Love Marie Ongpauco-Escudero also known as Heart Evangelista formally launched the exhibit of her latest works at ArtistSpace of Ayala Museum on April 6.
Heart Evangelista (Instagram)
The exhibit "In Full Bloom" showcases 21 of Ongpauco’s latest collection showing a bolder style from her six other exhibits since coming out as a visual artist in 2014. To date, 19 out of the 21 paintings have already been sold.
Opening the exhibit with her was husband, Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero, and Senator Cynthia Villar. Attending the event were family and friends as her GMA-7 bosses Reggie Magno, Gigi Lara and Lilibeth Rasonable and fellow GMA artist Andrea Torres; Chiz’ mother Sorosogon Representive Evie Escudero, Inno Sotto, UP President Danny Concepcion and his wife Atty. Gaby Concepcion, among others.
The exhibit opened to the public on March 27 at ArtistSpace in Greenbelt Park, Makati City where she also held her first solo exhibit, “I Am Love Marie, the art and works of Love Marie Ongpauco” in 2014.
Love Marie started painting when she was still a kid. But the klieg lights of the entertainment industry overpowered her until a new inspiration came to her life, her husband, Senator Chiz Escudero. She started painting with Chiz under the mentorship of Ivan Roxas.
“I found a new life in painting, maybe because I think I’ve found myself,” Ongpauco says. “I’m so much more comfortable with myself now that, with every decision I make, I can go all out.”
Her artistic efforts came to fruition in successful one-man exhibitions where all paintings on display were sold in the first hour of exhibit openings.
In the international art scene, Love Marie held the same sold out exhibition in 2015 at the Chan Hampes Gallery in Singapore. In 2017, she collaborated with Earth Artists at a successful exhibit in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Love Marie artworks can be seen on canvas, couture, packaging items, bags, furniture and books.