TRYC 9x12" Squid Ink on Paper, 2015

THE HOUSE OF RAFAEL offers the best of your ideas come to life... for inquiries you can email at leorenaissance@gmail.com

"Filipina"

25''x38'' Mixed Media on Paper... Signed and Dated.

Month of May

Dated May 2013

Right Before Summer

Dated April, 2013

recent work

latest addition to the series I recently developed..this is in 25 x 38 inch Mixed Media on paper.

A new way to look at Portraits..

I am updating this post to share more information about these series of Artworks.....

Inspired by an Art movement that presents a great challenge to traditions of Fine Art almost half a century ago.... I developed this concept that might somehow change how we look at Portraits..... deviating to the conventional and centuries old classical Portraits... Lol!

With imagination and the use of Technology - here's a new way to look  at Portraits..

Behind this great smile rises an empire!.... below are some of my works part of this series...

done in craypass on paper, 25 x 38 inches.... 

Below is the latest painting that im working on in Oil on Canvas..

This style of painting could fit any kind of wall.

Art runs in the bloodline

In celebration of the upcoming Olympics.... my nephew Edward won the Olympic Greek Urn Art Competition...this Drawing will be on the cover of the exhibit invitation...

So proud of my nephew's success!..Art runs in the bloodline!

Putting yourself in an Artist shoes

I bumped into this post from facebook....and what you will read here is true..... everything is true!...Please support Local Art...... and emerging Artists...

i can't deny it, this blog has been left for a couple of years, without even touching it and updating it.... but, today is the time to resurrect it... be given a face lift and more interesting stories to post.....i have so much stories to tell about history and Art.....follow me as i keep my fingers crossed!

on the street

''On the street"

Oil on Canvas
18'' x 24'', 2000
M. A. Quintano Collection
Signed Lower Left

Woman on Bed

"Woman on Bed"

Oil on Canvas
12'' x 18'' 2005
M. A. Quintano MD Collection
Signed Lower Right

Below are photos of my 12 original works SOLD and part of Private collection and its provenance. you can scroll down starting from this post...

Cheers!

the green landscape

"The Green Landscape"

Oil on Canvas
18'' x 24'', 2000
M. A. Quintano MD Collection
Signed lower Right

yin and yang II

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"Yin and Yan II"

Oil on Canvas
20'' x 30'', 2005
Atty. Angela Barbaso Collection

Art Exhibits

Two Art Exhibits highlights the Art scene here in the Queen City of the South......

Just opening today, are works by Russ Ligtas entitled "rocking the Mouth's Cradle" at the G gallery along A. S Fortuna, Mandaue Cebu...... I miss the performance of this show but definitely I will visit it soon .....

While this coming September 3, a group of Cebuano Artist will open "SUBAY" art exhibit at SM ART Center, SM City Cebu.........Subay - means Path or flow or way of life......

If you're in Cebu better check out these exhibits.....\

Cheers!

Thanks to Palmy Tudtud for Subay Invit:
Rocking the mouth's cradle invit was grab from Russ Ligtas facebook account.....All Thanks!

Tricyle (Original Study)

Original study of my lost painting...
you can read the whole story at this link http://leorenaissance.blogspot.com/2008/11/painting-lost-forever_04.html

Private Collection

ONLINE AUCTION - SOLD

The gavel finally comes down to a thud ....The Birdman SOLD to a lady from the United States. after a long journey this painting will go to its new owners on March 2010.

Lot 1
" The Bird man"

Lot Description
Evar Rafael (1994 - 1995)
"The Birdman" -
Signed (lower right) dated 1995
Mat Water Color on Canvas
18 x 24 in (46 x 61 cm) excluding the frame

Please feel free to join on the next online auction!

Changes through time - a sequel

This subsequent development accounts on the issue of renovation of the Dipolog Cathedral. As this topic awakens my knowledge in history, pride of our people and preserving Architecture...

History has it, that, in the year 1894, a Jesuit priest erected this church, and through his efforts, he set to prepare it to become a parish two years after its foundation was laid.. details on the interior design and style was explained in the previous entry... and more of Cathedral chronicles click here...

The original church facade was built out of a concept of aesthetics that meets with functionality. The design was rendered in a Medieval secular type of Architecture prevalent during those times . It is a flawless example of a Pre-Romanesque and Spanish Baroque style in the Philippines. The portico of the facade is characterized by the use of slightly pointed arches and king-sized windows with details in rhythmic patterns and cherubs in a Bas-Relief manner...(the interior side walls of the church also has a similar pattern that of the old facade). The identical towers if I'm not mistaken serves as watch towers than a belfry. This is common among churches in the old days that serves as protection of the people from marauding pirates.

I was told that, when this church was ordered for construction at the end of the 19th century, a number of Boholano natives were commissioned to built it, and one of them was my Great grandfather from the town of Maribojoc, Bohol (an island in the Visayas region also known for its Majestic Colonial period Churches)....although, this needs further research but this interest can be supported by one of the largest clan in Dipolog today.

This Old facade have witnessed the development of the place, survived World Wars I & II, famine and other calamities....and welcomed the names of famous historical figures like the National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal.... (inset: Former President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda Romualdez)

Until.

In the 1970's, the facade was demolished and redesigned due to its dilapidated condition and its done in a Neo-classical style... they never gave way for restoring the Old one..Its porticoes adds grandeur to this simple yet modern style Architecture..but, it only lived for four decades.

Until.

This year, a tremendous amount of change was made...this time, it is rendered in stone brick work...not usual for any of the previously mentioned Architectural Movements....its details and style may have been borrowed and copied from centuries old churches and it adds attraction...but it failed to to retain the originality and the uniqueness of what It was once a magnificent Church...

Being a descendant of one of the builders of this Church, it is also my duty to bring forth the voice of my distant ancestors....and share a story of a great work or Art lost forever....

The above old photos became a tangible proof of the magnificence and splendor of the old Cathedral facade in my hometown. This blog entry is in a way of expressing gratitude to Dr. Louis Felipe B. Lacaya's efforts in digging up these vintage photos from his collection, as this, has become a window to our past.

Thanks to: Mrs. Fe R. Montilla, Maryan Tizon, Juanna Mercado, http://dipologcity.com/Diocese.htm

Changes through time

I was told that the Cathedral in my hometown was given a face lift this year...I have been away in Dipolog for quite a while and this news about the renovation of the City's Oldest Architectural Monument was a BIG thing for me.... so I relied on photos to see the look of a new church's facade...to my surprise, I was halfway close to disappointed by the outcome!.

As far as I can remember, there were restorations, renovations and alterations being made in this Neoclassical - Romanesque Architecture Cathedral for the past 3o years...

In the early 80's, the rows of gigantic columns leading the faithful's gaze to the high altar were removed, possibly for a reason of accommodating more parishioners as more church benches were added. A big mistake!

In the mid 90's, under the ecclesiastical supervision of Msgr. Esteban C. Gaudicos, VG. he ordered the full restoration of the exact replica of the main Altar or Retablo which was executed in Abstract Baroque by the extraordinary genius Dr. Jose Rizal during his exile in Dapitan....this was a triumph in the Cathedral's history as they try to revive the old glory of the church. But!..... they failed to use the exact materials of Philippine hardwood as instructed by the National hero himself more than a 110 years ago...What you see now is a cold marble structure from an unknown quarry... this could raise issues questioning the authenticity of the design....visibly today, there isn't even a marker of validation from the National Historical Institute that recognizes Rizal's contribution to the church's history.

In time of the Christian Jubilee, the church ceiling coffered with panelings all rendered in wood was fully restored....bringing back the golden age of the Cathedral. These exquisite artesonado ceilings are what made the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral famous and much beloved by all faithful and religious parishioners. The hand carved faces of the four evangelists in the central apse above is as old as the church....This is one of the few churches in the entire Philippines that has maintained and restored the magnificent hand carved ceilings....a National treasure!

In the last 10 years, the church interior walls, niches and side ceilings has undergone a lot of repainting from shades of pastel greens to powder blue then changed into Cream and Lemon chiffon hues and tones. At present, the side columns and arches were painted with Burgundy to Burnt Umber with shades of white trimmings particularly gave a feeling of old colonial palette...and I want to call this as a flawless craftsmanship!... In contrast to this are the long pews of what it used to be in natural wood color....now altered, its fate suffers in Peach color... a very distracting site!

Apparently, the restoration of the Cathedral's facade gives more enthrallment to the Church distinctive identity its magnificence awakens the pride of every Dipolognon but with a closer look at the details one can notice that:

- The main entrance is too narrow... and the 5 arches are too massive in width, its distance from one arch to another is far-off and the its height is shortened from its base. It is the exact opposite of the original main entrance wherein all parishioners can freely walk in and out before and after mass..

- The statues of saints on the ground level were almost dwarfed by the sheer size and magnitude of the whole church..the statues height and anatomy doesn't compliment with the whole structure...

A more closer look at this newly restored facade it reveals a slight similarity of the famous Manila Cathedral in Intramuros (enclosed picture) even the arrangement of the statues of saints on the lower level.. is a copy cat like attempt.

Nevertheless, the beauty of this church is further enhanced by warm chrome yellow tones of the stone bricks... a perfect site as each day this church is kissed by a golden sunset.

This Church has stood the test of time and it still continues to be the living example of the Catholic faith and never fails to welcome all believers..........and it'll be a BIG challenge for future restorers.

Special Thanks to: Maryan Tizon, Juanna Mercado, Sharon Santiago
Photos Courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25868826@N05/

Art and Patriotism

To the rest of the world, "Cory Aquino" will always be remembered as the simple woman who restored Democracy and freedom in the Philippines, a very courageous president who made changes and became one of the great Asian leaders of our time. Aside from her works and efforts in public life, she also left us a number of remarkable works of Art....

(It took me a while to blog this for the reason that my eyes were hook on the telly watching history unfolds as the whole Filipino nation bids farewell to Cory)....

Her life as an Artist began years after she stepped down from the presidency......."In 1996, Cory took an active interest in painting under the tutelage of artist Jeff Consumo. Next to prayer, painting became a favored mode of keeping her mind active and her sense of humanity intact. Although she participated in a joint exhibit with friends and has sold some of her works to raise funds for her advocacies, she does not profess to be a professional painter. She likes to paint flower and women, usually in oil and acrylic on canvas".

Her works may not be as grand in terms of application of paints and colors, of techniques and style but it is more on the subject and content of her paintings that evokes to a lot of meaning. Her sense of spirituality is deeply shown in some of her works, her love of nature expresses gentleness in her brushstrokes and subjects that connotes women empowerment. Most of her works were given as gifts to people close to her and was well received with a kind of elegant intelligence.

Her legacy lives on forever!....

Source: http://www.coryaquino.ph/herworks.asp?id=13