Life experiences: Inspiration for artist’s exhibit

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/lifestyle/2015/11/06/life-experiences-inspiration-artists-exhibit-440145
• Saturday, November 7, 2015

By Riain Alfonso

FROM the 5th to the 12th of November, the 2nd Level West Concourse of the Limketkai Mall has served as venue for “My Journey Through Canvass, Brushes, and Paints,” a solo art exhibit by Kristie Sabanpan-Butron.

Having been featured in six other group exhibits in the past, this is Kristie’s first solo exhibit that features 20 of her artwork.

The artist, who incidentally also celebrated her birthday on November 6, is 50 years old and started painting in earnest late in life. “I started painting in October of 2013,” Kristie said, “When I was younger, I did more of arts and craft, art related but never painting. What inspired me to start painting is to empower myself in doing the things that I love, in doing the things that I enjoy doing.”

“When my marriage failed, it was really how things started,” Kristie furthered. “I realized that I have to take care of myself. I loved that person too much that I have no more love for myself. When it failed, I went through counseling and came to a point that I realized I needed to love myself first and foremost. And when I say loving myself, I mean doing the things I love, not for others but for me. I can live life by being myself and not being too dependent on other people.” She believes that the trials she had to undergo are also blessings because they opened a lot of doors for her especially with the arts.

Kristie is a member of Artsada Cagayan de Oro, a local artist group, and was encouraged to stage her own solo art exhibit because people believed in her work even during the times she didn’t believe in herself.

“I’m just here to please myself, I just do this to please myself but it’s something else when others are also pleased with your work. It’s really more than what I expected.”

“A lot of people say my paintings are colorful. This is maybe because I have a brighter outlook in life now. I prefer to look at life in a more hopeful way. There’s no dull moment if one chooses to be happy and color brightens up people’s lives. For me, I like being colorful because that’s how I want my life to be, colorful and happy and exciting, full of adventure, full of fun.”

She is most proud of her artwork “Precious as Birds,” which depicts several birds in a row and is inspired by a bible verse, Matthew 6:26. “It’s my wake up call. In spite of being down in life, there’s still hope because I have a loving God. I’m as precious as a bird. Dili ko pasagdan sa Ginoo, I can go on living my life despite of whatever experience I get. Right now, life has really been good. Very, very good, very inspiring, and very happy with where I am right now. Very happy jud, as in!”

Kristie said that she’s still learning the art of painting and would like to focus on acrylic for now but plans to work with oil in the future. All her artwork depicts scenes that are close to her, of places she’s been to and of her own experiences especially with mountain climbing which is her other passion. The exhibit serves as a testament of how she was able to pick up the pieces after a fall and of how strong a woman Kristie is.

She also said that she never thought of selling her artwork and was surprised that people actually want to buy her art, “Being able to paint is already a blessing and for people to really want to have my paintings in their homes is more than a blessing for me.” Her artworks sell from P2,500 to P9,000.

She also wants to inspire other artists through her exhibit, “I just want to inspire everybody. Because, ako, I started painting late and I know a lot of people who wants to go into painting and I want to inspire them, that it’s never too late to start.” This is also why she has two featured guest artists who have two paintings each on display in her exhibit. The artists are Lyndsay, her 15-year-old daughter, and Kristoffer Galarpe, a friend.

“Na-overwhelmed ko, super overwhelmed. Di ako makapaniwala,” said Kristoffer who used coffee to paint his two artworks on display, “Super saya ko kasi hindi ko ini-expect na ma-exhibit din yung ginawa kong art. Dream come true for me.”

“It’s exciting and scary,” said Lyndsay, “It’s nice that your skills get acknowledged by people but it’s also scary because you’re scared of what people might think of your work. I’m proud of my work because it’s something that I worked hard for and did my best to make.”