My other passion...

Only those very close to me and well, those who have been inside my office at the Bank, are aware of my other passion, which is collecting artworks. It's kind of difficult not to notice it given the fact that practically every inch of wall in my office is occupied by a painting.

Yeah, I know. People automatically assume that it's an expensive passion. It can be, of course, if one sets his sights on the works of national artists and the more established artists. But there are also a lot of young, budding (sometimes starving) artists out there who need all the help they can get - this means more art patrons who buy art pieces. The prices of the works of some of these young artists are actually reasonable - they are probably comparable to a few action figure figurines. The problem is that not everyone appreciates or wants to invest in artworks, they'd rather spend their money on expensive gizmos of dubious quality and aesthetic value such as those really tacky wall hangings sold in some malls.

When I started my modest art collection, I set my sights on a the mid-priced artists like Baldemor, Belleza, Yap Baguio, Cacnio, etc. I figured that I would eventually save up for a Velasco, and who knows, even probably an Ang Kiukok or a Luz in the future (yeah, I'm dreaming).

Anyway, I discovered a new artist recently and I've been a fan of his works since then. I've been successful in getting a number of my friends to buy his works because they are verrrrry reasonable. His name is Mar de la Cruz and he is actually creating a name for himself already. He is part of the Wednesday group. One of his works was picked by Hallmark as a Christmas card (that's the one on the left).

Mar de la Cruz likewise does paddle art, which appeals to a number of people but not to me because the paddles somehow remind me of those violent initiation rites employed by fraternities. But he also paints on plates (I have two of those at work), and even on palettes (he did one of an owl at night for me and the piece hangs in my office at the Bank). Most of his works in my collection are mother and child pieces (which I collect, aside from birds, flowers and owls) and musicians but he also has a series of fish and fruit vendors.

Anyway, here are some of Mar de la Cruz' artworks that are part of my collection. The pictures don't do justice to the pieces. L-R: the Hallmark Christmas card and a 14x16 mother and child oil panting, a 18x24 pastel piece of twin musicians, and two 14x16 musicians on oil.







Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for the Mar de la Cruz painting. Ria and I were both delighted. Will see you soon (kaw naman bumisita sa 'min dito).

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