ANOTHER Kagay-anon artist is on the international spotlight as Cagayan de Oro's Emmanuel Mulawan won three gold medals during the first World Art Olympiad 2018.
Held on July 18 to 25 at Gloria's Fantasyland Theme Park in Dapital City, Zamboanga del Norte, Mulawan was able to grab his win in all three categories he competed: On-The-Spot Painting, Thematic Painting and Sketching.
Philippines, however, came in second after Indonesia and before Myanmar as the country harvested five golds, five silvers and 12 bronzes.
As one of the Filipinos who represented the country, such achievement is a huge thing for Mulawan, who has been into art since his kindergarten days.
"I felt very proud. Proud as a Kagay-anon and proud as a Filipino because I represented our country for the first World Art Olympiad," Mulawan said.
He did not only prove how talented Filipinos are but also showed his spirit as a Kagay-anon through his winning entry in the Thematic Painting category, wherein the subject was: "I'm proud of my festival."
According to Mulawan, the Higalaay Festival was his inspiration for his thematic painting that won him his gold medal.
Despite his nervousness and exhaustion during the competition, as he did not have the opportunity to rest as soon as he arrived in Dapitan City, Mulawan was able to go through the day by instilling in his mind that he needs to get them done.
"I just need to get this done. That is what I had in mind. Because if I will let my insecurities or my nervousness or my fear to prevail, ma apektohan ang painting ko (my painting may get affected). Yun lang ang nasa isip ko. I want to get these things done... nicely," Mulawan said.
Mulawan started his passion for art when he was 4 years old, "vandalizing" his childhood home with crayons given to him by his mother.
According to him, he did not undergo any kind of formal training and was only coached by his father who was also a painter.
Mulawan began sketching when he was in grade school and painting when he was in high school.
At present, 25-year-old Mulawan is attending college at Cagayan de Oro College, on his fifth year in Architecture.
And as soon as he graduates and gets his license, Mulawan said he'll pursue a job as an interior designer, where he will continue to his passion in art through applying it with the skills he got in architecture.
Emmanuel also shared how there are times when he has a hard time balancing his time for art and for his studies, saying that it was through his "gut feeling" that he was able to barely handle them.
"Actually I had a hard time, especially that when you have to meet both deadlines for your clients and your subjects. It’s hard but I didn't know how I managed it. Maybe because its gut feeling lang siguro na 'I have to finish this one.' Sometimes na ko-compromise din yung studies ko so I have to catch up," Mulawan said.
For more than 20 years, Mulawan's love and passion for art did not diminish, in fact its still growing.
"It’s a part of me. Art is like my twin brother. I can't go without it," Mulawan said.
Indeed, a new gem is shining, and Emmanuel Mulawan is one to watch.