Some women think and feel that the end-all and be-all of their being a woman is in being a wife and a mother. And that’s totally fine—we’re not judging them. To each his own, as they say. But if you feel happy yet empty, don’t hesitate to search for that happiness, because you might just surprise yourself with how much more you can do and contribute to the world, and how much you can discover about yourself.
This happened with artist Celeste Lecaros, a spontaneous realist artist. While she knew she had the knack for the arts and dabbled in it in her younger years—it was only after she got married and bore four children when she realized that she wanted to seriously pursue it.
“When I was younger, art lessons were not very common, unlike today,” she tells me in a recent interview with Pamilya Talk. But even then, her parents gave her the freedom to explore her interests. “I was a free child and was allowed to freely roam the backyard. That made me naturally curious.”
It was not long before her love for the arts developed. As a child, she found herself drawn to symmetry of the human face as well as its lighting. Her favorite toys then—paper and pencil.
Her teachers at Maryknoll College (now Miriam College) did spot her talent and interest in the arts and she would be asked to join art contests.
Celeste’s artistic inclination is not really surprising because she comes from a family of creatives. On the Salud side, there’s veteran fashion designer Rene Saud. There’s actually a portrait of the designer made by Celeste hanging at the former’s atelier. The Quizons and De Villas—on the side of her father—are into furniture and interior design.
But Celeste did not take up Fine Arts in college as she would have preferred. Her father wasn’t convinced that she’d be able establish a stable future for herself by becoming an artist. So Celeste ended up taking up a Communications degree. But wanting “to be part of the bigger dialogue,” she eventually shifted to Social Sciences.
Art took a backseat as she entered adult life and focused on raising a family. But art has been such a big part of her DNA that her love for it eventually resurfaced. “Art has been a part of me, so much so that when I look at other people’s paintings, I would notice mistakes in brush strokes or lighting and such,” she says.
In the summer of 2016, she decided to dabble in the arts again. She got into the hobby of coloring books which was a fad then. She later on joined an online arts group for moms and that became one of the avenues that reignited her love for the field. “Kulay ang bumuhay sa akin,” she quips.
“That’s when I think sinagot ng Diyos ang dasal ko na even if I have reared four children, okay naman ako in the house, ang dasal ko is I still want to do something in my life, kung saan ubos na ubos sana ako—I’d feel consumed,” she furthers.
Going back to the arts was a life-changing decision, she later realized. Before, she would only be going to the groceries or buying the needs of the family. Now, she would often find herself shopping for pigments or in the hardware section, looking for ways to hammer her art canvases properly. She’s also more conscious in taking care of her hands. “Talagang total takeover pag umoo ka sa art. Kailangan mong i-reciprocate,” she says.
Now that she’s in the career of creating art, she appreciates it whenever she goes to museums and galleries. “That is how powerful and life-changing art is to me,” she says.
Art is a form of expression. “Art is one way for us to establish a dialogue with others and the other forces in the universe,” she says. Thus, she tells aspiring artists, especially those who are pursuing it later in their life: “Don’t think na hindi valid ang pag-search ninyo [sa pwede nyo pang gawin in life].”
What I’ve learned talking to Celeste is that, we can discover a deeper facet of our own individuality by exploring our talents and gifts.
Her advice to those who want to pursue art: “Join art groups. That is a good start. Choose a group that you’re comfortable with and that uplifts you and won’t discourage you,” she says. “Continue on with your own individual art journey and don’t stop. If you truly want to pursue this and you have the talent, someone will surely approach you and help you. You just have to be confident, and know that you have a place in this world.”
Art is one way for us to creatively convey our emotions and sometimes even bring about change in today’s society. We look forward to seeing more artists like Celeste Lecaros to showcase Filipino culture and artistry.
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