TWENTY-SEVEN artists have come together to create the latest venue for the visual arts. Last May 5, the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros opened the Art Walk at the Negros Museum.
This is an exciting piece of news for art enthusiasts who will be happy to know that art is available for every Juan, Toto and Inday to appreciate.
The 27 artists who make up AAB are Nunelucio Alvarado, Arthur Bayles, Miriam Bayles, Ramon de los Santos, Jose Dureza, Dolly Gatuslao, Roedil Geraldo, Ching Guanzon, Larry Guillema, Pneuma Lorenzo, Jane Martinez, Michael Martinez, Rodney Martinez, Pablita Nava, Fred Orig, Rafael Paderna, Divinia Penaflor, Jonathan Tabing Reyes, Chrysee Samillano, Lean Divino-Samson, Edbon Sevilleno, Ihvonie Sevilleno, Svetlana Sevilleno, Fe Sumagaysay, Paul Sumagaysay, Dennis Valenciano and Revo Yanson.
The concept behind Art Walk is to bring art closer to the public. Think Montmartre in Paris! And more. Using donations and personal funds to construct the exhibition area, the AAB members contributed to the art fair with their works featuring six different media, i.e., Wet/Water Solubles (watercolors, coffee, gouache), Dry (pastels, pen & ink, pencil, ballpen on canvas), Oil & Acrylics, Sculpture, Mixed Media, and Crafts and Indigenous Art.
Entrance to the main walkway is free as Art Walk is in collaboration with the Negros Museum.
For art workshops, fees are charged. There will be portrait sittings, plein-air painting sessions with our local masters, art forums, caricature sessions, site-specific installations and performances, music stage, muscovado and coffee-painting (who knew?), crafts bazaar, and special Collectors’ Day exhibits.
Art Walk is a regular Friday and Saturday event of AAB-Negros.
The association is celebrating its 42nd year making and exploring art, and continuing to put Negros in the art map.
Special mention is to be made for the current set of officers. They are Rodney Martinez, president; Joe Dureza, vice president, Sony Golez, secretary; Dolly Gatuslao, treasurer; and Rafael Paderna, auditor. Very visibly going to-and-fro, arranging and helping out with the organizing were Ihvonie Sevilleno and Tata Sumagaysay. Both come from highly artistic families (Sevilleno being the younger sister of well-known watercolorist Edbon, and Tata the daughter of oil portraitist Lorenzo Sumagaysay). Kudos to all!
The opening day was well-attended. Even esteemed artist Iloilo-based Fernando Kabigting sailed in, wheelchair and all, just for the opening! It was truly an honor to have him there and to give support to our Negros artists including his former painting student Dolly Gatuslao.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to appreciate art. Just imagine a world without art. That would be terribly dreary and unexciting. Art makes life more beautiful. Art is now truly accessible to everyone.
The Negros Museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.