Portraits to help mom

DAVAO. On June 11, Ritzel O. Oyao posted online his portrait sketches of both local and international personalities. He sold his artworks to help raise funds necessary for his mother’s medication who was, at that time, admitted to a hospital due to hypertension. (Contributed photo)
DAVAO. On June 11, Ritzel O. Oyao posted online his portrait sketches of both local and international personalities. He sold his artworks to help raise funds necessary for his mother’s medication who was, at that time, admitted to a hospital due to hypertension. (Contributed photo)

HE VALUED his art collection so much but when he knew his father needed him to help his mother’s health condition, this Davao-based artist didn’t hesitate to offer what he could.

On June 11, Ritzel O. Oyao posted online his portrait sketches of both local and international personalities. He sold his artworks to help raise funds necessary for his mother’s medication who was, at that time, admitted to a hospital due to hypertension.

The post caught the netizens' hearts and attention; it now has nearly 80,000 shares on Facebook.

“Di ko po dapat ibebenta yun kasi own collection ko po yun. Naisipan ko lang ibenta nung narinig ko si papa na wag na lang daw ipa CT scan si mama kasi di namin afford yung bills. Sinabi rin kasi ni papa sa akin na wala na daw siyang pera, lagi na lang siyang nag alala sa gastusin (I have no intention to sell my artworks because those were my personal collection. But I decided to just sell it after hearing my father say that we can’t afford the CT scan for my mother. My father also shared to me that he doesn’t have enough money to pay hospital bills),” he said in an online interview with Sun Star Davao.

The 20-year-old artist shared he never thought his post would go viral. His intention was just to sell each at P1,500 but netizens believe his artworks should cost more.

This incoming third-year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy student at the University of Mindanao – Matina was overwhelmed with how the people accepted his artworks. He said it inspired him to do more portrait sketches. But above all, it helped his mother’s medication.

“Apart sa mga bumili may nagdonate din, sobrang thankful po namin (on top of those who bought my works, others also offered help through donation. We are very thankful to all of them),” he said.

At present, Oyao’s mother was discharged from the hospital.

“Sa awa po ng diyos na-discharge na po si mama last Tuesday, June 16, pero iniobserbahan pa rin po namin ang condition ni mama kasi mahina pa rin po siya (my mother was discharged from the hospital on June 16 but we are still observing her condition because she is still weak),” the Bansalan, Davao del Sur resident said.

Oyao started his passion for sketching portraits at the young age of 13 when he enrolled in a Special Program in the Arts for Visual Arts in High School.

“I was influenced also by my brother because he's also into drawing. I grew up watching him,” he shared.

The young artist said he can finish an artwork for about six to eight hours for a shoulder-level portrait commission. He usually charges P750 to P1,500 per artwork depending on the size.

In doing this, he said, he finds the hair and the shoulder as the most challenging part in completing portrait sketches.

“When I have no class, I practice my skills in sketching because I know I still have a lot to improve. My goal is to become a well-renowned artist and I know in achieving this I still have a lot to work on,” he said.

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