Portrait of Luzviminda Portugal Presbitero-Balahadia
oil on a 36 x 60 inch canvas
ca. 2010
From my
disappointment on my first attempt to paint my mother on a canvas with oil, I
studied more on skin tones, detailing the clothes or dress, and the use of
strong contrasts between light and dark known as the “chiaroscuro.” With the
months of researching and practice, I came up with this portrait of my mother
sitting on a chair. My love to my country made me think of a background of a
rural setting… a golden rice field that is waiting for a bountiful harvest. Far
behind the field, which connects the sky and earth, is the famous Mt. Makiling.
A mountain with full of mysteries and legends, the mountain is believed to be
the home of Maria Makiling, a goddess who is charming, beautiful, kind-hearted
and a
guardian spirit. Just like my mother, a charming lady whose love and affection
to her family radiate from her inner beauty.
