Laguna Province Honors Her Artists & Their Arts In An Unbelievably Massive Manner!

I’m holding/not holding the book “Dakilang Lagunense: The Art And Artists Of Laguna” copyright 2022 by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Republic of the Philippines. There is no Editor In Chief, but many Editors listed: Edwin S Estrada, Rhodora M Joaquin, Fe T Apon, Eilenee M Arqueza, Jeremie P Credo, Andrea Kristine G Molina, Jemimah Joanne C Villaruel. Figuratively – and literally – it’s a 270-page huge & hell-of-a-heavy book (10 kilos?). I love it because with this book, FSI celebrates artistic genius, if only in Laguna!

ANN (Author Not Named, undated, PH Foreign Service Institute, fsi.gov.ph) says:

In celebration of the National Arts Month, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) launched Dakilang Lagunense: The Art And Artists Of Laguna on 21 February 2023 at the Cultural Center of Laguna, Sta Cruz with the support of the Provincial Government of Laguna. The art book features 65 master and contemporary artists who trace their roots or reside in Laguna. It forms part of the Dakila Series which aims to feature different facets of the Philippines’ cultural heritage, including – among others – artists and their contributions to continuing art development and promotion.

And since there are too many artists featured (65), and since the family of Frank & Amparo (Ampy) Hilario with 13 children celebrated the birthday of Paul Hilario yesterday, Thursday, 11 April, who is now 52 years old, and who is featured in the book on pages 220-223 – I write mostly on Paul’s artworks.

Now then, our son Paul has had buyers of his art pieces not only in the Philippines but also in Europe and in the US. He has a website, “The Art Of Paul Hilario” (paul-hilario.pixels.com) where you can view a total of 186 paintings. I love them all not just because I am the father of the artist but because I love artworks that are  impressionist or post-impressionist.

I’d like this also to be a lesson for mothers.

Not to forget that his grandfather Gabriel Reynoso was a commercial painter, I must point out that it was his mother, Ampy, who noticed the potential of the boy Paul Benjamin when she saw him “painting” the walls of the apartment we were renting. Thereafter, his mother enrolled him in a nearby art class for youngsters – and that began Paul’s journey from painting graffiti to impressionistic art.

The book launching was attended by former FSI Director-General Jose Maria A Cariño, Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez, Provincial Administrator Dulce Hilario Rebanal, and Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office Officer-in-Charge Pamela Jane P Baun, with 42 of the 65 featured artists.

The unemphasized importance of the volume Dakilang Lagunense is that of underscoring the intellectual contributions of artists in a society, nay in an entire province.

In science, Laguna has UP Los Baños, the Department of Science & Technology and Department of Environment & Natural Resources, but none of these offices emphasize their necessary artistic works – pity! I was The Editor In Chief of the publications of the Forest Research Institute (now ERDB), but time flies!@517