ON EXHIBIT: CESAR'S
FIRST
[PHOTO
AT LEFT - Cesar Montano and the invitation to his exhibit showing a
man-made forest (left) in his native Bohol]
MANILA, NOVEMBER 14, 2009 (STAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo - Currently on exhibit until Nov. 29 at the ArtistSpace (second floor of Glass Wing, Ayala Museum, Greenbelt Park, Makati City) are more than 50 of Cesar Montano’s paintings, 46 of them in water color and the rest in oil.
It’s his first solo exhibit (although he has “guested” in group shows by iconic artists like Malang, et al.), so Cesar is a bit nervous...like a woman giving birth to her first child (nanganganay).
An “impressionist,” Cesar aptly called his exhibit Montano: The First Impression which consists of, among others, floral interpretations titled after his wife Sunshine Cruz and their daughters Samantha, Francesca, Angelina (and Angela, Cesar’s daughter with his late first wife).
“I’ve been working on them these past two years,” said Cesar when Funfare
visited him at his home in Tivoli Greens, a high-end subdivision in Quezon
City, last Friday while his assistants were busy pasting the
title
tags on the paintings preparatory to the opening the next day. “It’s a good
thing I didn’t have too much showbiz work aside from Singing Bee (his
‘musical’ talent show on ABS-CBN) so I had enough time.”
Featured on the invitation is Cesar’s impression of a man-made forest in a town in his native Bohol.
“It’s very beautiful,” said Cesar. “Parang natural.”
Not having any formal training like most artists, Cesar paints from the heart.
“It’s better that way, sabi nila,” said Cesar.
His works speak eloquently for him. See for yourselves.
Cesar is among showbiz folk who paint, also including Joey de Leon (who recently had an exhibit with The STAR’s Lifestyle staffer Igan D’Bayan), Victor Wood, Cocoy Laurel, Maria Isabel Lopez, Lani Lobangco, Ian Veneracion, Al Quinn and Pilar Pilapil.
All
the paintings are for sale, with prices starting at P50,000 (for the water
color) and going up to six figures (in oil). Proceeds will go to the
Panaghoy Children Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Program which Cesar has put
up with his fellow Boholanos.
Not a piece left for himself?
“It’s okay,” said Cesar. “I want to share my work with as many people as possible. What’s the use of doing it kung ikaw lang ang mag-a-appreciate?”
(Note: ArtistSpace is open Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Entrance is free.)
4 more beauties in int’l contests
Aside from Daisy Reyes-Iqbal, reported by Funfare last Thursday to be in Vietnam to compete in the 2009 Mrs. World contest, four other Pinay beauties are also in the same number of similar competitions. Funfare’s “beauty experts” Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping, Francis Calubaquib and Felix Manuel (here on vacation from his work as nurse at a New York hospital) identify them as:
l. Sandra Inez Seifert, a half-Filipina/half-German registered professional nurse in New York, who is a top favorite to win the Miss Earth 2009 crown at grand finals set for Nov. 22 at the Boracay Ecovillage Resort & Convention Center (aired “live” by ABS-CBN);
2. Bb. Pilipinas-World 2009 Marie Ann Bonquin Umali (22, 5’7" tall), bet in the 59th Miss World contest to be held in South Africa on Dec. 12 together with 111 other contestants from the same number of countries;
3. Bb. Pilipinas-International Melody Adelheid Manuel Gersbach (22, 5’6" tall), now in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, for the 49th Miss International pageant with grand finals on Nov. 28; and
4. 2007 Bb. Pilipinas semi-finalist Jaysel Morelos Arrozal (19, 5’11" tall), now in Shenzen, China, for the Miss Model of the World contest with grand finals on Nov. 29.
Let’s wish them all good luck!