"Cebu on Canvas" with Ariel Caratao

CEBU, Philippines - Ariel Caratao (born September 4, 1981 in Cebu City) started painting when he was about 17 years old under the tutelage and discipline of Mar Vidal, one of Cebu’s renowned visual artists.

“Kang Mar Vidal na gyod ko nakat-on from pencil to brush, black and white to color, theory and discipline,” he pointed out.

He mentioned that he learned various styles from artist-friends who served as his mentors. “I consider them mentors kay pulos man sila ahead nako sa edad ug sa knowledge sa painting,” he added.

He said that it was his classmate in high school, Jose Victor Patalinghug (currently a Fine Arts instructor at the Cebu Institute of Technology University), who introduced him to Mar Vidal. “Sila man ang amigo and wala man ko’y enough budget para college ato nga time. Mao to nag-apprentice ko ni Mar Vidal,” he explained.

“Aside from being an apprentice, I also worked as part-time sketcher sa mga backdrop sa stage ug tig-stretch og sketch sa mga canvas sa amigo nakong mga senior artists in exchange for food, art materials, and a little cash,” Caratao narrated.

Right now he is connected with a designing firm. “I serve as muralist and wall finisher for projects labi na ang interior sa restaurants which is the company’s ‘main course’.”

Prior to this, he worked as a house artist for a furniture export-oriented company but he said that he “indulges in oil painting during his free time covering pastel and oil figures and portraits.”

Caratao is the grand prize winner in the 2001 Kadaugan sa Mactan painting tilt. He won second place in the same contest in 2002. He also grabbed the grand prize in the Carcar on-the-spot painting contest in 2003 for the student category, and ended up as a runner-up in the 2009 Petron National Art Competition.

In addition, he said that he is fond of on-the-spot paintings and sketches, specially figure subjects. “Grabe nga kalipay ang mahatag diri nako basta mag-paint na ko. Labi na kung portrait or figure painting kay makalingaw man god ang tawo pintalon. Lisod siya i-explain. Basta lahi kaayo.”

His works are some of the 30 pieces of paintings being featured in the “Cebu on Canvas” exhibit by the Nueves Art Group.

The rest of Nueves Art Group members are Luis “Loy” King Sr.; Jose “Kimsoy” Yap Jr.; Felix Catarata, Jose “Pepe” Villadolid, Benji Goyha, Randy Plarisan, Crispin Bobier, and Cirilo “Eloy” Alferez.

King, Catarata, and Villadolid were already featured in the previous ArtLinks issues.

The exhibit at the lobby of the City Sports Club (Cebu), Inc. at the Cebu Business Park opened last January 19 and is set to wrap up today, January 30. (FREEMAN)