DAVAO CITY – Ann Esteban, a mother of three, bested several artists from different parts of Mindanao in the senior category of the Davao City leg of the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest at the SM City Davao on Saturday, August 5.

WINNERS of the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest Davao City leg. 

Esteban, 42, a culture and arts specialist, said in an interview that her piece called the “Connected Veins,” a doodle, portrayed equality among the people amid the differences.

“The rationale – it’s made of continuous lines, all the different faces, of different colors, made of continuous lines that are connected together, and I called it ‘veins’ because ‘veins’ is about life, a blood line or lifeline. So, I thought being equal is not just trying to be all the same because if we’re all the same, it’s gonna be so boring,” she said.

Esteban said she had no intention to join as she only came to the venue to accompany her children who were joining the competition.

At home, she said she loved to doodle with her kids to while away time.

“When I doodle with my little girls, I just try to make continuous lines and form things or people or faces out of swirls and lines. I thought I’m gonna do that now because I feel like I can express myself that way. So, that’s what I did,” she said.

She said people “are all created equal but it’s more of we’re equal because we are all connected but we are all different.”

Esteban said she and her husband work as community facilitators helping indigenous groups and promoting their arts and culture.

“We work with indigenous people groups to help them develop their indigenous culture because everything is being globalized…People feel like I need to be the dominant culture. Now, our work hopes to help indigenous culture to realize and develop and find the beauty and continue creating the indigenous art forms and expression,” she said.

Bagging second in the senior category was Reagan Deiparine. Wencesa Nuera placed third.

In the junior category, Gellar Clause won first place, Gret Amparo, second, and Marga Cheska Kathreyn Honra, third.

Ariana Claire B. Tagoctoc bagged first place, Sian Trisha Asa, second, and Xyza Andrea Amoto, third in the Kiddie category.

Victor Augustus, a professional freelance artist who was one of the judges, said what he looked for in an artwork was not the typical poster-like artworks.

"For the first winner in the senior category, her artwork entitled ‘Connected Veins’ creates an impact on me as an artist. When I was looking on the technicalities, including the visual presentation, she understood what the sketch and the theme is all about," Augustus said.

Prof. Renante Pilapil of the Ateneo de Davao University, said that the winners were picked based on the criteria for judging and accumulated points from the judges aside from their impressive artwork.

All winners received cash prizes and gift certificates from Grab.

In the senior category, first place took home P30,000, second place, P20,000; third place, P10,000; junior, P15,000, first; P10,000, second; and third, P5,000; and P5,000 for first, P3,000 for second, and P2,000 for third in the kiddie category.

This leg the MB Sketchfest drew almost 300 artists from different parts of Mindanao.

The competition was first organized in Manila and was brought to Davao in 2017.

It will be held in Cebu City on September 2 and Manila on September 30.

Artworks were drawn based on the participants’ interpretation of the theme “We Are Created Equal” which highlights the “importance and respect for the equality of all mankind.”