The Manila Bulletin Sketchfest 2023 is in full swing this September, with the next event to be held tomorrow at the SM Seaside City Cebu.
The annual on-the-spot poster-making competition, which began in 2011 with only 200 participants in one location, has grown into a nationwide event that has captured the hearts of students, art enthusiasts, and creative groups from all over the Philippines. Indeed, it has become a symbol of art advocacy.
The judges for the Cebu leg of the event are Professor Dennis Montera and Ruel Rosello:
Dr. Dennis “Sio” Montera, a Cebuano visual artist, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas-Cebu and proceeded to earn a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts.
Notably, Dr. D.E. Montera is the Head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Visual Arts (NCCA-NCVA).
He is also a Full Professor at the College of Communication, Art, and Design (CCAD) and Coordinator of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program at the University of the Philippines Cebu. He holds a PhD in Creative Industries Design from the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, with specialization in Arts-Based Research, Art Consultancy, and Contemporary Painting.
Montera is a visual artist and educator who creates, as he describes, "process-oriented abstract art." His work is inspired by the sights, sounds, interactions, and experiences he encounters, and he uses acrylics and non-traditional materials to create his paintings. His work has been exhibited in well-known galleries and institutions in Manila and Cebu, as well as in several international art events.
Ruel Rosello, a former photojournalist, is now better known for his paintings than for his photography. He delights in creating traditional Filipino scenes in his paintings, often incorporating images of Señor Sto. Niño.
He is also known for incorporating in his artwork his signature "cartoony" features, such as bulging eyes and crooked teeth (into his figures).
Rosello has already come a long way as an artist.
Since 2019, he has been showcasing his exhibitions in collaboration with the Cebu Parklane International Hotel during each Sinulog Festival. Since 2013, he's been an active member of the Cebu Artists Inc. (CAI).
In his leisure moments, Rosello dedicates time to sketching his colleagues and friends, presenting these sketches as gifts.
Both Rosello and Montera are renowned and respected artists in the Philippines. They are sure to bring their wealth of experience and expertise to the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest 2023.
Sketchfest is happening nationwide, with the first leg of the event having recently concluded at SM City Davao last Aug. 5, 2023. The second leg will take place tomorrow, Sept. 2, at SM Seaside City Cebu. The last culminating activity will be at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia on Sept. 30.
For more information: https://sketchfest.mb.com.ph/
The competition is available for walk-in participants. Registration is free.