Posted at 6:43 pm January 29, 2013
Tags: Paintings, Visual arts
By Anna Valmero
PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA ? Betsy Westerndrop?s love affair with the Manila Bay sunset started in the 1950s as a young bride who came to the country accompanying her Filipino-Spanish husband Antonio Brias to his homeland.
The skyscape reflected in the clear water has always been a fascination for the Spanish painter, with the symphony of changing colors and moving clouds remains vivid in her memory like the first time she saw them.
Betsy?s husband, who was then working for San Miguel Corporation, would fetch her from their Ermita apartment and drive by Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard) to witness the sunset.
?Filipinos are very lucky to have the Manila sunset, it is very beautiful. This is a very special part of the Philippines that I love and feel very deep connection for,? she says.
Years later after her husband died, she continued to stay in their home ? a large part of which doubles as her studio ? that overlooks Manila?s iconic sunrise and sunset.
Returning to Madrid, she often told friend she will never exchange those years of basking in the beauty of Manila Bay sunset. It was her favorite subject despite friends requesting that she paint Spanish sunsets for a change.
Prior to visiting the Philippines, Betsy was already a well-known figure among Spain?s aristocrats for her detailed portraits and lush floral bouquets. The transition of her work to more personal subjects such as personal portraits and now, the abstract skyscapes or atmosferografias, depicts the evolution and personal journey of the artist.
What separates her work from other ?nature painters ? is that her skyscapes ?evolved into more abstract passages of light, color and movement, a mirror of her own personal and worldly musings,? says Singapore-based art dealer Valentine Willie.
?I paint not the water, not the sea. I paint the sky. There is no movement in the water. It is like a mirror,? explains Betsy, who, at the age of 95, still paints at her home studio every day.
Her paintings average from four to seven high, which allows for more space to see the patterns of color and movements in her painting ? quite different from usual sunset paintings that depict the sky and the sun as just part of the bigger picture.
During an interview at her Makati studio, Betsy showed some of her unfinished work still tied to a scaffolding.
?I paint every day. Some paintings I finish in just hours, others I finish in months. The colors I use and the brushstrokes also depend on my mood and how I remembered the sunset,? she says while pointing toward the calm aquamarine skyscape painting framed alongside a bold skyscape with lots of red and violet and harsh brushstrokes.
One can also see the numerous brushes dipped in water to clean off the acrylic paint that Betsy must have used the prior day. The artist has long discarded oils and prefers water-based acrylic, which has a consistency of oil minus the long drying time and fumes.
Art critic Cid Reyes compares Betsy?s skyscape series to the works JMW Turner, the 18th century British Romantic painter known for his storm-tossed seascapes, lashing rains and winds.
Eva McGovern, curator of Manila Contemporary, says Betsy?s classic approach makes her work more accessible to art collectors. The sheer size of the skyscape paintings are actually some of the biggest that Manila Contemporary has exhibited so far.
?Landscapes are a very popular subject but Betsy?s approach is unique. The atmosferografias are like windows to Betsy?s emotions?they evoke feelings of serenity, joy and anger,? Eva says.
The exhibit also features never-before seen paintings from Betsy?s personal collection, including portraits of her and her family in intimate moments placed alongside a domestic interior setting for backdrop so museum-goers can fully appreciate their beauty.
The paintings are on view until February 10 at Manila Contemporary?s showroom in Whitespace along Pasong Tamo Extension. Betsy says she will be present for the duration of the exhibit to welcome questions from anyone interested in her work.
Get more information on Manila Contemporary
Related stories:
How to relax and experience the Manila Bay sunset
San Miguel by the Bay is a favorite destination along the seaside strip in Pasay
The world awakes when the sun sets on the Philippines
love hewitt new ipad solar flare joseph kony 2012 arian foster dennis kucinich apple ipad
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.