The treasures of Toledo
Art Madness, a 48 x 96 oil on canvas painting by Orley Ypon, is an assemblage of various kinds of people, each representing themselves and the things they have to offer. This painting is the perfect representation of the new gallery established by Ypon in Toledo that shines the spotlight on the artists of his hometown.
Aroma Art Gallery, a newly built gallery in Toledo City, is filled with the most promising living masters of art. It is locally dubbed as the Copper City and people have yet to discover the wonders its people can do with a paintbrush and a canvas.
“Aroma Art Gallery is the first gallery here in our city, Toledo. With this, we aim to develop and expose realist artists and their full potential and become successful through good mentoring, programs, and activities such as demos, workshops, exchange programs, and exhibits. We are dedicated to helping and nurturing aspiring artists and promulgating art literacy,” says Ypon.
With Aroma Art Gallery, Toledo City will become a city filled with cultural pride, peopled by artists committed to discipline, viability, and sustainability that will showcase representational classic art and revive realism. The city, according to Ypon, has little knowledge of art. Through the new gallery, he wants to promulgate art literacy and awareness in the community.
“I believe that in this way I can help contribute and educate society and can help build a strong foundation and awake creativity not only for the aspiring artist but also for everyone, especially to the youth. In Aroma Art Gallery you can find art at its finest, contemporary art that represents nature, and artworks that will make you fall in love and want to become an artist yourself,” he says.
Ypon, a master realist that hails from Toledo, is known for his iconic taong putik in his painting Ahon. He has been astonishing the art crowd since he was a young boy, which has garnered him various awards and recognitions. With his art works being put in various places in Metro Manila, he always finds his way back to his hometown.
“I remember my love and interest in art started when I was five years old. Art gives my soul satisfaction. Even when I am at home and I see my artworks, they each gives me total happiness. I am a self-taught artist influenced and inspired by the classical masters. I studied their color, their patterns, atmosphere, and temperature. Reading classical books also helped me a lot,” says Ypon.
Soon he developed his style of contemporary realism. “The choice of subject, composition, and the subject matter, especially my mud series, is what makes me unique,” Ypon says. “I love the impromptu process. I paint directly on the canvas no matter how complicated my subject is or how big it is. I love doing intricate and detailed paintings in the hyper realism technique. But through the years, I’ve learned to love bold strokes, bravura technique, impasto, and virtuoso effects.”
Aroma Art Gallery is the first gallery here in our city, Toledo. With this, we aim to develop and expose realist artists and their full potential and become successful through good mentoring, programs, and activities such as demos, workshops, exchange programs, and exhibits.
Among Ypon’s dazzling awards are First Prize, 2001 AAP National Competition; 2001 and 2004 Grand Prize, Petron National Competition; Second Prize, 2008 GSIS National Art Competition; Grand Prize, Figurative Category of the 2012 Art Renewal Center International Salon; Grand Prize, 2009 International Magazine Competition; and the 2011 Dangal ng Ani Award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Previously, Ypon established the Aroma Art Atelier, which provides apprenticeship and assistance to young Cebuano artists. This soon flourished, becoming the Aroma Art Gallery that will put the artists he has nurtured on the local and world map.
The gallery opened on Feb. 18, showcasing the talented artists of Toledo, including Miriam Abasa, Winnafe Adlawan, Mark Belicario, Rainer Duhaylungsod, Ricky Eslao, Maria Francisca Andraianne Juarez, Edzel Libre, Marvin Chito Natural, Randy Plarisan, Kim Postrano, Rembert Quimada, Romar Quimada, Jesucrist Sanchez, Rowena Vios, Aquilino Ypon, Orley Ypon, and Daniel Yu.
Art Aroma Gallery is at Maxi J. Building, Purok Ipil-Ipil, Brgy. Dumlog, Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines.