“I want to paint you,” the artist, Popo San Pascual told me back in the early ’90s.
“Paint me with a tear in my eye,” I said.
“No, I want to paint you laughing,” Popo said, “I will call it Laughing Cecile.”
Popo moved to Tagaytay and we lost touch.
Something really tragic happened to me back in the ’90s, something I didn’t think I would survive.
During that time I found a small statue of the crying Virgin Mary, which touched me because I felt like she was crying with me. I had that special statue on my bedside until my baby dropped it on the floor and broke it.
Then sometime in November last year, I saw this invitation to an art gallery at The Fort.
Spanish painters Carla Rendon and Jessica Ruiz, collectively known as Crajes, was mounting a solo show in Manila.
I went there as fast as I could and marveled at the workmanship
These were huge
I couldn’t leave without buying anything, so I chose the one on the left.
Crajes’ paintings remind me so much of me, so I took a chance and emailed them to inquire about painting me, with a veil and a tear in my eye. I sent them a couple of pictures with me in Maison Michel hat and headband
I was thrilled when they emailed me back and wrote: “We want to know if you want a transparent tear or a blood one?”
A few months later, I was following its progress on @crajes Instagram account.
The tear is in place
Beginning of the veil
I love this
Amazing, painstaking detail with a fine brush
The finished product will be 100 x 115cm, and my dream is coming true.
To know more about Crajes, go to http://crajes.carbonmade.com/
Or follow them on Instagram @crajes and Twitter @crajesart
Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.