The Art of Rafael Paderna

Hello Good morning! We’re here with one of our famous local artists Mr Paderna.  This is the third of our articles on the local Bacolod Art scene.  To preserve this interview the article is published in the Hilgaynon dialect.  For an English Translation  please scroll down for to  the comment section.

BFH: Hello Mr Paderna, taga Bacolod ka gid halin sang una?

P: Taga bacolod gid.

BFH: Nag study ka sa UST? Fine arts?

P: Fine arts major in advertising.  Nag pa states ko 1987 kag nagbalik ko di 5 years ago kag diri nako ga practice my profession as an artist.

BFH: Ano gid ang imo na gina ubra.. Ang imo forte?

P: Well ako usually damo na media gina ubra ko.. Ga sculpture ko.. metal clay and then ga paint man ko.. I do oil, acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink, mostly mixed media.  I was a professor in La Consolacion College several years ago..

BFH: Pila ka years?

P: I think mga more that ten years.  Isa ko sa professor da na nag pioneer sang architecture kag fine arts dira sa LCC.

BFH: Dayon nag pa states ka?

P: Nag pa states kami for the children.  We went there for their better future and over there I did some paintings…

BFH: Damo ga bakal na mga Amerikano?

P: Well over there wala gid ko to na ga practice fulltime. Kay pag start mo to especially when you’re a filipino mabudlay mag penetrate sa art scene kay ang environment digto kag ang ila exposure sa art lain.  Daw ga hambal kita na art is international pero may ara gid distinctions.

BFH: Sa aton art naton is more oriental…and our culture is different.

P: Right right.

BFH: Te ano gina ubra mo subong?

P: Subong ga ubra ka subong sang sculptures.. clay and metal.  Subong ga ubra ko brass sculpture.. Gina weld ko na.  Most of my subjects are women especially mother and child.. I also do clay, stucco (colored cement) and also wood. Ka dako sang hands sang mga subjects ko kay I want to show the goodness and love of a mother.

BFH: Sang una how did you know you were going to be an artist.  

P: Ever since gagmay ako daw na balan ko na..  nag take up ko commerce pero indi ko interested.  I enrolled in UST and I found my calling.

BFH: Sino ang gina consider mo as your mentor in art?

P: Well, one is Isidro and Ang Kiukok,

BFH: My ara ka teacher na nag recognize sang artistic ability mo?

P: Well sang una si Abueva, kay siya ang one of the subjects in sculpturing.  I was chosen with a group of students na makadto sa iya balay then he gave us mga special instructions. So more or less nahilig ko sa sculpture.

BFH: Sa painting ya?

P: Si Gallo Ocampo, Si Non Rivera, those were our teachers before.  More or less na inspire mga estudyante kay mayo sila mag tudlo so more or less na inspire man kami

BFH: Stressful man mag go into art/art course?

P: Actually Indi man cya stressful. Once you love your work, indi ka ma stress.  Kami na mga estudyante na mahilig guid, ga kalaboutan kami asta sa kaagahon.  Waay kami ka batyag sang kapoy.  Thats how art is.

BFH: Do you remember your first major work, do you have it?

P: Well ang isa ko ka major work is the mural sang isa ka banko diri sa Bacolod.. it measures 9 feet by 25feet.. This was way back in 1980.That was made of welded metal.  Subong ara na da sa balay ni Mrs Benedicto. Gina hang nila sa balay nila.   The theme is progress of Bacolod.  It was represented by three children representing the three regions of the Philippines.

Another major work is I won the grand award of the Philippine art association in 1982 for sculpture.

The contest was supposed to be na kung sino ma daog ibutang na sa Luneta.  It would measure around 20 feet and the tittle of my sculpture is birdman.  So damo mga hawla kag damo sang mga pispis na dira ga istar kag ma buto.

BFH: Te gin butang gid man nila sa Luneta?

P: Well sang nag daog nako, nag hambal sila na wala na sila pondo!

BFH: Well at least may ara prize!

BFH: How do you get inspiration for your work?

P:  As a professional artist you dont need inspiration.  It’s always there.  Those new like students always say you need inspiration but if you’re a professional artist you dont need inspiration, its your profession.  I make it a point that everyday I handle my brush, my torch..  It’s like ga kadto ka lang sa opisina pero once maganahan ka ga kalabutan ka sa kaagahon

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