Rommel Tingzon and Gordon Snyder: A Filipino-Canadian Story of Arts Patronage

In the recent The Works Art & Design Festival, a young Filipino painter from Palawan, Rommel Tingzon, had his own exhibition entitled Portraits of the Philippines, at the Manulife Place, up until the end of August. There is no doubt that Rommel is talented but he is also undeniably fortunate to have an advocate for his talent and work, in the person of Gordon Snyder, Canadian artist and curator.

Gordon, who lives part time in Palawan, met Rommel in 2017 and was stunned to find 200 recent paintings rolled up in a small room, distinguishing Rommel as the most prolific painter in the area, and marking him as a true artist who really just wants to draw and paint. From then on, Gordon worked on having Rommel featured at The Works Festival, and for financially setting him up for post-secondary studies at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute for Architecture and Fine Arts this year.

Rommel's exhibit at The Works, according to Amber Rooke, Executive Artistic Director, is significant in terms of "cultural exchange as well as in the invitation and inclusion in The Works Festival of the substantial Filipino community in Edmonton." It is also the first time that an artist from the Philippines has had a solo exhibition at The Works. It also marked Rommel's first ever exhibition! It was well-received and garnered a lot of media attention. The local art critic cited one of Rommel's works as being his favourite of all the works in the 2018 festival.
When I met Rommel during The Works, he had that bewildered look with him - perhaps due to jet lag, or the surrealness of travelling to, and having an exhibit in, Canada. He is soft spoken, introverted but deeply reflective. Painting for him is a means of expression and a safe zone, where he is the most comfortable and secure. Even with no formal art training, his artworks are striking, bold and impressive. Rommel signs his works with a mirror image of his signature, to convey to the viewer that the work is a reflection of himself.

Excited as I was about Rommel's discovery and journey, I was more deeply touched by Gordon Snyder's unselfish support to the young artist. In the same way the Medici family was to Michelangelo and Queen Elizabeth was to Shakespeare, arts patrons enable artists to pursue whatever they want in style, subject, concept, and medium. The chance of a benefactor appearing, especially in rural Philippines, is unlikely, and in addition, with a triple whammy gift of education, exhibit, and travel.

As an art student, Gordon was mentored by Illingworth Kerr, an artist who studied with the Canada Group of Seven and became the Head of the Alberta College of Art. Gordon explains, "He was someone who saw more talent within me than I saw in myself and helped bring it out of me." This is the same belief that propels his support for Rommel. "In my mind, I see Rommel gaining that same confidence in himself - that someone so believes in him (and not only his talent) that he can learn and grow and perhaps someday work with me. I want him to have time to mature, study art history, improve his English skills and prepare himself for a career in the arts. I want to encourage his independence and recognize the uniqueness of his personal journey. Many years are spent building networks and nurturing relationships. Getting him an exhibition at The Works and taking him to Canada, and sending him to FEU shows him dreams can come true if you work hard and are true to yourself. When the time is right, I'd like to find a good gallery in Manila to represent him. Right now, I don't want money to be his main concern. If I can write about him and promote his work, I would enjoy that. Ultimately, it is the quality of his work that is what is important."

I have written features of Filipino artists working within the Canadian setting - of overcoming hurdles and of maximizing the opportunities in the adoptive country. This is my first story of a budding Filipino artist in the Philippines, provided unsolicited support by a Canadian artist, bringing him exposure in Canada and at the same time providing a pathway to artistic success and economic stability. This is a true and unique Filipino-Canadian arts dynamic, and an inspiring story on arts patronage. Gordon's support, however, is not an unlimited free pass - "I do have limited funds and hope he will work hard and get some scholarships." But it is a far-reaching one that hopefully will be picked up, or supplemented, by other arts patrons as well. Because there is no doubt that Filipino artists are immensely talented. And wherever they are, in any discipline, in whatever form, we must support our artists. Because investment in the artist, is a cultural and social investment.

Rommel Tingzon's exhibit will be up at Manulife Place in downtown Edmonton until end of August. For inquiries or interest on his works, email snyderfinearts@yahoo.com.


* This article was published in the August 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Ely Rowen Salar: Whisking Magic from Imagination to Palate

One of the best things I enjoy in writing my articles is meeting people and encountering creativity and excellence in sometimes the most unexpected ways. One such case is Calgary-based, multi-awarded Ely Rowen Salar, Head Pastry Chef of the Hotel Arts Group. Pastries are a different level of art. According to Ron Ben-Israel, chef and owner of one of the finest couture cake studios, "Pastry is different from cooking because you have to consider the chemistry, beauty and flavour."

Born in Bukidnon but raised in Tacloban, Ely's passion for baking had its roots in his parents' bakery and catering business, where he insisted on working as a young boy. He then realized it was something he wanted to do as a career. He took up Hotel and Restaurant Management in university, had his internship in Virginia, USA and worked as a culinary operations supervisor. Later on he moved for work to the Fairmont in Dubai, to a French-American restaurant in Singapore, and then to Russell, Manitoba.

Even while working on the management part of the industry, his creative side fueled the desire to become a pastry chef. Fortunately, despite a lack of experience in the field, he was offered a job as pastry cook, where he worked hard to prove himself and got promoted four times in less than three years, to be recognized as a pastry chef.

Ely's pastry creations are like pieces of jewelry, showing unbelievable artistry and sense of design with shapes, symmetry and colour. They are exquisite to the point that cutting through the pastry might make you feel guilty. And the flavours assault you with both the familiar and unexpected, as he always aims to put a twist to classic flavours. And these are validated by the numerous awards he has garnered. For this year alone, he was the overall Winner of the Pastry Chef Showcase Competition, on top of winning the Best Plated Dessert Category and the Lindt Chocolate Showpiece Category, effectively sweeping all the awards. He also was the Winner of the Lindt Chocolate Showpiece Competition at the Pastry Chef Showcase 2016, and 2nd Place for Contemporary Cake Category and People's Choice Award at the Calgary Sugarcraft Cake Competition 2015.

In the recent Balik Kultura, a culinary tribute to Philippine culture spearheaded along with three other Filipino chefs, i.e. Rupert Garcia, Jose Battad, and Zac Ardena, Ely's dessert pieces were in the shapes of Philippine fruits like macopa, mango and guava, which featured ube macapuno flavours with a coconut mousse, purple yam sponge and candied coconut strings. This was accompanied with kalamansi bonbons designed with symbols of the Philippine flag and came with a chocolate coconut shell. Words are not enough to describe his creations. You just have to see and savour them.

Aside from his stint with Hotel Arts Group, Ely is also the Education Board of Director of Philippine Culinary Federation of Canada (PCFC) and a member of SAIT's Baking and Pastry Arts Advisory Committee. Through these initiatives, he aims to share his skills and knowledge to aspiring pastry chefs and cooks. Recognizing the value of constant learning in honing your craft, Ely himself ceaselessly does research, training on latest trends, learning from the best chefs in the world, and joins competitions to challenge himself. His recent campaign is to "shed light on the true value of Filipino cuisine, build a better stage upon which to celebrate and elevate the Filipino food experience", and bring it to the forefront of the hospitality industry.

To quote Anthony Bourdain, "Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go." Ely Rowen Salar, in pursuing his childhood passion with determination, is doing great things both for his personal career and the Filipino psyche. Once upon a time, chefs were nameless and faceless people toiling in a back room of a restaurant. Today, however, they are conferred celebrity-like status, with their names attached to their creations, whose movements are tracked, and are the reason people go to their restaurants. To fully appreciate Ely's work, check him out in Instagram @elypatissier, the Hotel Arts website, or better yet, go and have a taste at the Hotel Arts. Not only will it fill your sense of sight and taste, but your sense of pride as well, knowing that the brains and skill behind the plated designer sweets before you, is a Filipino.

This article was published in the July 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Across the Map: Arts and Migration

Migrante Alberta celebrated the launching of its comic book “Bridging the Gap: A Short History of Migration to Canada” last May 31, 2018 at Panciteria de Manila. Written by Marco Luciano, with illustrations by Mark Suva, the book is a Canada 150 project, which “provides a lens of the hardships of settlement and getting accepted in their new home”.

Bridging the Gap starts with a newly arrived Filipino student meeting his high school Jamaican teacher. On his first day of school, he is introduced to school staff and learns more about their respective backgrounds, thus providing the reader a bird’s eye view of the history of migration to Canada. A 48-page book, it is envisioned to be just the beginning of a series of books on migration stories.

The book launch, hosted by generous couple Bayani and Lorena Alcantara, was a night of story sharing by Clarizze Truscott, Ida Beltran-Lucila, Avnish Nanda, Poushali Mitra, “Lynn” and Vicky Venancio. Rod Loyola, MLA for Edmonton-Ellerslie, and Jon Carson, MLA for Edmonton-Meadowlark, delivered messages on behalf of the provincial government. Stirring performances were provided by Lyla Luciano, and Julius Ylagan and Danielle Yu of Emma the Musical. The presentations touched on varying migrant issues: refugee experience, challenges for temporary foreign workers, the Komagata Maru, health care for Canadian children of non-status parents, and for my own part, the value of arts and culture in an immigrant society.

Sharing my own immigration story, I related how I anticipated my life in Canada as a regular 9-5 employee and complete giving up my persona as an artist. However, through time, I found myself revisiting my passion, i.e. dance, arts and culture. For the story of migration is a story of reconstructing one’s identity. When one uproots oneself from his/her home country, there is a sense of loss of social status, and of family and social networks. And this is where the points of art, culture, and migration converged in my life.

Art, culture and migration are rich with stories of aspirations, love, struggles, sacrifices, perseverance and success. Art provides a safe and personal space for self-expression and inclusion. Cultural activities foster a sense of community and belonging, and subsequently, mutual understanding. Furthermore, art provides a platform to reflect, to question, and to inform, thereby being an effective channel for social change. This is why art and culture play a crucial role in reclaiming our identity.

And so in my journey, the role of art and culture has gone beyond

my personal realm and has extended to benefit the greater community. Our community is so diverse. It is said that diversity makes a society stronger. I believe this is true, but so long as the people are empowered with their cultural identity as well. This is the belief behind the Philippine Arts Council.

The Philippine Arts Council and Migrante Alberta have collaborated in different initiatives, most recent of which was the June Philippine Heritage Month Proclamation by the Government of Alberta. Two distinct organizations whose objectives share a cross-point. I am delighted with the launch of “Bridging the Gap: A Short History of Migration to Canada” and in the decision to release it in comic book format. The message and the format, important as it is, renders it accessible as well to all ages and deserves to be disseminated as widely as possible. During the book launch, MLA Rod Loyola and MLA Jon Carson have pledged to provide all schools within their respective riding a copy of the book. Mabuhay ang Migrante Alberta and more power to you! To obtain copies of “Bridging the Gap: A Short History of Migration to Canada”,  email migrantealberta@gmail.com.

Meet the Cast of Emma - the Musical

July 7, 2018, marks the world premiere of Emma the Musical, an original Filipino musical in English, at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Set on the cusp of the Japanese occupation of 1942, it is a story of perseverance, faith and resilience of the Filipino spirit, in peace or in war, and regardless of any sacrifice.

Under my artistic direction, with choreography by Jojo Lucila, music by Erica Cawagas and script by Chie Floresca, the musical is headlined by a zealous cast: Cameron Gamez, Carlos Gamo, Cassandra Baltazar, Catherine Lelis, Danielle Yu, Gerald Penaco, Hannah Adamson, Hans Casana, James Velasco, Jeannine Naboye, Jimmy Buena, Jo-ann Aguilar, Joshua Zoleta, Julius Ylagan, Lauren Lizada, Maicah Macatangay, Mark Laraya, Marjorie Galido, Raphael Tolentino, Riana Torre, Simonette Brigola, and Veronica Knodel.

When I accepted the artistic directorship of the musical, the production had been in rehearsals for 3 months already. Admittedly, I was reluctant in working with a group that I did not personally select and cast. And so on my first rehearsal day, I drilled down the value of commitment, perseverance and respect for the art. In other words, they were given the hard line talk to prepare them for hard work and being pushed beyond their comfort zones. And boy, did they deliver and face challenges head on. Now on the homestretch of the production timeline, I can truly say that it is a privilege to know and work with each one of them.

The cast is a mixture of seasoned performers, emerging artists and newbies. Some intend to make a career in the performing arts, and some are just testing the waters. One of the young members of the cast was so serious that she handed me her resume on day 1. They have varying reasons why they joined the musical - from the hilarious anecdote of being hardballed by a relative, to the lofty objective of pushing Filipino stories. They live full lives apart from the musical but manage to come together as a family for rehearsals. Let's hear directly from some of the cast members about their production experience and thoughts:

Riana: Sharing some of the history of the Philippines through a musical was very appealing as I love music and history. Emma has helped me better connect to history as there is this dissociation at times when you just read about history in a textbook. The most difficult part in this production is knowing that while I may play this as a part, this was a real experience that countless people underwent. It makes my chest ache and we have cried many times during rehearsal as even a taste of the pain that people had to bear during this time, and the courage they had to exhibit in the face of death is something that absolutely floors me. I don't know how one could have survived through these conditions, but they did.

Danielle [who plays the title role]: Knowing that it was an original Filipino musical based on true events made me that much more interested to mold and shape the story and portray it to its truest potential. Many of Emma's family and friends will be sitting in the audience reminiscing about her experiences, and we need to give justice to their stories.

Maicah: I've created new friendships and amazing memories with the cast. I'm very thankful to experience all of it. In portraying my role, I did find some similarities with my character, like our optimism and fighting for what we believe in. After this production, I plan to start composing and writing songs again.

Jimmy: I joined Emma because I would like to share my talent that God bestowed upon me. The people involved in the musical are my second family. It has been my desire to be part of a musical may it be local or international, and I will continue my passion in singing may it be off or on stage.

And why should people watch Emma? In Riana's words, the show moves you on a rollercoaster ride and has all the elements of a great story with love, action, loss, and bravery all wrapped in one beautiful musical. And Julius states it succinctly: I would say that this story, could be any of us, obviously not exactly the same, but listening to our grandparents on their bed telling us how they survived a war, how they found love, how they went through pain, and how in the end all of that made them even stronger as human beings. When people watch Emma, they are going to learn so many different things about the Filipino culture that they may or may not already know, but if there's one thing I really want people to take away and learn from this musical, it's this: it's to fight for what you love.

When you watch Emma, you will not only see a snippet in time of Philippine history, but you will witness the performers' own stories on overcoming challenges, extending personal boundaries in the commitment to bring to life someone else's dreams, and in the process, fulfilling their own. Don't miss this opportunity of youthful enthusiasm and artistic energy!

Emma the Musical is presented by the Filipino Canadian Saranay Association. Tickets are available through Ticketfly or message the Emma the Musical FB page, or any of the production team.

This article was published in the May 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Sherwin Calaluan - a Serendipitous Life through the Lens

Renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz once said "I wish that all of nature's magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed." Considering Sherwin Calaluan's start and journey in photography, this quote might just as well be his.

Sherwin Calaluan is an accidental photographer whose images have been gracing publications and winning awards and competitions. He is originally from Isla Verde, a small island located between Batangas City and Mindoro. After obtaining his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 2006, he went to Canada to work as a housekeeper at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. And when you live in Banff, how can you not be impressed

with the magnificence of nature? Sherwin remarks, "When I first came to Canada way back in 2007, I fell in love with the beautiful sceneries in Banff National Park. I met fellow kababayans who convinced me to buy an entry level camera Nikon D90 with kit lens and
joined them exploring the Rockies. After work we would go out to catch the sunset or during days off, we would go for sunrise trips. From the moment I started documenting the changing, rugged landscapes in the mountains and the wildlife that they host, I was hooked. It became my testing ground and eventually opened the door for more opportunities in photography."

Sherwin has no formal training in photography and would hone his craft by watching tutorial YouTube videos and studying the works of his favourite landscape photographers.

Soon after, this accidental photographer started garnering notice and acclaim for his images. Among these are: Canadian Wildlife Federation Landscape Category Winner 2016; Outpost Magazine 2016 Landscape Category Award; front cover of Canadian Geographic Quiz (2016-2017); front cover for the Canadian Geographic 2017 Calendar Edition; Moscow Foto Awards 2017, Silver Award in Panoramic Category; Epson International Panorama Awards 2017 Bronze Award; and for 2018, First Prize for Mountain Landscape Category at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, where there were more than 500 participating landscape photographers and filmmakers. He has been featured by CBC and has had 2 Solo Art Exhibitions at the Banff Library and Banff Film Festival Gallery Hop.

Feeling blessed to be able to experience the beauty of nature and capture its magnificence, Sherwin further enjoys the opportunities to meet and interact with people equally

passionate about photography. He is the first one to stress though, that his journey in photography, even if unexpected, is fraught with strains. He may have been bestowed with accolades, but he has also been showered with challenges. Sherwin shares, "Photography is not an easy job. I would say, one of the biggest challenge is how to balance time between my full time job, my family (I have a 4 year old daughter) and my photography. Because of the nature of my chosen field, another big challenge is the weather. Most of the time, I am along shooting for sunrise/sunset, and the weather here in the Canadian Rockies is very unpredictable, it might be calm in a minute but in a blink of an eye, it can turn into a blizzard." Photography is a yardstick for patience. To quote art critic John Berger, "What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time."

Although Sherwin is most known as a landscape photographer, he also shoots portraits and anything else that captures his attention, shows character and tells a story. His

favourite things to capture though are sunrises, sunsets, the northern lights and winter scenes, particularly when the surroundings are blanketed in snow. He dreams of eventually having his own gallery and be a full-time landscape photographer traveller. In his bucket list is to shoot the Patagonia in Chile, Tombstone National Park, Yukon Alberta, Mayon Volcano and Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines.

Sherwin found his passion in an unexpected way and discovered a new, unpredicted life. With his own journey, he hopes to inspire people in pursuing their dream and their heart's desires. His advice to aspiring photographers, "Go outside and experience the beauty of nature. Keep pressing the shutter speed and follow the light while the sun reveals the colours of the clouds. Don't be afraid to be criticized by others but instead use it as a positive way to improve yourself. And have fun!" As French photographer Marc Riboud says, "Taking pictures is savouring life intensely, every hundredth of a second."

Sherwin Calaluan's images are available for purchase. Check out his Facebook page @sksherwin and his website at sherwincalaluanphotography.ca.

This article was published in the April 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Erica Cawagas - 2017 Cultural Diversity in the Arts Recipient

 Erica Cawagas was one of 17 recipients of the 2017 Cultural Diversity  in the Arts project grant, as announced by the Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) last February. This project grant was established by the  City of Edmonton through EAC “to recognize that artists from all parts of the world enrich Edmonton’s cultural scene. Grants will support the activities of individual, Edmonton artists for a specific time towards a specific project.” Erica’s grant is in support for “Emma - the Musical” of which she is the Musical Director and will premier on July 7, 2018 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre.

As the daughter of piano and rondalla teacher Roujea Cawagas Cates, it was inevitable for Erica to be caught in the music world. She started with the piano but it was only when she got hold of a guitar that she found this sense of rightness, of finding her soul instrument, the medium that would express her feelings and thoughts that she dared not express verbally. She also discovered that she could play by ear. Since then, Erica has played with the Filipino Canadian Saranay Rondalla group, and participated in Kiwanis Music Festivals. For post-secondary, she studied Music Composition at the Grant MacEwan University with the intent of performing in cruise ships, as a means to travel around the world. This shifted though when during the course of her studies, she discovered that she would much rather compose than perform, and was enthralled in the process of putting together different instruments. Erica describes her music as complex, melancholic and contemporary but influenced by the romantic period.

Right after finishing her Music Composition diploma, Erica went to Manila. There she did musical scoring for UNICEF children’s books, with Anne Curtis doing the live reading; and for the MathDali show under the Knowledge Channel Foundation. It was during this time that work on the Emma - the Musical commenced.

Emma - the Musical is based on Erica’s great grandmother’s stories on the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Written by her aunt Chie Floresca with music by Erica, Emma was originally intended as a mini-presentation for their great grandmother’s 95th birthday. Unfortunately, she passed away before her birthday. As a way to honour their matriarch, they resolved to make her stories a full-length musical. And this is where Erica has been devoting most of her time these days till its premiere here in Edmonton in July.

For someone who right off the bat declared that she does not do well expressing herself verbally, a face  to face interview must have been uncomfortable, at the very least. In conversations, Erica tends to focus on facts and details, and appears hesitant to open up about emotions, fortifying her initial declaration. This is how you appreciate what her music is to her and how important a role it plays in her life. Music is her shield. “People can listen to my music and they can say what I want to say for me.” This hesitancy to verbally communicate, however, may be the only place she falters. For Erica is a person with dogged determination. With her music for Emma, in particular, she was able to galvanize a group of young singers/cast, long before the rest of the production aspects came into play. Working with her in my capacity as artistic director of the musical allows us artistic leeway, with musical arrangement requests being done right on the spot. Her sheer determination to mount this musical lead to her assuming a producer role on top of being a musical director. And her ambition enables her to acknowledge the necessity of overcoming her introvertness.

Erica is at the cusp of her music journey. Emma - the Musical is her biggest and most personal project so far. It is an ambitious project that not only benefits her artistic career but contributes to the Edmonton repertoire of Asian musicals. With Emma, she not only wants to share her great grandmother’s stories, but to bring to the forefront a period of Philippine history that is not often talked about. And for Erica, there will always be the aspiration to tour the musical to different cities and to stage it in a greater magnitude, with full orchestration. These, hopefully, may just become a reality soon.

Tickets for Emma - the Musical are on sale through Ticketfly. For more information, check the Emma - the Musical Facebook page. Emma - the Musical is under the Artistic Direction of Ida Beltran-Lucila, with Choreography and Musical Staging by Jojo Lucila, Script by Chie Floresca and Musical Direction by Erica Cawagas. The musical is presented by the Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association.

This article was published in the March 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

Baisas Brothers: A Story of Fire and Ice

There is a team of Filipinos firing up the international ice carving circuit. These are the Baisas Brothers, specifically Ross and Antonio Baisas, representing both the Philippines and Canada. They are international ice carving champions, having won more than two dozen awards, most recent of which were the 1st place for both Ice on Whyte in Edmonton and at the Winterlude in Ottawa. 

Currently based in Montreal (Ross) and Ottawa (Antonio), the Baisas Brothers hail from the Philippines’ wood carving capital, Paete, Laguna. In this town, carving is something passed on from one generation to the next, a milestone of a childhood, and possibly a rite of passage, and where everyone whiles away the time whittling wood. The name Paete has as its root word “paet”, which means chisel. Surrounded with this way of life and the fact that carving is the town’s main source of income, it is not uncommon for people of Paete to find their way working in hotels and cruise ships as carvers with ice, fruit, vegetables and pastries. This was the ticket that lead Ross and Antonio to Quebec and work for casinos under Loto-Quebec.

Competing as ice sculptors is no walk in the park. First of all, the main ice carving competitions are prestigious, and competitors are screened and selected. The rules of a competition are stringent. There are thematic and technical conditions to follow. Designs are submitted way in advance. So to be in the roster of competitors is already a feat by itself, and winning takes it to a level of incredible recognition and accolade. An ice sculptor has to have the artistic eye, the skills, the technical know-how, the instinct to adjust to the dictates of uncontrollable variables like weather, temperature, sunlight, and imposed time constraints. As if these are not intimidating enough, one has to be physically fit and with endurance. One is expected to haul on average 10-15 blocks of ice, hauling and stacking about 135 kg, working in frigid temperature for 34 hours, and working with power tools, i.e. chainsaw, grinder, gas cylinder, chisels, among others. On top of these, there are competition requirements on safety and environment care that need to be met while working.

The Baisas Brothers have been doing the route of competitions for 15 years now, travelling around the world and garnering recognition in Canada, the United States, and Europe. They compete in 3-4 international competitions a year, on average. They are not only judges’ choices but are more often than not, media and public favorites. Ice is their favorite medium because of its translucency and crystalline quality, and the challenges it presents with its solidness and unpredictability.  Yet they have created stunning works with pasta, chocolate, sugar, grease, fruit and vegetables, snow and sand. No medium is spared, and they seem to get fired up with the challenges of working with each medium, in unraveling the secrets, and gaining mastery in its manipulation, and eventually, stretching the boundaries.

Artists find their way to ice sculpting through different ways. Some are formally schooled or mentored. The Baisas Brothers are self taught. But their training and learning is endless. Despite all their accolades, up close the brothers are unassuming, friendly and with a wicked sense of humour. In outlook, they are positive and adaptable. At work, they are exacting, perhaps their own worst critic, analyzing their own flaws but taking it as a lesson to further their art. As partners, one complements and supports the other. Ross is adept at shaping and Antonio’s forte is the finishing and detailing. They are able to sense each other’s moods, and anticipate needs without verbal communication. They claim that they will keep on going as long as there is something they can conjure which they have not tackled yet. The possibilities are endless, limited only by the imagination. 

Ice carving is art and engineering, also skills and heart. The Baisas Brothers execute this through their burning passion, combined with cold grit. Amidst the cold environment they’ve chosen as their arena, is the fire to achieve greater heights, stoke their passion and enjoy the ride. My impression is that ice sculpting competitions allow a sense of superhumanness, an adrenaline rush - brought about by using power tools in unbearable conditions. Ice sculptors, having challenged themselves with their designs, work with full concentration, grit and determination, with all senses heightened since a small error, or mindless slip, could be fatal. They are a rare breed and it is stirring that blazing through this international circuit is a team of Filipino artists. Amidst the snow and ice, the Baisas Brothers, Ross and Antonio, are on fire!

This article was published in the February 2018 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

All photos c/o Ross Baisas.