Local wood carvers transforms tree debris from Yolanda typhoon into works of art.The UP Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS), led by Dr. Consuelo dL. Habito, organized the "UPOU Artists' Seminar, Workshop and Forum 2015: Claiming spaces and sharing narratives – Wood and Humanity." This seminar, workshop and forum officially began on 08 July 2015 at the UPOU Community Hub in Los Baños, Laguna and culminated in a Woodcarving Exhibit and Competition and Artists' Forum on 15 July 2015 at Centennial Center for Digital Learning, UPOU the UPOU Community Hub in Los Baños, Laguna.
The event was held as part of the 20th Anniversary celebration of the UP Open University, with support from the National Commission on the Culture and the Arts (NCAA), and the International Wood Culture Society (IWCS). The event aims to provide woodcarvers new insights from their peers and useful new techniques and skills that can help them to refine their craft and improve their livelihoods. In doing so, these artists can help bring out the beauty and importance of woodcarving as an art, even with pieces of wood that would otherwise be destined for the junk pile.
Participants included fifteen artists representing the woodcarving communities of Paete in Laguna, Betis of Guagua in Pampanga, and Hungduan in Ifugao, and two master woodcarvers from China, Master Lim Xueshan and Master Huang Yangxin.
The event included a seminar by Professor Gerry Leonardo of the Philippine High School for the Arts on the elements and principles of design, an inspirational video on the merits of collaboration, and field visits to view artwork and furniture by local artists Jun Yee and the late Jerry Araos, and a supplementary lecture from Professor Marc Cosico on stains and finishes helped the participants to jump-start their creativity before finally getting to work.
Each of the artists chose his own wood from piles of tree trunks and branches that were collected by the UPOU and UP Los Baños (UPLB) in the aftermath of Typhoon Glenda, and donated to the UPOU for this woodcarving workshop. Each of the woodcarvers worked to transform the logs and odd pieces of wood into unique solo pieces. Aside from their solo artworks, they also worked together to produce collaboration pieces involving at least two artists from different towns.
Mr. Dante Blanco from Betis, Guagua , Pampanga bagged the 1st Prize for his work "Mano Po." Mr. Felix "Kid" Baldemor from Paete, Laguna won 2nd Prize for his work "Unexpected Beyond." Mr. Ernesto Cagayat from Paete, Laguna won 3rd Prize for his work "Picture, Picture." All the winning pieces are featured at the Galeria Sinag of the UPOU Community Hub in Los Baños, Laguna. (Christine Marie Habito and Anna Cañas-Llamas)
