NINETEEN participating students from all over Negros Island joined the three-day art summer workshop that started yesterday, May 16, at the Victorias Golf and Country Club in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

This is the second summer workshop organized by Victorias Milling Company (VMC) and VMC Foundation as part of the continuing mentorship program for the finalists in their annual art competition.

Negrense multi-award winning artists Moreen Austria, Guen Decena and Barry Cervantes are this year’s mentors who specially designed a three-day program that will introduce the students in various forms of arts including sculpture and digital art.

Moreen is last year’s grand prize winner in the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence Sculpture Recognition Program and was also the country’s representative to various international art festivals in 2016.

Guen, a visual artist, shared her various experience during her residency programs in several countries that helped her grow as an artist.

Barry, on the other hand, is a freelance graphic designer and a fulltime visual artist and painter.

Anne Tiongco, executive director of VMC Foundation and the corporate communication officer of VMC, welcomed the participants and hoped that mentors will inspire the students and the workshop will help hone their skills.

Negros Occidental has 13 participants coming from the cities of Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, Victorias, and Sagay while Negros Oriental has seven delegates, five coming from Dumaguete City and two from Bais City.

The workshop will culminate with the opening of the group art exhibition of Ledzeepee Ace Taboada (Silliman University), Bragg Namol (Foundation University) and Ben Johnson Gohing (Carlos Hilado State University), last year’s tertiary winners in the 5th VMC Art Competition this Friday at the Gallery Orange in Bacolod City, 4 p.m. (PR)