PPA).
“Dreams in Technicolor” is Vanessa’s first gallery exhibit and her pieces showcased her inceptive love for abstraction. Vanessa has a jolly, friendly and warm personality that reflects in her artwork style—playful, bright, colorful and textured—and intuitively, she leaves a part of herself in every artwork she creates.
Humble enough to admit that she has yet to claim her artistic identity; she’s experimenting with different styles and techniques. Art is a never-ending process, after all.
Vanessa graduated from Assumption College in Makati with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. She is now a full-time artist after taking an early retirement from one of the country’s leading banks where she worked for 12 years.
Thanks to these three women artists that quaint gallery in Cubao recently radiated in technicolor in the midst of the pandemic, spreading joy and hope from their generous hearts compounded in the power of three.