TINA Marie Himalalo-an Gandionco is a fine arts graduate from the University of the Philippines, Class 1981. However, she never picked up her paintbrush again after graduation. Instead, she worked with a garments export factory which allowed her to travel to China, Japan and Macau. Then she decided to quit in 2010 and found another job, this time with Chong Hua Hospital (CHH) where she is now manager of environmental services to include housekeeping, laundry, linen, pastoral, chapel services and events.
Three years ago, before CHH Mandaue was opened, she had a walk-through of the building in the company of Dr. Helen Po (then chief operations officer, currently chief executive officer) and her sister Marigold, vice-president for general services. Dr. Po told Tina to look for paintings to adorn the hospital lobby, at which Marigold informed her sister that Tina was also an artist. When she learned that, Dr. Po asked Tina to paint. Tina replied she had no time for it but Dr. Po told her to make time for what she really wanted to do.
It had been years since Tina’s fine arts days, and to go back to her art wasn’t easy. She asked to be coached by artists like Celso Pepito, Kimsoy Yap, Cesar Castillo and Dino Pajao. She was also coached by Dr. Nanette Katigbe and Jon Florido. Tina realized that painting, at least for her, is 60 percent preparation and 40 percent execution.
Tina first tried to get back to her art using oil, but she found the process time-consuming. So she shifted to watercolor, and then finally now, to acrylic. She uses professional grade acrylic for her works. She has been painting for the past three years now. At first, she did seascapes and landscapes. Today, she usually paints flowers, samples of which she showed at the latest art show at the CHH Mandaue lobby.
Tina is, in a sense, a gift to the artists of Cebu as she has the space and the mandate from CHH to hold events like art shows—CHH Mandaue has had three. She is also in charge of adorning the walls of the hospital and so, the hospital premium suite rooms have paintings by Cebuano artists. According to her, “one room, one artist.” There is a room with Tony Alcoseba’s work, another with Darcy Alcoseba’s. Celso Pepito has one, as do Fred Galan, Sonia Yrastorza, Fe Madrid and Dodong Bandibas.
Today, Tina is happy she has a job that has given her the encouragement to paint again, and has provided a space for art exhibits that encourage fellow artists to paint, making for a livelier Cebu art scene.