Growing up, I was always surrounded by art. My parents created and appreciated art of all kinds; eventually my older sister followed in their footsteps, and so did I. Having grown up with the craft, it became instinctual to use it to express things that I could not explain with words. I used it to cope with things that would happen to me, whether that be trauma, sadness, elation, pain, or passion. Throughout my life, creating has always been an extremely cathartic and personal process for me and eventually that became my motivation to create—the need for an outlet that transcends the need for words.

On the surface level, the new pieces I’ve submitted are still quite surreal and gruesome. These are visual cues I often turn to to reflect my emotions and the changes in my psyche. My art almost always revolves around me: things that I go through, people I am involved with, my relationships, my fears, and insecurities. All of these things that happen to me and shape who I am have always served as my main inspiration.

That being said I never really have an outward message, it’s usually just me trying to understand how I feel, trying to mold it into a different shape so I can get a fresh perspective. Oftentimes I do hope that my art provides comfort for people who feel the same way, and provokes thought for those who don’t.

In the future, I don't really have a solid plan for where I want my art to go. In all honesty, I just want to get better and be happy with the things that I make. I strongly believe that if I focus on my growth, everything else will follow.

Coming into this workshop, I was anxious, wondering if my pieces would garner approval from artists I’ve looked up to for so long. But my fears were quickly dismissed as I was greeted by warm voices and faces, engaging in meaningful dialogue about their work and themselves.

AHAW 11 has been an extremely enjoyable experience that has helped me grow as an artist. I’m extremely fortunate to have had the chance to have my pieces viewed and critiqued by extremely skilled artists in the Philippine art scene. Although the workshop was held online—an unwarranted departure from the usual AHAW setup—I’ve learned a lot from the mentors and fellows alike.