As a creative person, I am always curious. I love to explore and experiment with different kinds of mediums and materials. This is how I discover what I like and what I don’t like. But one material I gravitate to again and again is paper. It is such an unassuming material and yet it is so versatile in implementing creative ideas.

In my recent projects, paper takes center stage and provides me with the means to bring into reality scenes drawn from real life or imagined tales and in a way that invites others to step into the scenes and explore the depicted worlds using their own imaginations.

Using heavyweight paper, I cut and build layers in a shadowbox frame, and then I add light to create an alternative mood.

These first three scenes combine my love for the beach and for sunsets. I love watching sunsets with my family. Until recently, we lived close enough to the beach so that every so often, when evening approaches, we would take a break from what we were doing and go to the beach just to watch the sun set over the shimmering waters of the sea. It is always a rewarding experience. It fills us with inspiration and gratitude, helps us reset our priorities, and reminds us of what is truly important in our lives. It also takes me back to memories of the Philippines and of my childhood when my parents would take me and my siblings to the beach and I would play on the sand and in the water until the sun set and it was too dark to go on playing. I’ve always loved that golden hue that a sunset creates. So magical!

I filled these beach scenes with different subjects to reflect the joy of sharing the sunset experience with family and loved ones. These pieces, by the way, are available at the shop, and you can customize it with your own choice of subject to better resemble your family or other loved ones. It makes a great gift to yourself or to someone special, don’t you think?