Reviving an old passion

Nine years ago at this same date, when the skies also poured out much rain, I painted my first entry to the Metrobank Art Contest.

Just fresh out of college and waiting for prospective employers to call, I busied myself with art - painting on oil, acrylic and brushing wood paint on images made of hardened gluestick.

Inspired by women's strength, of wings and flight, and elements from the ethnic culture of Baguio, this painting was born of oil and turpentine. It's name as I recall was "Mamulat, Tumayo, Lumipad, Lumaya" - resonating beliefs influenced largely by my stay in UP.

Metrobank required contestants to take photos of the painting and have it notarized. These were the easy part. The next was to submit it to their branch in Roxas Boulevard, which I didn't even know where since I studied in Baguio, plus the fact that I am coming from Bulacan.

Thanks to the recipient of this painting, I was able to have a companion in finding my way to the branch. Bus, jeep, LRT and bicycle "padyak" ride - that was the sequence of this painting's journey to the branch.

As fate would have it, I didn't make it through the the finals though.
But the sweat and labor were worth the try.

Soon, I was informed to retrieve the painting. I hurried to the old Metrobank building near Greenbelt Makati, carefully cut out the canvass off its frame (since I am just commuting) and went home.

The recipient by the way was an "ex", of course months before the split up. I hope it was kept safe. All I have was a picture of it.

And now, nine years after, I am on a hiatus from the corporate workplace. One on my To-Do list is to go back to painting. At least one painting for the house. At least one.

I ask myself, do I still know the blending techniques? What about the color combos? Back in my highschool and college days, blending was my favorite, and now I only have faint memories of it.

'Hope my hands have not gone so hard yet.
I promised my husband and daughter that I would make them subjects in my art. And that promise needs to be fulfilled.

At one point, old passions such as these call you.
God-given, inner talents waiting to be given a rebirth.
The only thing to do is to respond.

What is an old passion you want to revive?