Friday, July 28, 2006
Negrense artists hold art exhibits
By Danny B. Dangcalan
AUSTRIA-based Filipina artist Razel Gonzales-Gstrein leads the art forum and exhibition which opened yesterday at Balay Kauswagan in Sagay City to raise more awareness of the youth in art and to serve as proper avenue for the Negrense artists to get together.
Michael Gabilla, Visual Arts Coordinator of Du-ag Sagay Artists said the exhibit is one venue among artists to discuss together the future of art in Negros.
The exhibit features 31 paintings and three terra cotta of Rachel Gonzales-Gstrein and Negrense artists Cyrene Cuenca, Wilfredo Yap, Arvin Hervias, Christopher Fernandez, Revo Yanson, Michael Gabilla, Joe Geraldo, and Jovito Hecita.
An Artists' Talk was sponsored in the afternoon before the Humanities major students of Northern Negros College of Science and Technology and high school art students of Eusebio Lopez Integrated School.
Razel Gonzalez-Gstrein, a native of Barangay Old Sagay, is a successful visual artist abroad who has staged exhibits in many countries and have sold practically all her artworks.
Gstrein revealed that she has a wide following in European countries like Denmark, Germany, Austria and even in the USA, Japan and Russia.
She said when art buyers in Austria decide to purchase her paintings, they just look for one with her signature on it, without so much as bothering with the visuals in it.
She also disclosed that she is practically making a living out of her hobby because foreigners are so appreciative of her works, unlike in the country where the art market is not lucrative.
Her subjects center on nature, emotions fantasies and memories of childhood, which are depicted in vibrant colors as a tool in "expressing her hidden desires".
Strein, who married her German model, surprised her teachers in Sagay City for being this successful in spite of no formal training or background in art, having only finished Grade four in school.
Strein, who claims her school was the beach, has 11 paintings currently on exhibit in Balay Kauswagan, among them, entitled "Life is a Battle", " Desire", and "When Night Falls".
(July 28, 2006 issue)
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