Norlie M

MOVEMENT AS MUSE
The Animating Work of Norlie Meimban

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

Norlie Meimban is a master of movement. As a former animator, his unique style is largely drawn from his highly technical background, distinctive visual aesthetics, and evocative concepts, all of which have blended into a celebration of motion as the language of existence.

Following his highly successful career working at prestigious international animation houses, the artist has carved a distinction for himself with his oeuvre, which has evolved and advanced in unique, unexpected ways. Exhibiting in notable galleries and art fairs in the Philippines as well as across Asia and the United States, audiences familiar with Meimban’s work remain enthralled by his exciting, visually stimulating work. With his two most recent shows, he invigorates not only the audience’s emotions but also other senses.

“I’m always experimenting with new ideas related to my craft,” says Meimban. He has always exhibited an inclination for new and emerging media as well as the latest technological advancements, looking at all means necessary to communicate a message. “When we used to do animation, we always had a story, something that audiences could relate to, so that’s what I did,” he adds.

This process, deeply ingrained in Meimban’s mind, has led him to the development of poignant shows that depict nuggets of wisdom in unexpected ways. Most recent of this is his exhibit at Pinto Art Gallery entitled “Apron,” which served as a thoughtful visual narrative on the plight of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). “I know many people can relate,” Meimban says, emphasizing the common knowledge that, indeed, among the Philippines’ greatest exports is its own people. “That’s why I made this story. I can pursue a number of other stories through my paintings. But I always prefer something that touches on social realism so it’s something people can understand.”

The human connection that Meimban aspires for was not lost among the people. In “Apron,” he introduces us to Vemma, an OFW working as a household help in Hong Kong. We see snippets of her day, which begins when she wore an apron with a certain pride and dignity similar to a faithful soldier bearing arms for the oncoming battle. Vemma performs her duties, cooking, washing, ironing, serving, walking the dog, all summarized in a short film.

“I met her when I was in Hong Kong, when I was visiting for a show,” says Meimban, sharing the moment he met his subject following his participation at the Asian Contemporary Art Fair in Hong Kong. “I told her about my concept and she told me in great detail what she would do every day. It’s a true story, and it’s a positive one. Many of the news and information you hear about them are negative. This is another side to it.”

Indeed, we fall in love with the humble and proud Vemma, who walks with dignity knowing she stands on her own two feet, earning an honest day’s wage. We marvel at her resilience and praise her determination. She is elevated into a symbol of all those that came before her, those who are bearing the same cross, and those who will follow in her footsteps. Yet, and Meimban stresses, this is not a bad thing as it only serves to exhibit the resilient Filipino spirit.

While his show, “Apron,” was exceptional for its refreshing take on a social reality, his current show in Secret Fresh is noteworthy for his bold move toward more experimental executions. In his show entitled “Layers,” which opened on Oct. 8, Meimban delved into a more eccentric study of multimedia, adding animation video to several paintings.

Offering a more colorful look at his animated subjects, a kaleidoscopic burst of colors bleeds into the background, which pulsates with the music. It shows Meimban’s drive to add vibrancy and vitality into his works.

Meimban is truly a master of movement, but such a title is not only in reference to the remarkable methods he has found to integrate soul into his paintings. It is also in reference to his extraordinary ability to inspire movement in the heart, mind, and soul of his viewers.

Published October 9, 2017

Don B

Action/Reaction

The science behind the creative philosophy of Don Bryan Bunag

Published September 25, 2017, 12:05 AM
By Hannah Jo Uy

According to Newton’s third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This law, however, does not only apply to physics, it also extends to the creative philosophy of visual artist Don Bryan Bunag who sees each painting as the product of a rhythmic push and pull between his heart and his mind, and a back and forth between his soul and the canvas.

“What happens in the studio should be a conversation, not a monologue,” says Bunag. He emphasizes that it is vital for the artist to be connected to each element of the composition. “You should be able to discover yourself even deeper. I don’t believe that art-making only happens in the studio. It is more dependent on what happens outside the studio.”

Bunag begins with translating his reaction and proceeds to flesh it out in prose and poetry. He reflects upon an image that can correspond with the concept. As for choosing a subject, Bunag admits it’s all about his intuition, saying that in the initial stages, he strongly disregards aesthetics because it often complicates and pollutes the concept. “No rules,” he stresses. “I don’t think of consistency in relation to my previous pieces, nor do I force myself to stick to a particular subject.”

His love for art has always been inborn. “I love the freedom that art gives me,” he says, touching on both the simplicity and complexity of artmaking as a profession. The works of Andrew Wyeth, along with European romanticists, have influenced Bunag greatly. Locally he expresses admiration for the works of Geraldine Javier, Rodel Tapaya, and Mark Andy Garcia, and his mentor, Renato Habulan, whom he says has had a deep impact not only in his art but also in other aspects.

Outside of the art world, he credits his family, friends and, the people, both those who continue to be in his life and those long gone, even fictional characters, as vital aspects of his evolution as an artist. “They give you the opportunity to know yourself deeper,” says Bunag, for whom persistence and the openness to learn are the key to self-improvement for an artist. He cites that our ability to adapt to changes in society, whether consciously or unconsciously, as equally important.

Bunag has recently been haunted by the concept of time. “It’s scary,” he says. “But it’s also challenging. I can describe every moment in our lives, like a place that we can never return to.” For the most part, time and memory, and the wide spectrum of emotions associated with them, have continued to fascinate him.

This became the catalyst of his latest show, “Underneath the Fleeting Cloud,” which was recently unveiled at Art Verite’ Gallery. “When I was growing up, I would be at my grandmother’s garden and I would often spend my days thinking and contemplating while lying down, looking up at the clouds slowly passing by,” Bunag says. “This was the foundation of my concept. When I was planning for my first solo, I considered a lot of things, but couldn’t settle on one concept. It was frustrating. Then one night, I recalled my fond memories growing up.”

Nostalgia led Bunag to zero in on the fleeting nature of time, as embodied by the formation of the passing clouds, and how no two forms will ever the same. It led him to contemplate on how humans are like “water bodies,” dependent on the sky and whatever is reflected from it. “It’s more on self-portrait in relation to the people who served as ‘clouds’ in my life.”

The muted palette makes the collection light and airy, like memories. The lack of color serves to invite viewers to focus on the context of the work. Though harboring the same affection, he cites “Surviving Wars” as the one that most closely represents the thought process behind the collection.

Bunag’s ability to communicate the melancholia of memory is truly exceptional. Each work connects us to the human longing to go back to the familiar, knowing full well we are not able to. These memories will remain encased in the museum of our past.

‘Underneath the Fleeting Clouds,’ is on display at theArt Verite’ Gallery 2C-05 2/F Shops at Serendra, BonifacioHigh  Global, Taguig City.

Omi R

AN ARTIST'S ESSENTIALS
Omi Reyes ‘Streamlines’

By Hannah Jo Uy

As human beings, our busy minds can often be pulled in a million different directions and we fall prey to distractions. Artists in particular have to strike the careful balance of indulging their restlessness and accepting the natural ebb and flow that comes with living a creative life. This is true even for the most disciplined and focused painters such as Omi Reyes, whose exuberant passion for the arts has led him to wear many hats.

Despite the multitude of responsibilities he carries as a passionate advocate of the arts and active member of the local art community, Omi is, first and foremost, an artist. And this is a fact that he has celebrated with his latest exhibit currently on display at the Crucible Gallery entitled, “Streamlined.” “I love how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defined the word,” Reyes said. “It says, “stripped of nonessentials.” Dictionary.com defines it as “designed or organized to give maximum efficiency; compact.” The moment I got a grasp on the word, I realized it is the perfect definition of my latest works.”

Indeed the collection embodies Reyes’ struggle following what he felt to be a creative downturn or, what is otherwise considered, “artist’s block.”

 “I was like a lens that was going out of focus,” he remarked. “I was not able to finish what I have started. It was mainly because I had too many things going on in my mind.” Omi was bombarded with a host of new responsibilities having been recently elected the president of The Saturday Group, and the work leading up to the launching of the Saturday Group Gallery. “I was not ready for all the multi-tasking that I needed to do,” he admitted. “But in spite of that, I still am a visual artist first, so I had to carry on with my artist duties.”

“I needed a breath of fresh air, a step back, a pause, or in this instance, a help of a friend who would later on refocus my blurred lens,” Omi said feverishly. The answer was a treasured friend, Ricky Francisco, who was also curator of the Lopez Museum. Upon inviting Francisco for a home-cooked dinner Omi divulged his struggle. However, Francisco upon seeing what Omi considered were ‘unfinished’ works was perplexed as he did not find them incomplete as what Omi has otherwise related. “He told me my works are good “as is,” Omi recalled. For Omi, what he saw as lacking, Francisco saw as completed, and what Omi found bare, Francisco discerned as simplified.

“Streamlined is about focusing on the essentials,” Reyes said, emerging from what he initially considered to be a creative dry spell. “That amid the complexities of my worrisome mind when it comes to my artworks, people still find beauty in the simplicity of the fundamentals.”

Reyes will be exhibiting a total of 12 works in each show, comprising of 10 wall reliefs and two sculptures. In a departure from his previous works which predominantly used wood, canvas, and acrylic as mediums, Reyes has injected metal to some pieces, to further elevate its “steampunk” aesthetic. Though metal hues are in line with this particular genre, Reyes felt a tinge of excitement in adding the new element to his work, most especially in light of the satisfying outcome.

His pursuit of mixed media remains evident, as well as his inclination for his steampunk style “Although I use intuition as the basis of my creativity, my fondness of gears, mechanisms, and industrial components makes my artworks fall under this genre,” he said.

Omi likened a new style as a new product that must be tinkered and familiarized so viewers remain entrenched and enthralled by it. Speaking against the backdrop of steampunk aesthetics penetration in the art industry in 2010, Omi remains committed to making himself familiar with the possibilities that lies within this genre saying that he constantly aims to continue “exploring, experimenting, expanding the possibilities that I can venture on.”

Indeed, for this collection Reyes celebrated the minimalistic quality of his work, especially with regard to the monochromatic hues, which never numbered more than three neutral colors of black, grey, and a brown rustic palette that mimicked wood itself.

Instinctive and spontaneous, Reyes creative process remains largely the same though he has managed to embrace the tension that comes with handling the often fickle muse. It has not deterred his approach as he continues to work based on how he feels. “I make sure that every day, I create and my works evolve on themselves,” he said. “My craftsmanship is more of initiated by heart than by head so they just come out involuntarily. I compare it to making melodies. As long as the notes jive and fall in the same scale, new chords and melodies are produced, and in my case, the components and elements of my crafts connect and come to life.”

Published October 16, 2017

Van T

In Celebration of Urban Chaos

Van Tuico’s art is under construction

Published May 29, 2017, 12:05 AM
By Hannah Jo Uy


Van Tuico doesn’t shy away from city life. In fact, for the versatile artist, urban chaos is a welcome sight. He doesn’t long for faraway places and romantic idyll. Instead he finds beauty in the overlooked and disregarded components that make up the world we live in today. With a truly creative eye, he unleashes the potential of these everyday objects through his witty three-dimensional artworks. Indeed his latest exhibit, “Under Construction,” recently showcased at the Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, embodies the unique perspective that distinguishes him from other artists.

Van Tuico’s early exposure to the art scene was when a friend working as an assistant for Cesar Legaspi introduced him to the master’s works. He remembers these early days with fondness, describing the feeling of privilege that he had in being able to visit Legaspi’s studio. Coupled with the invitations from friends for the art exhibitions at galleries across the city, Tuico says that this “opened his eyes to the world of art.” But the turning point didn’t happen until 2004, when in the midst of pursuing his medical degree, he began painting instead. He credits the late exposure, however, as greater motivation. At that point, he said, he was wiser and his perspective has broadened to have a deeper appreciation of art.

Painfully shy, Van Tuico shared that his foray into art was driven by his desire to express himself and honor the uniqueness of his internal dialogue: “For me, creating art full time is a step of faith. I am a person who is sorely lacking in communication skills and have difficulty in expressing thoughts. Most of the time [I’m] quiet, I don’t really mingle with people and, sometimes as a result, [I am] misunderstood. Art made a way for me to express myself. It made a way for me to talk in a different form…and have fun and learn in the process.”

In “Under Construction,” his platform of expression has taken on bolder forms to encapsulate the spirit of urban chaos. “The show is about observation of things around us,” Tuico narrates. “How development takes place under our noses. It is how materials are scattered, ruined, and somehow exposed.”

Tuico breathes life into roads, walls, doors, sidewalks, skyscrapers, and construction sites, making these stark and otherwise cold materials into striking commentaries on the prevailing issues of the modern world. From his keen observations during walks and drives, he was taken by the endless development projects that seem to be popping up around the city. He would observe the city’s landscape engulfed in endless projects and the increasingly congested skyline and chronicle these architectural and economic undertakings.

“We are a developing country,” he says. “It’s nice to see progress. The pieces in the show are somehow meant to take you back, bringing you to familiar places or probably places you have never been to. It’s about how things are connected, and also how things fall apart. Most important, it’s about how we interact with things around us.”

For the show, Tuico showcases his distinct ability to manipulate concrete, cement, and steel. The collection serves as a significant departure from his early creations, which featured mostly oils and acrylics. The move to incorporate these rough subject matters came naturally, as he began to incorporate gravel and other found objects before graduating to cement and steel. “There’s always a fascination with cement as a medium,” he says. “Maybe because of the color, rigidity, longevity, and toughness.”

Marking the first time Tuico is unveiling an installation piece, the space that he occupies showcases bolder ideas he aims to bring to life. This new dimension was largely driven by his welcoming attitude to utilising unexpected materials coupled by endless hours on research.

“I spend so much time on research, which is important to me,” he says. “I’m always on the look-out for interesting material in hardware stores, junk shops, and abandoned places. But now, I let the material find me. Once you’re in the jungle (or the junk shop), your senses become more sensitive.”

Tuico uses his time gathering materials and refining his aesthetic concepts as a means of reflection, soaking in these elements and their textures, whether they are walls, rocks, stones, or discarded wood. “I admire how they are exposed, ruined, weathered, eroded, worn, and torn—the imperfections,” he says. “They remind me of the intricacies of life and how we are tested through time. It develops character. Also, getting materials we usually don’t even bother with, it’s nice to bring them back to life or take notice of them. I’m always on the side of the underdog.”

At the heart of the matter, Tuico uses these materials as a metaphor and as an important reminder that we, as humans, are always in a state of constant evolution. Tuico sums up his creative philosophy by what he calls the three Rs: React, Relax, and Reflect. “My aim in making art,” he says, “is to heal, calm, soothe, and reflect on life itself.”

D Campos

FORCES OF NATURE
The artist Demosthenes Campos presents a more refined discussion of a subject he holds most dear—the environment

By Hannah Jo Uy

The subtle yet dynamic pulse of nature triggers life as we know it. It is a profound and precise energy that strikes the balance between creation and destruction, life and death, manifesting itself in the growth and decay of flora, fauna, and other species thriving on earth. Demosthenes Campos has been fascinated with capturing this waltz of nature and projecting it onto the canvas through all and every means necessary. But what sets him apart from contemporaries who also aim to capture this force is his ability to zero in on the slightest of changes that are overlooked in the face of bigger natural transformations.

Campos’ drive to capture this subtlety has led him to pursue a more experimental approach. Conceptually, he continues to showcase a more mature understanding of nature by spotlighting its different facets and stages. In a more material sense, Campos has incorporated a number of other unique elements to his work to add more texture, complexity, and movement. Unexpected elements such as sticks, acrylic glass with holes, and test tubes add further depth to his works. These additions mark his evolution as an artist. Indeed, the works represent a progress toward a more refined discussion of a subject that the artist holds most dear—the environment.

Creating according to his mood and often inspired by music, Campos also continues to showcase spontaneity, which injects the collection with a thoughtful, reflective quality. His work ethic underlines the importance of giving into the cathartic process while employing self-imposed discipline, a delightful marriage between control and intuition.

This was evident in Campos’ recent show at the West Gallery, “Sibol.” In “Sibol,” he shares 10 pieces that have been inspired by the hues and movement of nature, while incorporating his muted shades that present a sort of urbane, modern, and streamlined aesthetic.

In this collection, he goes a step further by offering a concrete narrative that zeroes in on the most profound, and perhaps most overlooked, natural process: Growth. Pertaining to the blossom that emerges to signal the spring season, “Sibol” sees life slowly taking hold and through a seed growing to face what destiny has in store.

Part of Campos’ endless fascination with nature, aside from its life-giving properties, is its natural process of decay. In one work, Erosion, Campos offers a geological snapshot. Using his excellent command of hues, he manages to add depth and dimension to what can otherwise be considered a very two-dimensional image. The textures, cracks, and uneven quality show how the soil is worn by time, heaving sigh of exhaustion in its battle against wind, water, and other forces.

In Sprout, a series of paintings in ascending sizes, Campos uses mixed media to represent the seeds’ fight to penetrate the soil and burst into life. The serial nature in which he discusses this process underlines the tension, the warfare of the process, lifting the seeds as protagonists that audiences cheer for and growth as the antagonist to overcome.

The favorite of Campos, however, is a piece entitled The Flowers Already Grew. “I chose this piece because it explains how new life can form in a dry place. It means that there is always hope,” he said. In this piece we see the seeds stretching out to introduce themselves to the world as the small buds develop. It alludes to a certain injection of life, and points out the endless possibilities that come with simply being.

In other works, Campos has already presented flora and fauna, in the same muted palettes distinctive of his pieces, which feature the lush greenery of forests teeming with life, an unfathomable beauty that exists only in the natural world.

In his meticulous narration of this process, however, the beauty of nature was enhanced to have a deeper meaning. It gives prominence to life, and all the processes within it which we must never take for granted. Thus, it is a narrative that promotes respect for all beings, whether seeds, flora, fauna, or our fellow humans, and the very world we live in.

Published November 6, 2017

Jaime G

WHEN A HOUSE IS NOT A HOUSE
There Jaime Gubaton finds home

Text by Hannah Jo Uy

“A good work of art affects people—it even touches their lives,” says Jamie Gubaton. His drawing career started in his early school days. He was the first in his family to venture into art, but his consistent participation and accolades in competitions fortified his decision to pursue Fine Arts at the University of the East-Caloocan. He was an eager student. He was happy to focus on each plate, drawing inspiration from the teachings of, and support from, professors and fellow students.

A pivotal moment came in Gubaton’s senior year when in his first attempt at a national painting competition, the PLDT-DPC painting contest, his entry won the grand prize and became the first directory cover nationwide. That same year he entered Art Petron, where he was also declared the grand winner and his work displayed prominently in the calendar. A few months later, he was the runner up at the prestigious Shell Art competition. These accolades drove the school to name Gubaton “Artist of the Year” upon his graduation in 2003. As part of his natural evolution, he soon shifted away from competitions, joining group exhibitions and holding solo shows.

Asked about his approach, Gubaton says, “I believe that when you work on your pieces, you should always do your best and God will do the rest.” He shares that he begins by meditating on his concept through rough sketches, before finalizing the layout and color schemes. Relying on staged photoshoots if in need of more custom tailored reference points, he admits that he paints on two to three canvases at a time. This, he says, is more effective leading him to work on stages: the first few days he would work on realistic pieces and elements before venturing to textured backgrounds and suddenly moving to patterns and lines. He goes on to enhance the realistic figures through oil, adding that he has developed strong familiarity with both acrylics and oils as a medium. “I used to be a part-time restorer,” he says. “I was working on old paintings along the likes of Amorsolo, Legaspi, Vitalis, Sanso, and Arturo Luz. I can say I learned a lot from my experience handling such paintings.”

As for his style, Gubaton doesn’t see the point of rigidly confining himself to one type of aesthetics. He values the freedom of choices. “I’m happy I explore different styles, but I’m happy to go back to what I really what,” he says. “It’s important to know the fundamentals. I think these aspects define an artist, they have to showcase your journey.”

Gubaton’s adventurous spirit also allows him to explore various mediums, from brass to wood sculpture, but, always, he hungers for acrylic and oil, the former for its ability to evoke texture and patterns according his liking, and oil, for figures that have to be enhanced and elevated in the context of realism.

The artist often refers to himself as a former social realist. It was common, he says, that his old paintings had shanties and addressed political issues, poverty, and religion. “Later on,” he says, “I just want it reversed. That’s why the shanties ended up having more whimsical characteristics, I want it to evoke light and be more positive. I want the audience to engage in a positive manner and offer more pleasant perspectives to showcase the beauty and simplicity in our surroundings.”

Gubaton further built on this during his third solo exhibit entitled “Home,” unveiled at the Artist’s Space of the Ayala Museum in collaboration with Gallery Big, where shares his visual contemplations on the old saying “home is where the art is.” The new collection of paintings, he says, celebrates the comforts of love, family, and peaceful daydreaming in shared spaces, relating not just to structures and its surroundings.

Featuring a total of 12 paintings, Gubaton highlighted a 3ft x 10ft diptych piece entitled You say goodbye, I say hello, as one that stands out. The painting, he says, refers to past memories and future dreams. He also provided audiences with a more personal glimpse of his process when he shared a video clip as he was working on these two pieces, For your eyes only and I see them bloom.

“I like to show the balance in terms of composition and its concept,” he says. “The man-made structure and nature elements, a state of harmony and sustainable progress.”  While working on this exhibit, his family was in the process of building their house in Caloocan City, which gave him more opportunities to reflect on the difference between a house and a home. At the end of the day, Gubaton’s ideal home is “where my family and children can build many happy memories.”


Published December 11, 2017

Butch P

Butch Payawal a childlike wonder

Published August 28, 2017, 12:05 AM
By Hannah Jo Uy

“Remember,” admonishes Butch Payawal, “there are many good painters but only a few artists.” Art, for him, is more than putting color and line to canvas. Art is the careful weaving of ideas to provide audiences with a new lens in which to view the world.

A firm believer that boundaries only exist to be challenged, Payawal has long been a master of reinvention. His drive to constantly push the limits of his definition of art, as well as that of others, is driven by a childlike sense of wonder.

This childlike wonder is what sets Payawal from other artists. It serves as the elixir of youth that injects his oeuvre with a level of freshness. He revels in the unexpected, and each exhibit throughout his long and prolific career unleashed a new dimension of his being, showcasing the infinite capabilities of his creative soul. He is unassuming and unabashed in the manner by which he presents his idea, breaking down preconceived notions on what is and what is not acceptable.

“We’re now in the 21st century and my approach to my recent exhibit is a little bit non-traditional,” says Payawal. This is no more evident than in the title of his most recent show at J studio: “VAMVAMDILANGDAMDAM.”

“Someone asked me why I made that my title,” he says, sharing the quizzical looks he received following the announcement of his latest exhibit’s moniker. “And I said to him, ‘Why do you like to wear your favorite shirt?’” Payawal shares his amusement at his interaction, confessing that he was even more amused in realizing that his simple answer was enough to enlighten those asking.

Initially, the artist considered a show title that signified some sign of our times and hinted at the underlying dark themes shining through the collection. Spoon-feeding, however, he says adamantly, is against his philosophy as an artist as he prefers to let the art speak for itself.

Curiosity is what Payawal hopes most to provoke in the viewer and he hopes to achieve that by leaving things unsaid, by allowing the mystery to seduce the viewer. The playful and lighthearted attitude the artist embodies does not mean he did not invest in painstakingly working and reworking his ideas. “Conceptualization is the hardest part. It takes a long time to think something different and create a fresh start all over again,” he says, not only in reference to the show but to art-making in general.

Indeed, there is an underlying seriousness within the collection, not only in concept but also visually. Tensions and contradictions serve as representations of human character in shades of black and white, further set off by details in red and yellow burning brightly and stealing focus. Animal heads take on human characteristics in dramatic settings and the menagerie encourages viewers to reflect upon moral characterizations and the parallels between man and animal.

Payawal’s ability to dabble and excel using a variety of mediums is drawn from his diverse and multi-disciplinary background. He used to work as an art director and it wasn’t until 2002 that he decided to become a full-time artist and move away from what he called “the stress and grind of the corporate world.” Though he has since gained critical acclaim in both local and international art circles, through exhibits and guest lectures spanning across Manila all the way to Perth, Australia and Paris, France, he is not ashamed to admit even to this day, he has a lot more to learn. “I always want to be a student or an apprentice,” he says. “I feel I need to learn many more things. So it’s always been a challenge for me to present good works every show. I’d like to see something different.”

In his earlier days, his affinity for color was very evident, but lately, as he matured as an artist, he has dabbled in monochromatic work. He says he is now inclined toward the more dramatic monochromes, such as black and white, dubbing the contrasts as the best way to “experience classic chiaroscuro.”  When asked what serves as his biggest influence, he says, “All of the artists in the whole universe, they give me inspiration and aspiration.”

With most of his work now bordering on surrealism, he admits that “from the standpoint of the viewer it has meaning but as for me it has no meaning …you can call me a dreamer but sometimes the absurd means lucid.”  Indeed, Payawal doesn’t venture to explain life or overthink, he creates, he observes, he comments, he laughs, and, most important, he lives and encourages others to do the same.