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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider Aspiring artist burns artworks after clients ghosted him

Aspiring artist burns artworks after clients ghosted him

Published May 21, 2021 10:50 am

Ghosting doesn’t only happen to romantic relationships but also between artists and clients

FROM SKETCHES TO ASHES James Patrick Pabua burns his works after client didn't get the commissioned art pieces after six months (James Patrick Pabua)

Feeling deeply hurt and disappointed, a 17-year-old aspiring artist named James Patrick Pabua from Davao Oriental burned his own portrait works after his clients decided not to get and pay for those.

James first shared his experienced on an artist’s Facebook group Guhit Potato. In an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, the Grade 9 student from Baganga National High School says that those clients of his were also his schoolmates. 

“I saw them in school and they tried to avoid me,” he shares in Filipino. “They wouldn’t even make eye contact.”

Feeling furious, that’s when he decided to burn those supposed commissioned works. While boiling water in a traditional wood stove in the province, James took his artworks and burned them to ashes. 

WITHOUT REMORSE The young aspiring artist wants to forget this heart breaking incident, that's when he decided to set the portraits on fire

“Hindi ako nanghihinayang (I don’t have any regrets),” he says. “Because whenever I’m seeing those works, I remember their promises that they will get the artworks and pay for them. But when the promised date came, they didn’t show up.” 

The young creator only charged P200 for each of those graphite commissioned work portraits. But for six months, clients didn’t show up nor show signs of wanting to get their orders.

“I worked hard for those for six days,” James shares. “Some said that I’m charging too cheap, but still they didn’t pay for them. Maybe it’s because they already saw the works when I sent digital photos or, maybe, they were not satisfied with my drawings.” 

Because of this incident, James is now asking for payment before accepting job orders. “Sana alam n’yo gaano ko pinag-effortan yan. Gaano kahirap gawin, para lang ‘di nyo kunin (I hope you know the effort it took to draw those. How difficult it was for you to simply ignore it),” the young artist says. “Kung makikita ko sila ulit, ako na mismo ang iiwas. Ayaw ko na sila makita dahil sa ginawa nila sakin (If I’ll ever see them again, I’ll be the one to avoid them. I don’t want to see them again because of what they did to me).” 

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Portrait Jessica Pag-iwayan Arts James Patrick Pabua
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