At the Gateway to the Creative City! Anniversario's Resort

At the Gateway to the Creative City!

By: Nonnette C. Bennett

Artist Clinton Aniversario opened the Aniversario Art Gallery/ Clinton Museum on July 14 at Upper Palina boundary which marks the entry into Tuba, Benguet from Pugo, La Union. Perhaps a great motorist stop-over before the ascent to Baguio City, the two - hectare property is not just a woodcarver’s workshop and showroom but also a walk to stretch stiff limbs.

There is a growing fascination with eco-tourism and agro-tourism among local and foreign tourists. This is a perfect stop, a visual and physical exploration of art in different forms. There are different galleries to explore: woodcarving, antique heritage, photography, art, and camera museum. There is also an open space for performances or just to gather around.

Along the road, one sees the massive woodcarvings and the workshop where the wood is cut and carved. A coffee shop welcomes the travel weary with local coffee and cakes. This also serves as the photographs exhibit area of Clinton’s works with his camera. Outside the coffee shop is a garden cum gathering place where one can have a workshop/seminar for artists or other appropriate activities.

The main building is the display center for contemporary woodcarvings and handcrafted items for souvenirs and collections. The garden is a workshop of bonsais done by the Aniversario matriarch for the plant enthusiasts. There are swimming pools converted into tilapia ponds by the family. The fish can be served for lunch in the future. Different fruit trees are found in the different areas of the property: dragon fruit plants, jackfruit, balimbing or Averrhoa carambola, rambutan, and mangoes, among other endemic fruit trees. Perhaps, the family can include fruit picking for a fee.

The basement of the main building is the heritage gallery that displays a collection of Cordillera costumes and accessories. Antique and contemporary cultural pieces can be seen here which fits the essence of Baguio as a creative city for indigenous crafts and culture.

Beside another pond is a camera museum. Camera enthusiasts can

see the evolution of the camera through the decades. Set up like a photo studio, one can feel like one is being photographed by different cameras of different film eras. One can poke at the cameras collected by Clinton and those donated by friends and family to fill all the shelves on the walls of the gallery.

Taking a hundred or so steps down the side of the gallery, Clinton has aptly constructed a small dark room in the shape of a camera. One can climb the camera or go into the dark room through the door shaped like a lens. A work in progress, the landscaping of the area has a metal sculpture and a walk with interesting ornamental plants.

A path behind the coffee shop leads down to the art gallery. The art gallery hosts contemporary works done by different artists. On July 14, Clinton whose art uses syringe as a tool, Jordan Mang-osan who uses the magnifying glass for his solar paintings, Juan Elani Tulas using styrofoam as a medium, Augusto Endrina Elopre using feathers as his medium, and Carlo Villafuerte with needle as art tool opened their art exhibit. That was a very interesting exhibit where the artists did not use paint to express their art, a first.

Outside the gallery is a garden of sculptures too. A chess board with Cordillera icons can be a game with movable pieces. A garden stroll turns into an art landscape too. More stairs down the slope leads into an amphitheater where performances can be done surrounded by trees and plants.

As an adventurous traveler and eager stroller/hiker, this Aniversario Art Gallery is a perfect introduction to the Creative City of Baguio for indigenous crafts and culture. This is a must visit place to introduce the city as creative hub for indigenous art and culture.

When Graffiti Can Be Beautiful

When Graffiti Can Be Beautiful!

By: Nonnette C. Bennett

It is boring to look at clean painted walls. Such a waste of space, it is the venue for expression of vandals who just want to mark it with their names. Marked with names in spray paint not tastefully printed, they are not visually pleasant. Of late, Angelo Aurelio, performance and visual artist, found walls of schools and public parks as canvas for his own type of graffiti.

In search of himself and an outlet for his creative energy, he actually painted the walls of the Baguio City Jail – Female Dorm with floral patterns. His artwork actually lifted the spirits of the officers and the ladies. It was a break from the monotony of the pale walls and bars. This inspired Warden April Rose Ayangwa to bring the talent of Gelo to Paracelis for a week to do work on the walls of the Paracelis National High School and Paracelis Central School as a contribution of the Ayangwa Movement for Good Governance. This further inspired him to use historical images and symbols in his murals. He used the image of the generous couple who played a key role in the history of Paracelis on one wall and the Ga’dang gong players on another. He used images of the deer and the birds that abound in the mountains too. He kept true to the colors and symbolisms of the culture.

Called to Pidigan, Abra, he found the walls of St. Mary’s High School to work on. It was here where Gabriela Silang caught his attention and it seemed that this set the stage for his mural on the national heroes. He discovered how beautiful and fiercely nationalistic Gabriela was and he was hypnotized.

By the end of April, he was caught in a frenzy of capturing the images of 22 images of our national heroes for the Department of Education in time for National Heroes Day. Striking was the side lining of Jose Rizal who is often used as the centerpiece of any celebration. True to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to give all the heroes equal attention, Gelo’s mural on tarpaulin allows a viewer to examine each face and expression. It is often difficult for an artist to give the details of his work and the reason for using the elements of color or texture. Gelo explained his art in both the presentations at the Baguio Museum and at DepEd in Manila, aptly captured by Krissy Aguilar of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Ako po’y gumamit din ng mga kulay na hamok sa ating bandila. Pula para sa katapangan, para sa apoy ng nasyonalismo. Para sa mga bayani na nag-alay ng dugo at buhay (I also used the colors of our flag – red for bravery and the fires of nationalism. It stands for heroes who gave up their lives).” “Asul para sa lalim ng diwang Pilipino, para sa karagatan, para sa kalikasan. Puti para sa dalisay na kaluluwa at dilaw para sa liwanag at galing ng Pilipino (Blue for the depth of Filipino spirit, for the ocean, for nature. White for the purity of the soul and yellow for the greatness of the Filipino),” Aguilar added as Gelo’s explanation.

In July, Gelo launched another mural for the Baguio Museum on the occasion of re-opening the Cordillera exhibit area. The rehabilitation and curation of the exhibit area was funded by a grant from the Unites States of America Embassy was launched in time for the Filipino – American friendship day. He captured the old images of Cordillera’s major tribes from the six provinces. Gelo ably expressed the distinct details of each tribe’s customary traditional garb.

Gelo has turned murals into narratives that inspire a love of place, a love of history and love for culture. It is time that graffiti turn into beautiful stories that inspire a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.

11.11.11 11th Anniversary of the UC Percussion & Orchestra

 11.11.11

By: Nonnette C. Bennett

In numerology, this series of 1’s are auspicious signs of synchronicity says Wikipedia. In China, 11 11 is singles day with the 1 and the best day in sales, online or at the brick and mortars, if there are any left. In Baguio, it stands for the 11^th year of the University of the Cordilleras Percussion & Orchestra at the University of the Cordillera Center for Creative Production on the 11^th day of the 11^th month. Two hours of harmonic Original Pilipino Music (OPM) music lifted amateur spirits and melancholy for the graduates who watched the performance.

Music is the language of the soul, this cannot be disputed. Playing the instruments require a finer or the finest strands of a person. To possess this finer quality is such a gift from above. To unravel these talents is even more challenging. Paul Louie Serrano has been at this feat for the last 11 years being the Music Master for the 23 scholars of the UCPO and the performance on November 11 proved his dedication.

Paul says it was Engr. Alec Mapalo, now Tourism Officer of Baguio City, who revived the band of UC. At the time the group was inclined towards a choreographic marching band to liven the performances of the UC representatives during parades of the Panagbenga. However, when Paul came to apply for the position, he was taken in as a Music teacher. Paul says he belonged to the last batch of College of Education graduates of St. Louis University who majored in Music and Arts in 2006. He was looking forward to being a band master more than a music teacher. The challenge of transitioning it into an orchestra meant working with more students. Since the start of the K-12 program of the Department of Education, Paul has taken in Senior High School students into the fold.

The Drumline Ensemble composed of the Senior High School students was reminiscent of movies on marching bands like “Drumline” which showed the synchronicity in the percussion instruments as well as in the choreography of movement while marching. Of course, the limited space allowed sways, drumstick flips and forward and backwards marches only and no formations. These drums are the life of a parade as they give the tempo for the march or the performance which the drumline ensemble will do.

What better way to present the song “Buwan” than with guitars! The guitar ensemble with the beatbox was delightful to listen to. The Woodwind Ensemble and Violin Ensemble serenaded the audience. It was a surprise to listen to “Forevermore” on the saxophone.

Putting all the instruments together as an orchestra, the first part of the presentation had the songs of the mountains like “Salidummay”, “Nanlayad” and “O Demdem” in the repertoire. The second part made for more upbeat Pinoy favorites like “Awitin Natin”, “Paraiso” and “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika”. As an orchestra, they are invited to perform at concerts and as a marching band they perform in the parades, says Paul.

The hurdle this year was incorporating the senior high school students who were beginners in the guitar ensemble. They read chords and had to be taught how to read notes in order to perform with the other instruments. But the concert showed that the greatest team that can show synchronicity will always be an orchestra. Not so perfect yet but with more bonding and exposure, there is much promise in the musicians to become excellent.

Peejay Natiola, UC Center for Creative Production Director said that the concert showed how the scholars were able to manage their time for the orchestra and their academics. He told the parents present that the UC promises to guide the students to finish their studies while performing in the orchestra.

Cheers to 11 years of the Percussion & Orchestra of the UC! The lights and a wider space would be more appropriate for such a magnificent performance on the 12^th year to celebrate your music.

Buzzing Gelato & Tossing Pizza at Amare La Cucina

Buzzing Gelato & Tossing Pizza

By: Nonnette C. Bennett

Summer is upon us and cool treats make it bearable. To the adventurous, what about a scoop of Cabernet Gelato or Red Horse Gelato for a light buzz after tossing your own pizza at Amare La Cucina (Italian for Love Your Kitchen)?

Creating their own selection of 20 homemade gelato flavors for Monte Gelati, Edmark Bustos, 33 and wife Nica are capturing natural and favorite flavors using the Italian technology. Bustos says that gelato is smoother, lighter and airy compared to ice cream and has less butterfat. Recently experimenting with alcoholic beverages as flavors, he explains that the alcohol content is reduced when they cook the wine or beer prior to mixing it with the custard that is the base of gelato. This allows the alcohol to freeze but retain the flavor of the drink. He says gelato is better than ice cream since it has less sugar and allows you to better taste the fruit, nut, chocolate and other ingredients used because it doesn’t numb the tongue. His favorite things like Nutella and Speculoos Cookie Butter are in the selection of gelato flavors too since they opened in February this year.

“Would you like to prepare your own pizza?” Edmark asked. This is the experience that Amare La Cucina adds in the woodfire brick oven made pizzas that they serve. Wenmark Mirania, 21, pizza dough tosser and maker, says he trained for a month before he learned the art of tossing the dough which he is willing to share with the curious customers. The ingredients for the different kinds of pizza are weighed and pre-packed to give consistency in the quality of the pizza according to Edmark. “Anytime you come to Amare the pizza will be the same,” he said. He is supplied organic vegetables for the salads and pizza by three local farmers. He uses about 10 bundles of fruit tree branches for the wood in his oven daily to bake his pizza and other food preparations like ribs and chicken. He says that they try to maximize the use of all the ingredients and items in the restaurant to reduce waste. After five years, all these ingredients for management and operations have rated Amare as number one in firewood baked pizzas in Baguio according to Tripadvisor.

Amare is not just a pleasure for the palate with the Italian flair but also an opportunity for its workers and staff to venture into the same business. Bustos says that he hopes that sharing the recipes and training the staff with the skills to understand the business will inspire them to become entrepreneurs like him. He has already opened two other branches in San Juan, La Union and Pasig with partners. The kitchen lovers are growing in number because of Edmark’s love for food baked in the woodfire brick oven. He designs the brick oven made from German fire bricks and mortar that can sustain 1200°F himself.

The exotic Cabernet and Red Horse gelato of Monte Gelati on a warm summer day should be a nice finish to any of your favorite pizzas at Amare La Cucina. Toss your very own pizza and get the zing and buzz of the exotic or fruity gelato from 10 am to 9 pm at the Albergo Hotel on any day.