Carcar’s portrait

Monday, May 2, 2011

FOR this year’s annual painting competition in Carcar, new guidelines were implemented that included specific painting style that conforms to the Martino Abellana’s school of thought, a much larger canvas size and the prize significantly increased.

What used to be traditionally an on-the-spot contest is now exclusively accepting paintings done as studio work. Also, the competition is now managed by the Ka-alyado ng Sining in cooperation with the Carcar Heritage Foundation.

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Artists were called to depict the Carcar way of life as the theme. This week we present an exclusive post-competition statement from the first prize winner Bernardo Cuizon Hermoso, a senior Cebuano painter who never stops winning awards.

This year’s Carcar prize adds to the plume of feathers on his hat. He narrates: “The best thing that ever happened to me through the years as an artist is that I have not been influenced by anybody.

“I always paint in a modest way. Only God’s beautiful creation pushed me to go on living through painting as long as I still have a good eyesight to appreciate everything on Earth.

“I haven’t been to formal art school, but I never regretted that whatsoever because the Creator is always there as my art teacher, my idol and the true master of all. After all, true artists are born not made. Talent plus initiative is always the best combination.”

Hermoso’s award-winning piece, entitled “Carcar, The Master’s Hometown” is painted in the manner of a still life picture featuring the many landmarks and trade of the town as well as a portrait of the dean of Cebuano painting, the Carcaranon Maestro Martino Abellana.