God works in the most unexpected ways. Just when you start thinking that life has let you down, He comes along and offers to lead you towards something incredibly better. And life is suddenly again made beautiful.
This was what Raymond Lauchengco and Mark Bautista recently found out. Both were looking forward to another busy year as performers. But the Coronavirus came along and upended all their plans. Both are now among the displaced workers of the entertainment industry. They lost much-needed income and have no prospects of recovery, but surprisingly, they are now at their happiest.
Raymond is an actor, an iconic Bagets star, a hitmaking singer, an events director and photographer. Aside from these, he is also very good with his hands, a skill he learned from his grandfather who was a carpenter. He was the only grandchild allowed inside his lolo’s workshop.
When the COVID-19 hit, it seemed like the bitter-tasting cherry on top of the worst that could happen. Along with the uncertainty of the times, Raymond had to cope with illness in the family when his wife and his sister got sick. Thankfully, both have now recovered. Then his father died.
While wallowing in misfortune would have been understandable, what Raymond realized was that he had a lot of time on his hands. Maybe he could put it to good use. With the few tools he has, he started to fashion things out of assorted items found in the house, discarded around the yard, even debris in neighboring vacant lots.
With his innate artistry, Raymond eased himself into a new calling as a sculptor. He has never used that word but that is what he has become in such a natural, almost primitive way. But first, he was a scavenger. Tree branches, wine bottles, stones, wood, twine, metal discards, old ostrich eggs, etc. found their way into his garage.
There despite his carpal tunnel syndrome, he worked all day, and produced exquisite pieces out of his would-be trash materials. He said: “From wearing suits in air-conditioned venues to wearing shorts and a baseball cap under the sun. From holding a microphone to wielding a hammer and chisel. Life is such a wondrous adventure with all of its twists and turns and I wouldn’t trade any of the things it has taught me for all the riches in the world.”
The resulting 14 pieces comprised the online exhibit IKIGAI. This is an Okinawan term for things that give your life purpose and meaning. When offers to purchase his creations came, Raymond decided to sell them and donate the proceeds to live events workers who have lost their jobs. A happy Raymond soon announced that IKIGAI was sold out.
Disappointments and heartbreak prepared singing champion, actor, hitmaker and songwriter Mark for quarantine. He also suddenly lost his father. He missed the callbacks for the lead role in Broadway’s Aladdin. When the lockdown came, the performances of the musical The Band’s Visit where he had a featured role were cancelled. His All-Out Sunday show on GMA 7 had to go virtual.
And his the-worst-that-could-happen final straw was when his computer crashed and he lost all his files including his music minus ones. Therefore, Mark was unable to perform in the online fundraisers for the benefit of the needy. But he refused to let this get him down. Instead, he turned to his other love, painting.
Mark was studying architecture when he decided to switch to singing. But he never really left. He found time to keep on painting during days-off from work and he has had these canvases in proud display at home.
“They were my babies,” he said of the paintings. “But I decided it was time to let them go. I knew that it would make me very happy knowing that my work went to help people during this difficult time.”
Ten of Mark’s paintings comprised Art for a Cause. This went online at the nonprofit organization Shop and Share Auction. The paintings were sold out within only a few days and Mark was able to raise P410,000 to benefit mass testing.
Those who now regard Mark as a hot new painter will have to wait a while to purchase one of his works. He is now busy promoting his new single, Halik sa Hangin, which he also composed. It is available online along with the video that Mark himself directed and shot with an iPhone in his room.
As for Raymond, you can expect a new batch of wonderfully crafted IKIGAI items soon. He was last seen lugging a 60-pound tree branch home.