Education

Lifelong learning, educational systems, alternative schools, teaching

Worldschooling in the Philippines in 2023

Education Slow Travel

Collating helpful information here for families who see the world as our classroom and wish to explore the Philippines with their children, combining travel with schooling. Please let me know in the comments if there are places, initiatives, schools and groups that should be here too!


About me: I’m a Filipina artist with 20+ years experience in real estate, also education. I love the Philippines and do what I can to keep fighting the good fight of helping Philippine tourism. I spend my time now raising two kids with my husband: our 4yo daughter and our startup, Leadia. Leadia is our joint life work that is bringing together founders and leaders to live, work and play in multiple inspiring locations around the world.

My recommendations here are a reflection of my interests and preferences for slow travel, sustainability, nature, conversations, impact initiatives, Waldorf, art, farming. Hope you find them useful, and if you need any help, please just reach out in the comments 🙂

Happy travels and exploring!

tl; dr: Crown jewels of the Philippines are El Nido in Palawan and Batanes. Siargao is a close third.
Life-changing experiences unique to PH: Taophilippines.com, Swimming with the whalesharks in Donsol (not Cebu), Benguet trek/Banaue Rice Terraces
Danjugan Island Sanctuary Marine and Wildlife Camps – annual camps for adults 3N and youth 5N. Private camps can be arranged at any date for a min group of 10.
Heritage trips: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
Beach towns with surfing and robust communities: Siargao, La Union, Baler.
Best beaches in PH (sand and water/swimmable quality): the remote Islands in the Linapacan strait between El Nido and Coron, Nacpan in El Nido, Darocoton in El Nido, Boracay
Best snorkelling beaches: Bantayan Island in Cebu, Balicasag in Bohol, Bolinao in Pangasinan, Anilao in Batangas
Best dive sites (disclaimer: I’m not a diver): Tubattaha Reef in Palawan, Anilao in Batangas
Luxury island resorts: Amanpulo, Balesin
Family-friendly island resorts: Club Paradise in Palawan, Shangrila Mactan in Cebu, Shangrila Boracay

Overview

The Philippines has 7,107 islands, with over 120 ethnolinguistic groups (that means there are over 120 languages, not just dialects, in the PH). English is widely spoken.

MANILA

Manila is not an easy city, but there are gems if you really try to look.

Caveat: Anticipate heavy traffic, crowded streets and public places, concrete everywhere. Manila is not pedestrian-friendly.

If you want to stay in a walkable neighborhood with city conveniences: Bonifacio Global City, Makati Business District, or Rockwell Makati

Good things about Manila: English is spoken everywhere. It’s where you can see Philippine Art and Museums, take cultural/historical tours. Malls are everywhere and complete with modern conveniences (even 4D cinemas), so it’s a good place to stock up on specialized foods, toiletries, gagdets, clothing, etc. Everything is also available online on Lazada.com.ph or direct to sellers on Facebook Marketplace, with courier service for same day deliveries. Filipinos love to eat so there are lots of dining options and specialized home bakers/ foodies that fit every budget.

Where to check weekly things to do and events: Spot.ph

Popular souvenirs/products: Pearls, dried mangoes (try plain and covered in dark choco), Philippine textiles

Best way to get around is via Grab (car on-demand like Uber)

Intramuros and Old Manila

Lots of groups offering walking / bike tours of Old Manila covering the areas of the old walled city (Intramuros), the Luneta Park, Binondo (oldest Chinatown in the world) and Escolta districts.

Activities for Kids in the City

These are compiled information from recommendations of other parents in Best of the Best Manila.

  • Obstacle course class at Obstacle Sports Factory
  • Malacanang Museum(weekdays only)
  • Ateneo Art Gallery
  • Carpentry for Kids: Taty_mnl on Instagram
  • MiraNila Heritage House – conducts day tours of a Heritage Mansion in the city

Outside Manila

  • DreamPlay
  • Camp Boa
  • Hiraya Farm
  • Pinkie’s Farm
  • Lake Caliraya for camping, fishing, water sports: recommend to stay in The Lakehouse Caliraya
  • Gardenia Bread City in Laguna (weekdays only)
  • Makiling Botanic Gardens
  • Project Curma, La Union
  • Visit the windmills in Rizal
  • Hiking trails in Rizal

AROUND MANILA

Tagaytay

You can view Taal, the World’s smallest volcano (and it’s a volcano within a volcano), from the Tagaytay Ridge

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Heritage

Masungi Georeserve

Forest school Philippines (Cavite)

Guided 2-hour walk through a forest in Cavite, south of Manila. Take off point is the Canopy Farm, which can be a destination on its own. https://www.facebook.com/thecanopyfarmph?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Antipolo

Mountain city, natural extension of Metro Manila where people who want a greener lifestyle relocate. It has a lot of quaint restaurants, cafes, museums.

Camp Explore

PALAWAN

Puerto Princesa

Microtel: a small beachfront hotel in a mangrove area. When the tide comes in, it’s great for kayaking. Needs transfer service to get to the city center.

Ka Lui: Restaurant serving local dishes. Our favorites: Coco banana milkshake and leche flan. Call to reserve seating.

Dos Palmas: Island resort accessible by a boatride from Puerto Princesa bay

Sabang

Underground River

Taophilippines.com

My Story as a Teacher

Education

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

My personal experience as an educator is limited, but I’m an excellent learner.   I’ve always loved to learn.  I read the dictionary and encyclopedia for fun as a child, and to this day, I’m like a kid in a toy store when I encounter anything I know nothing about–it becomes something new to learn!

My teaching philosophy: learning together

I think the best way to engage a student is to reverse the roles and turn him or her into a teacher.  It follows that a teacher walks into a classroom also ready to be a student.  It becomes an occasion of learning together.

The best teachers are not necessarily knowledge experts but expert facilitators of learning.

Teaching Teens

I didn’t study to be a teacher, but teaching seems to be an underlying motif that pops up in my life again and again.

My very first teaching experience was as a substitute teacher for Christian Living in my old high school, St. Pedro Poveda College.  A teacher was going on maternity leave and they were hard-pressed for a temp. At that time I was an idealistic fresh college graduate, ready to conquer the world.  I had my license as a real estate broker, was actively selling insurance and mutual funds, and thought why not–I could teach teenagers for a few months.

I didn’t know anything about lesson planning, so I taught it the way I would’ve liked to learn it: personal, relatable and simple.  We talked about the Old Testament and approached it as Literature: we were telling each other stories. I made the girls talk about themselves a lot, and created a space where dialogue was welcome.   At the end of my 2-month stay, my students prepared a send off and one girl stood up and said, “Thank you, Ms. Jo, for making me dream again.”  That was a precious thank you that I still carry with me to this day.

Over time I would go on to teach High School Spanish for two years and English as a foreign language to kids in a summer camp in Spain.

One key advice I got early on: just love them.  Love your students.

The other key advice I got:  when you’re asked a question you can’t answer, just throw the question back and ask, “What do you think?”  This was especially useful when we tackled difficult topics like God being vengeful, but it also dispelled the idea of teacher as guru.  It’s okay not to have the answers.

Teaching Kids

I’m not a parent, but I’m a big fan of natural schools and methods that nurture a child’s sense of wonder and reverence for the world.

In 2014,  my family took over operations of a private preschool in a prime business district in Manila and I was asked to help out.  Together with natural school mentors, I introduced a nursery program with a natural schooling approach and saw firsthand the difference it made to the kids and parents.

We started monthly dialogues for nannies or yayas and another one for parents, and built a culture of cooperation and openness in our school.  We made it clear to everyone that we were all partners in educating the children.

Key takeaways from this experience:

  • There is a lot of room for scaling this natural approach to education in the Philippines, especially in the daycare/preschool years.
  • Lots of work to be done in convincing Filipinos on the merits of play-based learning
  • Introducing creative living to families is critical when kids are very young.  Not only are these the foundation years for the child, but these are also the foundation years for the parents, who are usually still learning how to parent.  Most parents at this stage are still very involved in the nitty gritty of their child’s education.

Teaching Adults

If I were to embrace teaching as a vocation, I’d choose adults as my students.

I think it’s with adults that one can freely and fully apply the philosophy of learning together.

It is being comfortable with not (yet) knowing.  The goal is still very much to learn, but it’s okay to proceed without having all the answers.
IMG_20170524_100439_297

Anyone in a leadership role can benefit from seeing himself/herself as a teacher-mentor.  I had a chance to test this out for myself when I led my small team of teachers and staff at the preschool for two years.

Year one was chaos, so we started year two with a different tactic.  We spent time building a space of trust and collaboration by focusing our teacher training on biography work and getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.  This opened the door for honest and transparent communication, which set the tone for our working relationship.  The preschool became a center of learning not just for the kids, but also for the adults that ran it.

Takeaways:

  • Encourage healthy dissent.  As co-learners, each one has something to contribute and I appreciated it when my teachers would disagree with me.
  • Give each other feedback as often as needed.
  • Make sure every voice is heard.
  • Step out of the way.

Teaching the Teacher

Having worked independently most of my life, I’ve never had to answer to a boss, but I’ve also never had a mentor.

In 2015, I took some units in Education as part of a Program in Education as Transformational Leadership at the Asian Social Institute in Malate, Manila.   Here are my takeaways from dialogues we had on alternative education and how it applies to building creative communities:

  • A creative community as a learning tool itself, that will shape and support mental, financial, psychological, and spiritual growth of people living in it and passing through.
  • The whole community becomes the learning space.
  • The adults will be busy doing their own creative tinkering—whether as professionals, entrepreneurs, techno geeks, artists, architects, etc.—and at the same time, just by being living examples, they are already manifesting the desired learning outcomes for the children.
  • Adults also need to learn how to be artists again, to trust intuition and allow an atmosphere of creativity to come alive in the community.

My Learning Journey: Books and Podcasts on Productivity

Enterprise and Wealth Creation Education

I was introduced to the world of audiobooks and podcasts very late in the game (February 2017), and I’ve been doing a lot of catch up since then.

I set out this year with very focused goals on increasing productivity and wealth creation.  All these materials are helping me with these goals, and if you’re journeying on a similar path, I hope they help you too.

Here’s a rundown of what I’ve been reading and listening to for productivity and focus: 

On Clarity

I credit 100% of my momentum in 2017 to Lynn Jericho, who guided me with Inner Christmas meditations throughout the 12 Holy Nights of 2016.   During these 12 nights after Christmas, the spiritual world and the physical world are closest to each other, giving anyone who puts in the inner work a powerful window to connect with his or her higher self.   These nightly invitations to sit in silence gave me the clarity to make space within myself to listen to what needed to come out and come in.

Lynn has ongoing programs throughout the year, which you can find on Imagine Self.

Benjamin Hardy and his Morning Routines gave me simple and doable action steps to do every single day.  Ben is a PhD student on Organizational Psychology and he writes essays on productivity and self-improvement.  When he sent out an invitation to a year-long course called Life By Design: How to Live Life According to Your Values Every Single Day, I didn’t even hesitate to join.  Maybe I’m an easy sell; maybe it was right timing.  I have been happy with the weekly videos and readings Ben sends out, and they’ve been a great help in sustaining the momentum I started the year with.   He keeps them short and on point, so they’re very manageable time-wise.  He also loves quotes and is generous with his sources. Most of the books listed below are from his recommendation list.   Read Ben’s works here.

Audiobooks on Productivity

I’ve finished more books in the past two months than I have in the past year thanks to audiobooks.  They’re easy companions while I do menial tasks like prepare breakfast and drive through traffic, and they help sharpen my listening and concentration skills (especially useful if you’re easily distracted like me!).

Essentialism was the first audiobook I got on Audible, which meant I got to listen to it for free.  It literally jumpstarted me on editing my life by saying no to what mattered less so I could say yes to what mattered more.

I’ve gone through it in full twice and still listen to it from time to time.  Greg McKeown reads it himself and his smooth voice helps to keep calm in Manila traffic.

My favorite takeway from the book?  If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no.

Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting the Devil feels like a primer on morality, but it is packed with simple, hard-hitting jabs.  I grew up Catholic and was bombarded with literature on sin and heaven and hell, but Hill presents the Devil without the religious weight.

Written in 1938 but released to the public only in 2011, it is literally a conversation between Hill and the Devil.  Perfect as an audiobook.

A great complement to Essentialism, because what do you do once you achieve clarity of mind? You don’t leave it drifting.


Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People is a classic book on good manners and just over-all niceness.  I’ve been in sales for nearly two decades, and I still learned something new from listening to this.

Why is good behavior a critical component of productivity?  We perform at our highest level when we are in perfect alignment in thoughts, feelings, actions.   How we treat people around us is a reflection of our highest ideals, and this book reminds us ever so gently of the basics of being a good person.

Excellent narration by Andrew McMillan too.  Very soothing to the ears and true to its premise: it will win you over.

To be honest when I first opened the audiobook for The Power of Habit, I got put off by how long it was: 10 friggin’ hours!

I went through them 30 minutes at a time, and finally finished the book last week, yay.

Charles Duhigg breaks down a habit into its basic parts: cue, routine, and reward, and gives many examples of figuring out which is which and how to make deliberate changes in the habit loop.

Very important skill if we want to be more productive and focused everyday.

Podcasts for the In Between

Whenever I finished an audiobook, I’d look for something to listen to that didn’t demand so much commitment (leaving a book hanging felt wrong to me), so I turned to podcasts.

  • How I Built This is a great podcast for inspiration on companies that went from good to great.  Always makes me smile to listen to stories of innovators, entrepreneurs, artists.
  • On Being with Krista Tippet is one of my go to podcasts when I need to soften up and relax.  It’s a show that asks the “big questions of meaning with scientists and theologians, artists and teachers” and Krista is the only female voice on this list.  Good balancing energy to the go-go-go of the male gesture.
  • Dan Sullivan is a business coach, and I like his straightforward insights on entrepreneurship and personal development.  He has five podcast series with his team at Strategic Coach.  I’ve only started listening to Multiplier Mindset and 10X Talk.
  • Tim Ferris is the popular choice, and I included him here only because he is recommended by so many.  He covers a wide range of topics from personal development to lifestyle to sports to tech trends, and he has a strong fanbase.  I tried reading The 4-Hour Workweek, the book that shot him to stardom, but something about it didn’t sit well with me.  Just the same, his podcast series are worth looking into.  One episode that I particularly liked was on Accelerated Learning.

I hope my list of audiobooks and podcasts helps you start your own listening habits!  Also check out my wealth creation journey where I list the books and courses that are helping me get to where I want to go financially.

Do you have other books or shows to recommend?  Share them in the comments below!

Note: Some of the links above will give me an affiliate commission if you choose buy those books, at no extra cost to you.

Why Education?

Education

IMG_20170520_080502_763

The world is changing at a super fast pace and “the unpredictability…is extraordinary.”   Are we prepared to handle this unpredictability?  What does it even mean to be prepared for the unpredictable?

It is no longer functional to define education as a process of transmitting what is known; it must now be defined as a lifelong process of continuing inquiry. And so the most important learning of all-for both children and adults-is learning how to learn, the skills of self-directed inquiry.  (Sir Ken Robinson, Schools Kill Creativity)

The good news is that this era we’re in–the information age–is heaven for self-directed inquiry.

The Education hub of Alaya.PH explores learning in this context:  how do we develop this skill of meta-learning or learning how to learn in Filipino children and adults, whether in or out of the classroom?

  • peer-to-peer learning networks
  • transitioning from traditional/ academic learning to alternative models: homeschooling, Waldorf
  • accelerated learning
  • The internet as teacher
  • On-demand learning, MOOCs and online courses
  • Open source culture
  • Do-it-yourself or DIY culture
  • Coaching and mentoring 
  • Teacher as facilitator vs. teacher as guru

Browse posts on Education:

     

    Art Study: Expressionist to Contemporary Selfie

    Studying Art

    Here's my expressive self-portrait done from memory. #selfie #drawing #blue

    Here’s my expressive self-portrait done from memory. #selfie #drawing #blue

    SelfiePastel on paper12x18 inchesOctober 2016Our final studio session for the art retreat was to do a self-portrait in the now, to find the thin line of quiet between the art that pushes and the art that pulls (according to James Joyce, this is where proper art resides). Using a photo reference as an initial guide, I just let myself play and this came out. It's like an amalgam of all the recent art periods in one, with the 21st century felt in the selfie pose. The nagging questions that I still carry with me: what is contemporary art? Even modern art is old already! And how do we, as artists, create art that is future-oriented?#selfie #contemporary #art #artph #drawing

    Selfie
    Pastel on paper
    12×18 inches
    October 2016

    Our final studio session for the art retreat was to do a self-portrait in the now, to find the thin line of quiet between the art that pushes and the art that pulls (according to James Joyce, this is where proper art resides). Using a photo reference as an initial guide, I just let myself play and this came out. It’s like an amalgam of all the recent art periods in one, with the 21st century felt in the selfie pose. The nagging questions that I still carry with me: what is contemporary art? Even modern art is old already! And how do we, as artists, create art that is future-oriented?

    #selfie #contemporary #art #artph #drawing

    Art study: Renaissance to Expressionism

    Studying Art

    Started off this weekend transported to the Renaissance, putting on the hat of an apprentice eager to learn the old ways from drawing a work of the great Masters.#arthistory #transformativepowerofart #renaissance #drawing

    Started off this weekend transported to the Renaissance, putting on the hat of an apprentice eager to learn the old ways from drawing a work of the great Masters.

    #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #renaissance #drawing

    After a half hour break, we moved on to copying a Rembrandt, which was an exercise in light and shadows. Rembrandt did over 90 self-portraits in his life (wow!), experimenting extensively with light.  During this period, portraits took a departure from the classic and perfect images of the Greeks to these soulful, maybe more human pictures.#arthistory #transformativepowerofart #rembrandt #portrait #oldman

    After a half hour break, we moved on to copying a Rembrandt, which was an exercise in light and shadows. Rembrandt did over 90 self-portraits in his life (wow!), experimenting extensively with light. During this period, portraits took a departure from the classic and perfect images of the Greeks to these soulful, maybe more human pictures.

    #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #rembrandt #portrait #oldman

    Here are the other Rembrandts from last weekend's art retreat. We had a gifted facilitator, Van James, an artist-teacher from Hawaii who led us through the changes in the visual arts over time. Other participants shared how they felt so melancholic doing these drawings. Beginning artists usually shy away from shadows--we like to show the face in its full glory... but we eventually learn that it is in bringing in the shadows that the best light comes out. Interesting metaphor for life. ????#light #shadows #darkness #rembrandt #portrait #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #vanjames

    Here are the other Rembrandts from last weekend’s art retreat. We had a gifted facilitator, Van James, an artist-teacher from Hawaii who led us through the changes in the visual arts over time. Other participants shared how they felt so melancholic doing these drawings. Beginning artists usually shy away from shadows–we like to show the face in its full glory… but we eventually learn that it is in bringing in the shadows that the best light comes out. Interesting metaphor for life. ????

    #light #shadows #darkness #rembrandt #portrait #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #vanjames

    William Turner was an English painter known for his landscapes that captured light in a new way. From the detail-oriented art of the Renaissance we moved on to copying these loose renderings of the outdoors, done in nice, gestural strokes. I've always been a fan of Turner, who liked to experience raw nature as inspiration for his works. He painted this piece after a train ride during a rainstorm, where he put his head out the window to take it all in.#turner #train #storm #light #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    William Turner was an English painter known for his landscapes that captured light in a new way. From the detail-oriented art of the Renaissance we moved on to copying these loose renderings of the outdoors, done in nice, gestural strokes. I’ve always been a fan of Turner, who liked to experience raw nature as inspiration for his works. He painted this piece after a train ride during a rainstorm, where he put his head out the window to take it all in.

    #turner #train #storm #light #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    Here's my #wip rendition of an impressionist landscape, done hurriedly (I took too much time taking in nature!). I picked a spot under a tree, facing a lily pond and pool.  Impressionism grew from a group of young Parisian artists, inspired in part by Turner's fascination with light. They painted with loose gestures, later on called impressions. This style was such a departure from the Canon of art in those days, but these impressionist works are the most popular and widely viewed in museums all over the world today. #landscape #drawing #impressionism #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    Here’s my #wip rendition of an impressionist landscape, done hurriedly (I took too much time taking in nature!). I picked a spot under a tree, facing a lily pond and pool. Impressionism grew from a group of young Parisian artists, inspired in part by Turner’s fascination with light. They painted with loose gestures, later on called impressions. This style was such a departure from the Canon of art in those days, but these impressionist works are the most popular and widely viewed in museums all over the world today.

    #landscape #drawing #impressionism #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    From drawing impressions of the outside world, we moved on to doing expressionist landscapes. I think this one is by the Russian painter, Kandinsky. It was physically tiring to draw with expressive strokes, but this was a very enjoyable drawing for me! Look at all those colors!#expressionist #landscape #color #drawing #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    From drawing impressions of the outside world, we moved on to doing expressionist landscapes. I think this one is by the Russian painter, Kandinsky. It was physically tiring to draw with expressive strokes, but this was a very enjoyable drawing for me! Look at all those colors!

    #expressionist #landscape #color #drawing #arthistory #transformativepowerofart

    Expressionism gave artists free reign over color, and as expected, it was also a freeing art period to draw through. I loved, loved, loved the range of colors in my classmates' works! #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #expressionism #landscape #drawing

    Expressionism gave artists free reign over color, and as expected, it was also a freeing art period to draw through. I loved, loved, loved the range of colors in my classmates’ works! #arthistory #transformativepowerofart #expressionism #landscape #drawing

    Remembering New York, Summer 2014 (Part 3: Abstract Paintings)

    Studying Art

    I loved waking up to a painting day everyday at the Art Students League.  My schedule ran from 1:00pm-9:30pm, which now seems long and exhausting, but I especially enjoyed staying late nights at the studio, working on Abstract Paintings under Frank O’Cain.

    Here’s my very first output from his class:
    I am still; I am moving. Acrylic on canvas paper 18x24 inches July 2, 2014 My first completed work under Frank O'Cain, abstracted from a doodle I made in January. Frank was my top choice for a teacher at the League. I really wanted to find creative dir

    I am still; I am moving.
    Acrylic on canvas paper
    18×24 inches
    July 2, 2014

    My first completed work under Frank O’Cain, abstracted from a doodle I made in January. Frank was my top choice for a teacher at the League. I really wanted to find creative direction in abstract painting, and I resonated with his works and statements when I first saw them online. I met him last week — he’s a jolly old man with a sense of flow about him. The class I’m taking is Painting, Composition and Abstraction, and he kept reminding everyone to be aware of movement and balance in our work. He told me to come back today with a painting to show him. I came up with three works. He liked two of them. It was a happy moment when he smiled and said, “You’re good. You’ve got it!” I still have so much to learn and I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder, so I will just let loose and be as playful as I can be. Frank said I can be bolder or surer of my strokes (as opposed to having wishy washy and “safe” strokes). His parting words were very encouraging though: “You’re going to have a lot of fun here!”

    #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #sea #alone #stillness #quiet #flow

    Process pics:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (11)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (12)

    On my second week, Frank did a demo, abstracting from still life:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (18)

    He went from this…
    Montalut NYC 2014 (20)

    …to this:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (21)

    …in 1.5 hours. The overall spirit of the demo was lighthearted and cheerful, and Frank was indulgent with our questions and excited interruptions. It’s always a pleasure to watch an artist get in the zone and have his way with his medium, but when a teacher is doing it to deliberately share his creative process, it’s even more rewarding, for everyone.

    Here’s the aftermath of his palette:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (22)

     

    Looks straightforward and honest.  I like that about acrylics.

    Other works I did under his watch:
    Brooklyn Bridge Acrylic on gesso board 12x16 inches July 2, 2014 #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #brooklyn #bridge

    Brooklyn Bridge
    Acrylic on gesso board
    12×16 inches
    July 2, 2014

    #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #brooklyn #bridge

    Black squirrel 16x20 inches Acrylic on canvas paper July 3, 2014 Just playing! Learned to use bigger brushes today -- enjoyed my strokes here. This one is for that nice day I saw a black squirrel at the park. #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #goodvibe

    Black squirrel
    16×20 inches
    Acrylic on canvas paper
    July 3, 2014

    Just playing! Learned to use bigger brushes today — enjoyed my strokes here. This one is for that nice day I saw a black squirrel at the park. #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #goodvibe

    Abstracting the black squirrel…
    Montalut NYC 2014 (23)

    Remember the Black Squirrel painting from last week? This is how it looks now. I've been going deeper into abstract painting, which for me is an even more demanding process than realism. You can't do abstract work if you're not centered. The piece may be

    Remember the Black Squirrel painting from last week? This is how it looks now. I’ve been going deeper into abstract painting, which for me is an even more demanding process than realism. You can’t do abstract work if you’re not centered. The piece may be overworked as it is, but I feel as if something else still wants to pop out. My teacher says that with every abstract work, you come out with either something insane or something that works. Let’s see where this leads. 🙂 #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #wip #workinprogress #justplaying

    Here's another one I'm working on, inspired by that lovely Sunday bike ride in Governor's Island. #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #wip #workinprogress #justplaying #biking #governorsisland

    Here’s another one I’m working on, inspired by that lovely Sunday bike ride in Governor’s Island.

    #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #wip #workinprogress #justplaying #biking #governorsisland

    Montalut NYC 2014 (16)

    Here’s my favorite output from Abstract Painting class, an image from a dream I had.  What do you see in the work?

     

     

    Dream I Acrylic on canvas 18x24 inches July 16, 2014 #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #sea

    Dream I
    Acrylic on canvas
    18×24 inches
    July 16, 2014

    #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #artstudentsleagueofnewyork #nyc #sea

    Below is the last work I completed in class, done the day before I left NYC.

    The Night of Many Firsts 18x24 inches Acrylic on canvas July 23, 2014 I'm at the tailend of unpacking from NYC and now going through the works that I actually want to hang on my walls. I love staring at this one. I'll keep it up until a new stirring come

    The Night of Many Firsts
    18×24 inches
    Acrylic on canvas
    July 23, 2014

    #nyc #art #abstract #acrylic

    Also documenting unfinished attempts:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (5)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (9)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (30)

    Work in progress Inspired by those bright orange lilies in Tita Bebot's garden 16x20 inches Acrylic on canvas paper #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #lilies #orange #yellow #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Work in progress
    Inspired by those bright orange lilies in Tita Bebot’s garden
    16×20 inches
    Acrylic on canvas paper

    #painting #acrylic #abstract #art #lilies #orange #yellow #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Process:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (7)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (8)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (10)

    Remembering New York, Summer 2014 (Part 1: Large-Scale Drawings)

    Studying Art Portraits and Plein Air Works

    I’ve been dreaming of taking classes at the Art Students League for years. Imagine my glee when I finally arrived in New York last summer, and more so after signing up for my first official class: Large-Scale Drawing under Mary Beth McKenzie. I bought my large-format paper, metal clips, charcoal, Hake brushes, and ink, and like a giddy schoolgirl knocked on the 4th floor studio of the League. I attended two afternoon sessions in this class, each one lasting about 3.5 hours. Below are the drawings I came up with, captioned with thoughts for each day. Unfortunately, these were too large to fit into my suitcase and I had to leave them behind in New York.

    * * *

    My many firsts: first nude in over 3 months (di na sanay!), first in large-scale format, and first work at the Art Students League. I don't think I'll get to take this home, so if you're in New York and have lots of wall space, wink me (yes, wink me). ;)

    My many firsts: first nude in over 3 months (di na sanay!), first in large-scale format, and first work at the Art Students League. I don’t think I’ll get to take this home, so if you’re in New York and have lots of wall space, wink me (yes, wink me). 😉

    Male Nude
    Vine charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches (approximate)
    June 23, 2014

    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc

    Female Nude Vine charcoal on paper 36x48 inches (approximate) June 23, 2014  #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc

    Female Nude
    Vine charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches (approximate)
    June 23, 2014

    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc

    Male Nude II Vine charcoal on paper 36x48 inches (approximate) June 23, 2014  I had a harder time with the long pose (more time = better work, more details). Must learn not to put pressure on myself.   #drawing #onthespot #40minutepose #live #male #nude #

    Male Nude II
    Vine charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches (approximate)
    June 23, 2014

    I had a harder time with the long pose (more time = better work, more details). Must learn not to put pressure on myself.
    #drawing #onthespot #40minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc

    Female Nude II Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches (approximate) June 23, 2014  My first attempt at Sumi ink drawing/painting. I just had two wide Hake brushes and couldn't get thin strokes in so I just went with it and played. It was so much fun. I was surpri

    Female Nude II
    Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches (approximate)
    June 23, 2014

    My first attempt at Sumi ink drawing/painting. I just had two wide Hake brushes and couldn’t get thin strokes in so I just went with it and played. It was so much fun. I was surprised that people in my class really liked this work. Malakas daw siya.
    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Female Nude II and III Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches (approximate) June 23, 2014  The one on my left is my favorite from yesterday. I rushed to the Art shop downstairs during the 5-minute break and bought a smaller Chinese brush that let me do proper det

    Female Nude II and III
    Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches (approximate)
    June 23, 2014

    The one on my left is my favorite from yesterday. I rushed to the Art shop downstairs during the 5-minute break and bought a smaller Chinese brush that let me do proper detailing. I think I’m going to enjoy Sumi ink!
    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #40minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Here’s a closer look, also at my drawing process:

    Montalut NYC 2014 (2)

    Montalut NYC 2014 (1)

    Seated Female Nude  Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 24, 2014  First drawing today. I decided to play with both charcoal and ink in one work-- I think the layers came out nice.    This particular model was fussy about the c

    Seated Female Nude
    Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 24, 2014

    First drawing today. I decided to play with both charcoal and ink in one work– I think the layers came out nice. This particular model was fussy about the cold. The class monitor had to turn off the airconditioner many times even if she already had a heater dedicated for her. Made me wonder how nude models manage during winter.
    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    The same work before being inked:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (4)

    Reclined Female Nude  Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 24, 2014  No fuss, fluid drawing that was just so playful.  #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Reclined Female Nude
    Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 24, 2014

    No fuss, fluid drawing that was just so playful.
    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Reclined Female Nude II Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 24, 2014  Quick, looser version of the same pose. Drawn in under 10 minutes. Still large-scale.   #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstude

    Reclined Female Nude II
    Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 24, 2014

    Quick, looser version of the same pose. Drawn in under 10 minutes. Still large-scale.
    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Seated Female Nude  Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 24, 2014  This was a longer pose so I decided to do measurements to get proportions right. Still something I struggle with (I spent 20 minutes just measuring!), and you c

    Seated Female Nude
    Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 24, 2014

    This was a longer pose so I decided to do measurements to get proportions right. Still something I struggle with (I spent 20 minutes just measuring!), and you can see my mistakes in the finished work. I like how it turned out and think it’s even better with the layers of drawings visibly there.
    #drawing #onthespot #40minutepose #live #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Work-in-progress:
    Montalut NYC 2014 (3)

    Seated Male Nude  Charcoal on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 26, 2014  #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Seated Male Nude
    Charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 26, 2014

    #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Seated Male Nude  Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 26, 2014  Just playing around with the male figure and face.  #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Seated Male Nude
    Charcoal and Sumi ink on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 26, 2014

    Just playing around with the male figure and face. #drawing #onthespot #20minutepose #live #male #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    Reclined Male and Female Nude  Charcoal on paper 36x48 inches ( approximate ) June 26, 2014  We always have 2 models posing side by side in and this was the first time I drew them together. Each was a challenging pose to do on its own -- I wish I ha

    Reclined Male and Female Nude
    Charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 26, 2014

    We always have 2 models posing side by side in class and this was the first time I drew them together. Each was a challenging pose to do on its own — I wish I had more time to detail the woman, but even the male model gave me a thumbs up when he saw my drawing. Heehee.

    #drawing #onthespot #40minutepose #live #male #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    I document my process to help keep track of mistakes and triumphs.  Choosing to zoom in on the models in this work and do a back-to-back pose was new for me. Lesson learned: experiment! With 40 minutes to set up, compose, sketch and detail a piece, it's n

    I document my process to help keep track of mistakes and triumphs. Choosing to zoom in on the models in this work and do a back-to-back pose was new for me. Lesson learned: experiment! With 40 minutes to set up, compose, sketch and detail a piece, it’s natural to draw in default mode. For me that meant doing sight size (you put your paper next to the model and copy your subject “as is”– in the same size from where you’re standing). Scaling up or down requires extra effort and in my case, leaves room for mistakes in proportion. But!!! I really am proud I pushed myself a little in this drawing. If I were to keep this I’d probably cut out the woman and display it this way. Starting next week I’ll explore classes that will let me paint longer poses. Some models keep the same pose for 4 weeks to let artists work without having to rush. Amazing possibilities!

    Reclined Male and Female Nude (detail)
    Charcoal on paper
    36×48 inches ( approximate )
    June 26, 2014

    #drawing #onthespot #40minutepose #live #male #female #nude #nyc #artstudentsleagueofnewyork

    I’m a sophomore!

    Studying Art

    Happy days.  Pen on paper Journal series 2013  #doodle

    Such a big sigh of relief now that school is officially over — and that in four months (yes, we have a loooong summer break this year), I will come back as a sophomore, hopefully with my hands, heart and art spirit renewed and ready for another round of deadlines and art-making.

    Here’s a distillation of the past few months, taken from a portfolio I prepared for sculpture class:

    The second semester…was a roller coaster ride that brought intense moments of work followed by extended lull periods. I learned, from finding my way through it, that this cycle of bursts and lulls is not healthy for the creative spirit. The most critical reality check I got this semester was that managing creative energy is also a skill that one builds up alongside the techniques of art making. To always be ready and inspired takes as much discipline as it does to paint, draw or sculpt.

    *     *     *

    Today we saw applicants being interviewed for the next school year, eyes wide open in both fear and excitement.  Someone teasingly suggested that we all walk by and flash our IDs to rattle them.  I’ll leave it to the kids to play pranks but I’m glad to be out of that boat of uncertainty.  I have my ID, and I made it through year one.

    I’m thankful for the year that was.

    Tonight it will sink in what it means to be free again.  I can have a bit of my old life back:  slow days with no schedules and with balance as the overarching theme — balanced socials (I shall see my friends again), balanced health (diet and sports, yay!), balanced play (I can read! Play video games! Marathon movies and shows! and best of all TRAVEL!) and balanced work (I can focus on production with monetary gain).

    I’m roaring with the quiet energy to distill, then pounce. Everyday.

    Ayayayay.  Must remind myself to manage this energy.

    But for now, let me just shout it out loud again, “I’m a sophomore!”

    Thank you. xx

    Lifecasting my hands and feet

    Studying Art

    Our feet have many stories to tell. Every new story begins with a prodding, a yes, a step — but who tells us where to go? And who tells us when to stop?


    “Go, go over there, then stop.”
    Lifecasts using two-piece molds
    Material used: Plaster
    Date completed: January 30, 2014

    Meditation piece on repetition, variety, and rhythm. Still part of the sculpture series on flow.

    Flow is a theme I keep coming back to, as a reminder both for myself and others.  For this plate, I chose to do a piece on feet — our body part most associated with movement.  Walking, next to breathing, is one bodily function we do everyday that we can be more mindful about.  The way we walk says so much about our inner state.  How aware (or not) we are about the rhythm of our physical step translates to how aware (or not) we are about our inner rhythm.    I also decided to add in elements of direction — the next step after awareness — shown through the hands, in the positions of go and stop.  More than being in constant motion, to flow is really to vacillate between moments of movement and rest.  We stop and we go.  Everyday.

    Class instructions for the plate were as follows:

    PLATE #2: Repetition, Variety, Rhythm

    After acquiring beginning skills in three dimensional art making through the various basic materials available, this plate aims to illustrate the application of the principles of design through three dimensional art making, specifically, the principles of repetition, variety, and rhythm…This plate is also a venue to continue skills building in the substitution process of three dimensional art, i.e. molding and casting.

    Guideline:

    • At least three objects in a series (you can do more):
      • three identical objects
      • three similar objects in the similar orientation
      • or three objects in a theme
    • The subject/theme is body part/s, hence, body casting or life casting
      • you can submit casts of your extremities and/or your bust
    • Composition is significant. Using the principles of design is all about composition, so before you cast, plan how you will present/exhibit hour pieces first and execute accordingly.

    Process documentation:

    All in all I made 6 lifecasting attempts for this plate:

    • Right foot  — successful on first try
    • Left foot —  successful on first try
    • Left foot #2 — lower mold survived the first cast so tried to make a new upper mold, but failed; mold cracked
    • Hand with palm open — four fingers broke off; tried to reattach them with PVA glue, but needs a more lasting solution
    • Hand with pointed fingers — parts of nails broke off; repaired them with PVA glue
    • Hand in a cupping position — complete fail; the two molds didn’t fit together properly during casting

    Bulk of the process was experimenting and figuring out what works by just jumping in and doing it.

    Below are day-by-day glimpses:

    Attempt#1 at casting my foot using a two-piece mold. Excited to find out if it worked! #plaster #wastemold #foot #cast #wip

    Voila, my first foot sculpture. Could be better but with a little more cleaning and sanding will be happy with it. Will try to do my hand next. #plaster #sculpture #foot #body #twopiecemold

    Foot casting the left.  Better outcome than the right foot– details of nails preserved. Cracks on sole were filled in with second batch of plaster before the mold was removed.

    Trying to salvage the left foot mold with cast#2. Didn’t work– lower mold cracked from weight of my foot and upper mold just altogether crumbled.

    Hand casting fail. I still don’t understand what an undercut is 🙁 Wide open to suggestions. #sculpture #plaster #twopiecemold #wastemold

    Hand casting attempt#2. Was quite ambitious and wanted to do a pointed finger…so played around with hand positions with the least undercuts (tried to keep the fingers as leveled as possible).

    Hand casting attempt #3. Teacher suggested keeping hand in a cupping position for easier casting. Lower mold crumbled. Tried to salvage it with clay to keep it together. Would’ve worked if only we got to lock the two molds properly when we put them together.

    Repairing broken fingers using white PVA glue and tissue. Soaked the castings in water, then primed with diluted glue before applying thick glue. Worked for repairing thin parts that got chipped off, but not for whole fingers. Need to redo with wire and plaster.

    Textual documentation and lessons learned:

    • Don’t be scared to just jump in.  You learn more from doing the work than from reading about it.
    • Try and try until you are happy with your work.  Lifecasting is not easy but it’s also not an impossible task.
    • Clean as you go.  Working with plaster is a messy business and the dust piles up.  Best to wipe away asap to avoid waste build up and allergies.

    Self-portrait by points

    Studying Art

    Self-portrait. Pen on board, 10x10. June 2013
    Self-portrait
    Pen on board
    10″ x 10″
    June 2013

    Pointillism

    This was our first plate for Visual Perception class.

    We used a photo reference that we divided into 64 squares to form a grid, for transferring point by point onto an illustration board.

    Pointillism Self-portrait 2013 (1)

    The points were no joke to make, and one blackout grid would take me over an hour to do.
    Pointillism Self-portrait 2013 (3)

    Our teacher, Sir Jamel Obnamia, warned us of aching wrists but also kept telling us to persevere — a fine arts student does not give up so easily.
    Pointillism Self-portrait 2013 (4)

    Tricky part was using a pen, which meant no erasing and no double takes. I made some mistakes with hair (too dark, too thick) but over-all I was happy with what I came up with. 🙂

    I passed the initiation, so sugod lang. Bring it, let’s do this for 4 more years of school!