Artist Ginny Guanco ends Women’s Month with ‘Her World’ art exhibit
JUST in time for women’s month, artist Ginny Guanco unveils “Her World,” a sophisticated interplay of vibrant hues, bold, evocative strokes, and an intuitive painting technique in stunning portraits. Her World focuses on feminine power, its captivating mystery, and the beautiful nuances of womanhood.
Ginny’s artistic journey started at age 8 and found its “roots in a fascination with the female form.”
What started as sketching silhouettes of women in fashionable dresses and crafting expressive profiles, her early dedication and focus on childhood paved the way for her to complete a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Sto. Tomas. She continued to perfect her craft by taking further studies in the United States. Ginny remembers that it was under the tutelage of the late Salvacion Lim Higgins, Haute Couture designer par excellence and co-founder of Slim’s Fashion & Art School that she honed her creative eye and refined her sketching skills, laying down the expert groundwork for her artistic voice.
Her inaugural show in 2016, Boho Chic, cemented her as an artist and was followed by her second virtual exhibit, “Festival,” in 2022. Festival was a culmination of the heavy emotions we all felt during the pandemic and an exhibit that almost did not happen.
Ginny recalled, “In 2022, I was all set to hold my 2nd Solo Exhibition titled, ‘Festival.’ My whole objective was that I wanted to show the innate festive spirit and resiliency of the Filipino people through my art. That in spite of tragedies and the global Pandemic crisis, we are still able to smile and be hopeful. And my paintings ‘spoke’ of that attitude. My colors were vibrant, the costumes and intricate, ethnic gear hyped on our creative prowess. Three days before the event, I readied my paintings for ingress. And then the unexpected happened. A sudden heavy downpour resulting in a freak flood entered my home and destroyed all 25 paintings I had worked hard for.”
Despite that, she persevered, saying “My heart was crushed into thousands of tiny pieces. But my spirit was telling me a different story. I was going to show the festive spirit of the Filipino in the midst of crisis as the theme of ‘Festival,’ and so I had to practice what I preached. My physical works may have been waterdamaged, but all the images in their pristine condition were captured and stored in my mobile phone’s photo gallery. I did not give up but pursued my “show” virtually. During my birthday that same month of May, all 25 photos of my works were posted online. It became a ‘virtual’ exhibit.”
It was also this experience that sparked the inspiration for Her World.
“In February of 2023, when we were about to finish the month and enter March, I picked up my brushes and paints and began to experiment with a slightly new style. It was a woman’s face done with bolder strokes and a more aggressive technique. When I finished and saw the result, it dawned on me to pursue the same style on other women faces. I call this ‘explorative’ art.”
Ginny continued, “I continued painting with this theme in mind. Before I knew it, I had completed 26 new paintings in 2023. The only thing I needed now was to have an appropriate title for this collection. They say it’s the simplest titles which are the catchiest. And so ‘Her World’ was born. I contacted the gallery and told them I was ready to have a show in March of 2024 because it was my way of celebrating ‘Women’s Month.’ What makes a woman “mysterious” and “enigmatic?” It’s her inner strength. A quality that cannot be expressed in words. Beneath that dainty exterior is a survivor. One that’s made of ‘sterner stuff.’”
Her World was unveiled at Gateway Gallery Studio in Araneta City on March 16, coinciding with Women’s month.
“Women empowerment has always been a recurring theme in my exhibits. When you express power, people often confuse this with being dominant and domineering. However, women are able to convey this power, while also retaining their femininity and inner strength. She knows what she wants and she knows what she’s capable of doing,” said Ginny.
When asked what was next for her, she enthused, “I will not stay stagnant in my evolution as an artist. There are things I still want to learn. More galleries and museums to visit especially when I travel abroad. Several ideas are already brewing in my mind as to what could be possible concepts for exhibits in the future. One thing that remains constant is that I want to continue to inspire people and be an uplifter of souls through my art.”
For commissioned portraits and bespoke hand-painted pouches and bags, you may send inquiries to her art pages in Facebook, Art by Ginny or @artbyginnyg in Instagram.