wendy inspecting the paper

The Papermaker

Maestro Joel Navarro was in town the same time I was (he resides in the US like we do). Funny how many of us are grey and white now! It was a priviledge to be at Union Church of Manila while the US Government sponsored the Mozart Requiem for the Sept. 11 memorial, very dynamic.

running into old friends

at the marvelous new Ayala Museum cafe-- Romeo (whose work was in the current show at Ayala re: the Pasig River) and Dante Silverio, racing legend. Dante decided to do a drawing of my kids while we chatted over merienda.

Bamboo love

Room divider, made from the handmade paper economic development project (Mission Gifts) and bamboo from designer Wendy Regalado's bamboo grove, pictured below. These screens, in a variety of colors, are being sent via container from the Philippines to the Upper Room Art Gallery in Fort Lauderdale. be on the lookout....

what can be said

Aids Art Therapy Cards

Here's our THANK YOU card....persons with HIV/AIDS in Manila hand colour these blank greeting cards, and get paid per piece. The project gives them much needed funds, and the act of colouring is very therapeutic. At the hospital, they are given free room & board and free medical attention, but they must pay for their personal needs and most people prefer outside food as opposed to bland hospital food. Some are also needing adult diapers and other personal necessities for which they need income. This project has been a blessing for the past 6 years. Thank you for your support of the Christian Cultural Development Foundation via tax-deductible donations, which allows us to sustain this endeavor. The CCDF staff person overseeing this project, Cathy, is also HIV+ and highly respected in this community. The cards can be purchased in packs of 10 (Tropical Fish motif) for $20, or 5 (Thank you cards) for $10, at the Mission Gifts shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Soon we will have a Christmas card and Birthday card design. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT ARE APPRECIATED!!

An Art Collector

Lolly Tiu is an artist and good friend of ours, and also a collector of Mark Merrill's paintings. At Mark's September show in Metro Manila, Lolly bought this small oil painting on paper, a portrait of Philippine National Artist Maestro Lucio San Pedro. This will go perfectly with her previous buys of oil portraits of National Artist Cesar Legaspi and both the "Blue Onib" and "Green Onib", all done by Mark in oil. Below: Chuchi, Robin and Lolly at her son Joshua's Chinese-fusion restaurant at The Fort, showing off a Mark Merrill print. YUM