A SCULPTOR’S LIFE

FAITH IN HIS GRASP

Felix Cabusas believes he has contributed to his faith as a sculptor of religious icons, including the Sto. Niño.

“Ang pagkulit pagsangyaw pod (Sculpting is a way of spreading my faith),” he said. “Simbolo na, taytayan sa atong giampoan (The statue is a symbol, the bridge that connects us to the one we worship).”

All creators have their customs. Cabusas prays before carving.

“Giyahan unta ko nga sakto ang detalye (I pray for guidance so I can create the correct details),” said the 45-year-old resident of Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City.

When he was still new in the business, Cabusas said he felt guilty about carving religious statues in exchange for money. He also prayed at the time.

The sculptor, however, does not seek divine intervention for clear eyesight when he is doing the finer details of a statue. He wears eyeglasses.

Afraid he might commit errors if his hands are shaky, Cabusas drinks a small amount of coffee in the morning, before going to work.

His income enjoys a surge when the Holy Week draws near. Most of the customers hire him either to repair their old statues or to sculpt the Pieta, which depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus Christ.

Cabusas said that only a few Sto. Niño devotees commissioned him to carve the icon out of wood in the past years. The statues he made were based on photographs or replicas of the original icon kept in the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.

Last Dec. 5, a devotee paid him to make a two-foot-tall wooden Sto. Niño statue. It took him two weeks to complete the project.

“Dugay mahuman kay ikulit man ang designs sama sa detalye nga mga buwak sa sinina (It took a long time to finish because it had so many details, like the flowers on the garment),” said Cabusas. “Dili maayo ang trabaho kon dali-dalion (We fail to produce good work when we rush.)”

He laments that there are people who cannot appreciate the beauty of a wooden sculpture.

“Ang kahoy dili dali mabuak (Wood does not break easily),” he said.

Cabusas said he is dismayed that some devotees choose the “brittle” mass-produced Sto. Niño icons made of fiberglass and ceramics. But he is thankful there are those who prefer the images he makes.

By his estimate, he has carved and repaired around 9,000 religious statues in the past 18 years.

“Kontento ra ko aning trabahoa (I am content with this line of work),” he said.

Born into a family of carpenters, Cabusas said he is the only one who knows how to sculpt religious figures.

“Ako ra’y nalahi nila (I’m the only one who differed),” he said.

Cabusas started in 1998, under the tutelage of Teodoro Bentain.

Cabañero Sculptural Works, located across the Holy Cross Parish in Basak Pardo, currently employs Cabusas. He is paid P800 per foot. The sculptor likes to teach the youth, and he believes that imparting his talent is his way of sharing his blessings.

Cabusas, who does not consider himself an artist, plans not to retire, because he has no children who can take care of him.

He also parted ways with his live-in partner last year, after learning that the woman indulged in vice.

Cabusas said he has moved on since the heartbreak and he told himself to dedicate his life to carving religious icons.

“Agdon lang ang lawas. Kon di kaya, aw, mohunong (It all depends on my health. When I can no longer manage it, then I’ll stop),” he said. “Tagaan unta ko og maayong lawas, tagaan og taas nga kinabuhi (I pray for good health and a long life).”