TOAST TO 2013 ARTSY YEAR

By Bisai Ya

Just as I was wrapping up my last painting for 2012 to officially close my art year 2012, my OSM! editor Marivir sent me a reminder for our next submission and asked me to share my goals and plaor the year ahead.

Actually I totally forgot all my plans for 2013 until she pinged my phone with this reminder. Oh boy, I was ready to share my year-ful of fresh art aspirations to her and to the growing fans we gathered at OSM and Bisai Art Café (an online art gallery run by emerging artists).

New Year has always been one of my favorite times of the year to share plans, goals and resolutions. With love, faith and hope blazing aglow in my heart, I never felt so determined to start the year with good plans that I’d hope would materialize in the near future, of course by God’s grace.

Making them come true is another challenge.

As a gesture to thank my art patrons and dear friends who supported me in 2012, last week saw me release a video on my youtube channel where I showcased over 90 paintings I had created last year. This music video featured my humble works made from April to December 2012 and it shows how enthusiastic and inspired I was last year and how I hope that I could duplicate this feat come 2013. (link to view video here: http://goo.gl/5OIEe )

As we know it, Art is not about the quantity of pieces one makes but the quality of work we artists create to share in order to help brighten up the lives of our art admirers. And so I thought that my plans for 2013 would be to surpass whatever art activities and objectives I carried out this year, with help of my dear friends - you!

As opening salvo for my artsy 2013, two of my oil paintings “Kalayo 1 and 2” has been confirmed and selected as book cover for Marivir Montebon’s new book which is coming out soon. Initially, the book will be available online.

In March and April, I am invited to participate in a select group exhibition by the Intercontinental Self Taught Artists Association (ISTAA) for another Fashion Show cum Art Exhibit to be held in Spain and Vienna, Austria. This is the same group that organized Art to Relieve Fashion & Art Show in Cambridge, England last November 20, 2012 at the prestigious Cambridge University for which I had participated and sold my pieces. Part proceeds of the exhibits will be donated to poor women in Cambodia and build a children’s shelter in Negros, Philippines.

When OSM! magazine turns one year come March 2013, I will be happy to participate in any art related event that our publication will come up with. OSM! is a staunch supporter for Filipino artists worldwide and art related projects are always close to our hearts. Plans are afoot on this one so this we will keep you posted very soon.

In April 2013, I will be joining several collaborative outings with fellow artists mostly Europe-based, where our paintings will be exhibited inside a cathedral venue. The exact venue will be announced soon and it is likely going to be held in Ireland.

Bisai Art Café will be celebrating its first birthday come May and it would be my wish to be able to mount a week-long exhibit of some of the best paintings by emerging artists like me. We are planning to conduct an art sale cum auctions where art donors and buyers mingle online to see, taste and live art in a unique and exciting way. More of this will be discussed soon here at OSM! in the future issues.

By June, I’m taking a hopeful shot to be included in the next See.Me Art Exhibition in Times Square in New York, USA. In June of last year I had also participated at their first art exhibit called “Art Takes Times Square 2012” where my painting was beamed to worldwide audience and flashed in glaring and massive LED billboards in Times Square along with many other multi-national artists worldwide. There were about 10 Filipino Artists last year who were selected to participate in New York and am glad to be counted being one of them.

That was one of the highlights of my art career in 2012 and I am looking forward to duplicating this achievement in 2013 with hope in my heart that new painting pieces of mine will be shown to a much larger audience not only in New York but also to translate to more art exposures and sale for all participating artists.

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It is also my desire to be able to mount a mini-solo or duo art exhibit with my 9-year-old son Angelo who paints as well. Plans are now in progress with our sponsor and a date has been selected sometime July and August, when school is out and summer commences.

In response to call for awareness towards cancer, my very own Bisdak Artists Group (which is Philippine-based and made up of Bisaya speaking women artists) are coming up with our own Pink Art Exhibit in 2013. Venue and date will be announced for this show, which is likely to be held in October 2013 (Breast Cancer Awareness Month).

As a bonafide member of the Pinoy na Pinoy Visual Artists Association (PPVAAI), I had been informed to prepare new pieces to exhibit at the SSS Museum, Megaworld at The Fort, Sigwada Gallery, NCCA and our All-women PPVAAI Art Exhibit for 2013 all taking place in Manila.

Team Bisai Art Café will likewise endeavor to participate in many group art events and exhibitions that will harness the power of art to aid our fellow beings who might be caught up in unfortunate incidents in 2013. We will be participating through the efforts of Art for Humanity Group in many planned charity art events hoping that we will be able to share in building humanity through our humble gift of art.

I hope you'll wish me success in my goals and plans this year. I always believed in community prayer and support and with our ever-loyal followings here at OSM, and by the grace of God Almighty, I know all these will come into fruition in 2013.

Happy New Year to everyone! May you enjoy life in an artful way always!