Wilfredo “Yeye” Calderon has been a quiet force in the art scene for decades, but his recent eighth solo exhibit, “From Fine to Bold,” showcased a transformation that’s impossible to ignore. The exhibit, which ran at the Artasia Gallery in SM Megamall, was a visual timeline of a master shedding his skin, moving from his famously delicate, representational style toward something explosive, semi-abstract, and deeply personal.

In a true moment of reflection, the artist realized the title had to capture this evolution. “I see the change in my works,” Yeye shared, noting that the exhibit’s 32 watercolor pieces documented his journey. He explained the shift, “I started with representational works until I was able to create semi-representational works. That’s why I made the title: ‘From Fine to Bold.’”

Yeye’s work always finds the profound in the mundane, and the centerpiece, “Water Giver,” is a perfect example. The large-scale painting was inspired by an old, rusty water pump (poso) he observed near a local market. He found himself moved by its constant, quiet service.

“For me, the benefit to everyone is very big,” he noted, struck by how essential the decades-old pump was, yet how often it was overlooked. To force a new appreciation for the humble object, he used his abstract style to make it a star. “I made the background abstract so it would stand out, showing that it still gives life to everyone.”

He also weighed in on the heavier realities of Philippine society with “Paglubog ng Liwanag sa Bayang Mahirap (Sunset in the Poor Country).” The piece, rendered in his expressive semi-abstract manner, led him to question the perpetual cycle of national struggle. Reflecting on a country “submerged in flood and debt,” he shared his contemplation. “Until when will the light always be set?” The piece is ultimately a prayer, concluding, “Hopefully, at the rising of the dawn, there will be light of hope.”

Every single painting in the exhibit was watercolor, a medium Yeye has devoted 30 years to. For him, it’s a constant challenge that has never lost its intrigue. He calls it what it is. “Watercolor is like a wild horse. It is as difficult to tame, and it takes so much time and patience.”

His philosophy is to simply let the wild horse run. When starting a painting, he lets the pigments “explode” and flow naturally, believing that “the watercolor has a life of its own.” He begins his work only when the flow settles, but his commitment to the medium’s integrity is absolute.

This dedication is hard-won. Yeye’s journey includes a 13-year period in Singapore, where he worked in landscaping, taking a break from painting. He credits a sudden realization for his return. “I need to paint, I’m painting the days.” The return proved difficult. “It turns out it’s hard when you stop doing watercolor,” but it fueled a renewed, daily practice that led to this very show.

Ultimately, the exhibit revealed an artist who has truly found his purpose. As Yeye asserts, his work is life, “For me, watercolor painting is life. Painting in watercolor is my life.”