ARTIST STATEMENT

I was not born to be talented in art. However, growing up, I was always amazed and curious about how people create beautiful artwork, such as paintings, sculptures, or even posters. In the Philippines, wherever you go, there are always huge advertising billboards on the highways, especially around the city. Stuck in traffic, I would look at the billboards, and I wonder, “How do they create an ad where they can easily inform the viewers what they are trying to advertise?” that’s when I knew I wanted to learn and pursue graphics design as my major. 

I am also passionate about photography. When I was younger, I would always hate it when my mom took pictures of me, and sometimes, I would cry because I didn’t want to smile for a photo. However, now, I always ask my mom, “Why don’t I have pictures of me when I was younger?” she would always say, “Because you didn’t want me to take photos of you.” Now I realize that photos mean a lot to me and that capturing a moment in time could mean a million things to me or someone. It could also be something I could look back on in the future and remind of that “memory.” 

Through graphic design and photography, I create visually appealing and meaningful works, bridging the gap between art and function. Design has the power to convey complex ideas in simple, effective ways, and this is the essence of what graphic design means to me. It is an art form that connects and speaks to others through its balance of visuals and message. Paul Rand once said, “Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions, there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.”