Arturo Arsega, Jr.'s line drawings are reminiscent of art class projects where students had to draw faces and figures without lifting their pens or brushes from the paper. The end result may look deceptively simple, but it takes a lot of practice and trial and error to achieve.
    
Arsega makes it look easy, but his journey to becoming a successful artist was not easy. He only started his art career three years ago after working in the Middle East for a decade.

“I worked as a sales representative in Saudi Arabia until our company closed down. I returned to the Philippines where I got sick and had to be hospitalized and operated on. Sobrang down ako (I was so down),” Arsega narrated.

Few people know about this chapter in his life. It was during this low point that he turned his attention to the arts. “My only concession to my health predicament then was the time I spent drawing on my own.”

Arsega has always been interested in drawing. He would draw on anything he could find as a child, including cartons and paper packaging. He used comics to express his creativity and imagination, often depicting human faces with a range of emotions.

After experimenting with landscapes and abstract art, Arsega returned to his childhood passion of drawing human faces. He counts Vincent Van Gogh as a major inspiration, not just for his art, but also for his troubled journey as an artist.

His favorite artwork? Spoliarium by Juan Luna.

Arsega's line drawings are not as detailed as Van Gogh's or Luna's, but he has made them his own with the addition of a few strokes of paint or a watercolor-like wash.

“My style is a combination of continuous line art emotions and abstract art. I find that I’m able to connect with viewers with this type of artwork,” he said.

Despite no formal training whatsoever, Arsega was able to find his style that resonates with viewers. He said he researched on how best to showcase his talent. In 2020, with the help of an online gallery, he was able to sell his first artwork. It signaled his entry into the art scene.

Since then, Arsega has gone on to hold a solo exhibit with his second solo show opening at ARTablado, Robinsons Galleria this Aug. 16 to 31, 2023. He chose to title it “Dream Line” because this has been his dream since he was a kid. “All the lines I drew as a child have led me to this moment, a moment I only used to dream about.”

Visitors will get to see Arsega’s line drawings as well as some of the new artistic styles he has been experimenting on.

“I’m very thankful for being given the chance to exhibit my work at ARTablado, and become a part of their family especially since I’m a fairly new artist,” he said.