The Jungle Variety : acrylic, ink and colored pencil on canvas, 12 x 12 in. 2019
2 thoughts on “”
Hi Ernest! How are you?? I am teaching a little virtual watercolor class called “Travel the World with Watercolor” through July. Next week we are “going” to the Philippines! So I am looking at and loving your artwork from your website! I like to share artists from the country we “travel” to. So I am going to tell them about you and show them some of your work. Are there any pieces in particular that I should share? Maybe something inspired by your life in the Philippines? You are totally welcome to “join” us in the Zoom… it’s 10am NYC time this Monday (could wait until Thursday). Hope you are well in these very strange times! xo joyce riley
Hello Joyce!!! Ohhh soo good to hear from you. This is fantastic news sharing different countries and art with your class! I would say the most Filipino-centric artworks I’ve done would be the Enamel Series: https://ernestconcepcion.com/portfolio/enamel-paintings/
They’re highly inspired by the ubiquitous Jeepney, one of our public transportation vehicles. They usually family-owned and they would decorate them with all sorts of neon art, religious quotes, family portraits, etc. Real interesting. They’re like moving pieces of art! The painting series are also inspired by these neon stickers that the drivers would put on the inner part of the windshields so the passengers could see them. Unfortunately, this is a dying art form. And not too many jeepney drivers decorate their vehicles as much anymore. In fact, they’ve been banned currently because of the epidemic 🙁 Hopefully, we don’t lose this unique national treasure.
I even did a Thesis on this back in College! – wherein I became the Jeepney, carrying exact images of the Jeepney art but blown up to painting size carrying them around in various places and situations. My artist’s statement is also there: https://ernestconcepcion.com/portfolio/transformations/
with accompanying images.
ohhhh, I miss being an art teacher there! Used to teach at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum 🙂 Good times. For your watercolor class, they could explore mixing neon colors or simply use a consistent color palette with no shading or blending in making these images inspired by Jeepney Art. They’re almost like paint by numbers with accompanying text. The text included in these images are usually reminders to ‘PAY THE DRIVER’ or ‘DONT FORGET TO PRAY’ etc. They’re really fascinating. I guess for your class they can make their own quotes or life lessons on the images 🙂 Whoa, this is exciting!!!
This is so much info but I hope it all goes well!
Let me know if you have any further questions. Take care and all the best 🙂
Hi Ernest! How are you?? I am teaching a little virtual watercolor class called “Travel the World with Watercolor” through July. Next week we are “going” to the Philippines! So I am looking at and loving your artwork from your website! I like to share artists from the country we “travel” to. So I am going to tell them about you and show them some of your work. Are there any pieces in particular that I should share? Maybe something inspired by your life in the Philippines? You are totally welcome to “join” us in the Zoom… it’s 10am NYC time this Monday (could wait until Thursday). Hope you are well in these very strange times! xo joyce riley
Hello Joyce!!! Ohhh soo good to hear from you. This is fantastic news sharing different countries and art with your class! I would say the most Filipino-centric artworks I’ve done would be the Enamel Series: https://ernestconcepcion.com/portfolio/enamel-paintings/
They’re highly inspired by the ubiquitous Jeepney, one of our public transportation vehicles. They usually family-owned and they would decorate them with all sorts of neon art, religious quotes, family portraits, etc. Real interesting. They’re like moving pieces of art! The painting series are also inspired by these neon stickers that the drivers would put on the inner part of the windshields so the passengers could see them. Unfortunately, this is a dying art form. And not too many jeepney drivers decorate their vehicles as much anymore. In fact, they’ve been banned currently because of the epidemic 🙁 Hopefully, we don’t lose this unique national treasure.
I even did a Thesis on this back in College! – wherein I became the Jeepney, carrying exact images of the Jeepney art but blown up to painting size carrying them around in various places and situations. My artist’s statement is also there:
https://ernestconcepcion.com/portfolio/transformations/
with accompanying images.
You can discuss this with your students by showing them about the Jeepney:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepney
Here’s a BBC docu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Noo-78TEQ
and my favorite episode on Toughest Place to Be where they sent a London Bus driver to drive a jeepney in chaotic Manila:
https://www.wheninmanila.com/london-bus-driver-drives-jeepney-in-manila-toughest-jobs/
Sadly, I couldn’t find the video of this 🙁 Its amazing!
ohhhh, I miss being an art teacher there! Used to teach at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum 🙂 Good times. For your watercolor class, they could explore mixing neon colors or simply use a consistent color palette with no shading or blending in making these images inspired by Jeepney Art. They’re almost like paint by numbers with accompanying text. The text included in these images are usually reminders to ‘PAY THE DRIVER’ or ‘DONT FORGET TO PRAY’ etc. They’re really fascinating. I guess for your class they can make their own quotes or life lessons on the images 🙂 Whoa, this is exciting!!!
This is so much info but I hope it all goes well!
Let me know if you have any further questions. Take care and all the best 🙂