The 7th PGW National Watercolor Convention: A Celebration of Art and Heritage

The 7th PGW National Watercolor Convention 2024, held from September 14 to 30, 2024, at GH Mall in San Juan City, was a vibrant celebration of Filipino art, culture, and watercolor technique. This year's theme, Balik-Tanaw, invited participants to look back in time, where nostalgia met creativity. It offered a unique opportunity to embark on a journey filled with stories from childhood and memories of the past.

Through brushstrokes, cherished heirlooms, historical events, and childhood dreams came to life. Each watercolor piece told its own story, unfolding as a personal and artistic vision on paper.

The event featured captivating watercolor demonstrations by renowned artists, including Eduardo Solana Jr., Happy Navarro, Lito Ballaran, Popoy Cusi, Carrie Roets Waller, Gene Herrera, Jayson Yeoh, Jeff Gauci and Iana Forbes. These artists showcased a wide range of painting techniques, from vibrant florals to expressive landscapes, still-life compositions, and watercolor making, too! The convention also hosted insightful talks, such as Jed Velarde's session on financial strategies for artists, Gerardo Jimenez's reflections on the passion for creating art outside a professional career, and Mr. Joelah Azriel Solis, Head of Permits and Licensing at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), who discussed navigating the complexities of international shipping and exporting. The event also featured an informative panel interview with gallery owners Patrice Salas of Genesis Gallery, Erwin Canlas of Rise Space Gallery, and Gwen Bautista, Director/Curator of Mono8Gallery's Country Club.

Guests of Honor during the kick-off event on September 14 at GH Mall included Dr. Dennis Montera, NCCA's Head of the National Committee on Visual Arts, Arch. Renee Bacani, VP of Ortigas Malls, Ms. Monique Castaneda, AVP Head of Marketing, Mr. Erwin Mallari (PGW Co-Founding member), and the esteemed Master of Watercolour in the Philippines, Mr. Rafael "Popoy" Cusi.

The event also celebrated PGW members' growth and development through the Annual Exhibit and Competition, Balik-Tanaw, which highlighted the finest works in the watercolor community. The winners of this prestigious competition were: First Prize (P50,000): Eduardo Solana Jr., Second Prize (P30,000): Joseph Balderas, and Third Prize (P15,000): Alfredo Morales.

The convention was supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), whose commitment to fostering and preserving Filipino culture perfectly aligned with the event's mission.

This remarkable event was made possible through partnerships with sponsors such as GH Mall Greenhills, Art Caravan, Phoenix, Quiversmits, Pulp and Pigment, F-Stuff Images, White Nights, and others whose support helped make this celebration of Filipino artistry unforgettable.

In her closing remarks, Joanne Cariaso-Gacayan, PGW's President, reflected on the deeper significance of the event: “This convention wasn’t just about art—it was about coming together, reflecting on our heritage, and inspiring one another.” The 7th PGW National Watercolor Convention left a lasting impact on the local art community, further solidifying the Philippines' rich tradition in watercolor painting while inspiring the next generation of artists.

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Philippine Guild of Watercolorists hold convention titled "Hues of Hope"

Since 2016, the Philippine Guild of Watercolorists holds an annual convention where they provide an exposition of the works of passionate artists through watercolor as a medium, and aims to empower its members with new techniques, spread joy to the community, and inspire aspirations by telling stories through art.

This year, they, as ambassadors of hope, will paint the most aspiring colors through an exhibition entitled, Hues of Hope.

The Annual Members Juried Exhibit had 93 participants in total and was sent to International Artist Jurors. Of the 93, 55 members were accepted for the exhibition and will be launched this September 2, 2pm at the LRI Design Plaza gallery. The paintings were screened by the following jurors from here and participating countries including NCCA Haligi ng Dangal Awardee Ferdie Isleta, Cid Reyes (DLSU-PH), Eudes Correia (BR), Zeze Lai (HK), and Prafull Sawant (IND).

The convention will consist of a month-long series of virtual activities and demos from renowned artists from the local and international art community. It is open to members of the Philippine Guild of Watercolorists and non-members for a minimal fee.

Demonstrations will be conducted by the following watercolor artists -- Art Cunanan, Jayson Yeoh, Sterkhov Konstantin, Sandy Allnock, Yuko Nagayama, Dan Macapugay, Doc Alvin De Jesus, Emman Silva, Gerardo Jimenez, Gilbert Miraflor, Jen Consumido, Uhky-uhky Estremos, Dino Dante Pajao, and Pinky Peralta.

The convention can be also accessed via an exclusive Facebook Group where the virtual demos and activities will be streamed live. Should an attendee wish to view the demos at a much later time, the videos will remain in the Facebook Group for as long as the convention duration but for an additional fee, they will have a lifetime access to the videos. The convention will run from September 2 up to September 30, 2021.

The event is sponsored by the NCCA, LRI Design Plaza, Giftbox Inc, Pulp & Pigment, DE's Artroom, Play Crafts and Prestige Paper Products.

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