United Women Artists Association of the Philippines (UWAAP) founder and president Menchu VB Arandilla (4th from left), Sr. Venus Marie Pegar (SFX, 5th from left), Dennis Tresvalles, and other UWAAP members at the Mary Mother of Mercy Home for the Elderly and Abandoned in San Pedro, Laguna. (Photo: Menchu Arandilla)
MANILA, Jan. 28, 2016 – A group of female artists painted over 20 artworks to raise funds for the elderly and abandoned residents of a religious community in San Pedro, Laguna.
Members of the United Women Artists Association of the Philippines (UWAAP) set up an exhibit of the artworks for free, said Menchu VB Arandilla, UWAAP president.
According to her, the artists were pleased to donate their paintings. Their happiness in helping others could not be matched by material things, she added.
“All the artists felt joy which depth only their heart could explain,” noted Arandilla.
Nature elements
“Sr. Venus [Marie Pegar] proposed to share 50 percent of the sale with the UWAAP artists, but we insisted to give everything to the lolos and lolas (grand parents),” she said.
Plein Air painting is the artist’s narrative of what she sees around a particular venue, said Sr. Venus Marie Pegar, an UWAAP member and one of the St. Francis of Xavier (SFX) nuns who look after the elderly. The artists also enriched their paintings by incorporating elements in nature from outside the community, like wild rivers and falls.
The community is grateful to the UWAAP artists who donated their artworks for the needs of its elderly and abandoned residents.
The artists include Jeimee Cadid, Tates Estrella-Canon, Salvacion Frilles, Annable Cadez, Fel Planta, Luzviminda Horlador-Santillan, Menchu VB Arandilla (UWAAP founder and president), Sr. Venus Marie Pegar, Patty Simbahan, Marigene Flores, Liz Tarnate, and Maida Simbahan. Dennis Tresvalles, UWAAP volunteer and friend, also joined the fundraiser.
Artists’ generosity
UWAAP artists Clariz Navidad, Rona Lara-Bes, Cristina Alsol, Raech Dacanay were not able to join their colleagues on Jan. 23, but sent their own paintings for the fund-raising.
Pegar expressed joy over the generosity of her fellow artists.
“God gave this talent as a gift to freely share with others so that they may glorify Him,” she said.
The artworks have no tag price, Pegar said. Interested individuals or groups could take the paintings home for any amount they would be willing to give.
All the 21 painting are on exhibit at the Mary Mother of Mercy Home for the Elderly and Abandoned in barangay San Antonio, San Pedro. (Oliver Samson / CBCP News)
