Omel Masalunga

Art Statement

When I just got to Toronto, Canada, I was in a state of shock. I kept on saying to myself, “This is a first world country, amazing,” and that went on and on at the beginning...

As I was exploring the new city, I immediately noticed that besides seeing modern sky scrappers from one corner to corner, there were more parks beside them and with more parks around meant more flowers as well. I was more than delighted to know that abundance of flowers and gardens was coming into my life as a new immigrant in North America. I promised myself that I would observe the changes and the patterns of the Canadian flowers through the seasons.

On my first spring time, tulips sprung in yellow, which is my favorite, red, orange and rarely, black or dark purple. Tulips and other flowers including the daffodils were in full bloom in the entire neighborhood. Lilacs came out next, sometime in May. This kind reminded of “Flores de Mayo” in the Philippines. Then next summer came. Roses were the first to bloom followed by all the glorious arrival of the dainty phloxes in all the parks. Finally in October, Mums were in all the Canadian houses in celebration of the “Thanks Giving Day”. With such a flora parade through the changing seasons, I concluded that these guys, the Canadians, are flower-loving people and I was glad to know that.

I started painting garden on the very first year in Toronto by painting the pictures I took during the last summer. I was so happy for it was the first time for me to use different colors that were new to me in order to capture the likeness of the flowers. I was happy with all finished works that I brought my works to the galleries and bars for exhibitions and for sale. I was lucky enough to have sold out exhibits. After three years, I joined the P.A.G. (Philippine Artists Group) and exhibited more and more gardens and parks scene paintings in all the different galleries and municipal halls of different big cities.

For this particular exhibition of our,” P.A.G. 20th anniversary celebration,” I am showing new works of gardens that I created this year. I want to share the experience of having to view the flowers of my neighborhood in Toronto. I want everyone to see the likeness of the colors while it was happening in a warm and precious summers of North America.

Biography
Born in Naga City, Philippines on April 14, 1959, he developed his artistic skills at an early age. He took up Fine Arts major in Sculpture under the tutelage of National Artist, Napoleon Abueva at the Univeristy of the Philippines. During his graduation, he was awarded “The Most Outstanding Fine Arts Student”.

He started teaching art curriculum at Angelicum School in Quezon City, then moved on to teach same art subject to high school students in Ateneo de Manila University. And because of his natural talent in effective teaching, he was invited to join the faculty of Brent International School in
Pasig, Metro Manila on 1988. Along the way, he had attended several local and international art conferences and seminars. He had numerous art exhibitions, too many to list here in fact. But the most remarkable one was his exhibit at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines entitled “Mga Anito at Babaylan” (Priests and Priestess) where he tackled the lost art of mask-making and native idolatry, which was destroyed by the spanish conquistadores (conquerors).

In 1995, he moved from Manila to Toronto, where he continued to express his love for the visual art by mounting exhibitions in galleries and cafes in the city. He eventually joined the Philippine Artists Group founded by Romi
Manaquil, a fellow UP alumnus and former member of the Fine Arts Faculty. During his first few years in Toronto, he was commissioned to do a life-size statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila which is now displayed in the lobby of San Lorenzo School in Mississauga, Ontario. Wanting to go back to his passion for teaching, Omel enrolled in York University in fall of 2001. He eventually earned yet another degree in education that allowed him to teach in local catholic schools here in Ontario.

Currently, Omel works for the Toronto Catholic School Board as an Occasional Teacher. He continues to mount exhibitions every now and then. His medium is mostly oil and pastel. He also renders his aesthetic skills on stage designs for concerts.