Passion or profession? --- A long lasting dilemma for artists who love their craft but are faced with the hard reality that many believe to be true. The saying “walang pera sa art.” That may not be necessarily true to a certain extent but the “pera” is certainly not enough to suffice those who have mouths to feed.
However, there are other unique people who chose to abandon their blue-collar jobs to pursue their passion in art. One of them is Idol Oliver Apurillo, an agriculture graduate, rice specialist and an accredited Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) trainer from Alangalang,Leyte who is making a mark as an artist in the region who focuses his craft in the pre-colonial art in the region and nature itself.
Like the story of many artists, his interest started as a kid with simple anime drawings filling the pages of his school notebooks which later grew into portrait sketches as he entered high school. Later on, he was faced with the reality wherein he had to travel to Cebu to pursue a more stable career in the field of agriculture.
“Katima ko pag graduate nakadto ako ha Cebu nag trabaho pero sige la gihapon ak sketch. And then sumagi ha akon isip nga amo nala ba ini or kailangan ko pa ba mag improve ha art? So amo adto nag resign ako, umuli ako ngan namiling ako hin way kun pano ako makasulod ha art scene ha local,” Apurillo said.
With his resolve, he returned to Leyte after just three months in Cebu and started taking notes of the names of local artists who are making their own names in the region through several exhibits.
“Pag uli ko, nakakita ako hin local exhibit ha Robinson and then nag himo ako hin way. Gin pan ngita ko an names han local artists and then gin message ko hira ha facebook tapos dida na nag tikang.”
Through the connections he made, he endeavouredimprove his craft. From paintings, he proceeded to try other mediums which later on grew into making accessories, pipes and one-of-a-kind mugs which reflects his love for the environment as well as the pre-colonial art in the country.
“Sano ako mag start ha crafts, gin i-studyhan ko anay an iba-iba nga mga art styles nga almost same hit akon style yana. Kun ano an ira common tapos nag isip ako hn medyo kakaiba nga sa tingin ko waray pa nag hihimo. So dida, makuan man gud ako ha environment kay agriculture man ako dida ko Nakita ngan gin adapt in inga style. Ito ngani nga baga baga hin puno. Dida ko gin kuha ha environment mismo an idea.” Apurillo further stated that this is because for him, art is also awareness of everything around you.
“As an artist dapat aware ka gihap hit kapaligiran. Bisan ha music, kun usa ka na artist ha music, bisan guti la nga tunog it mababatian mo potential hiya as music, so it akon art more on awareness hiya.”
Aside from beads he made by hand, Apurillo uses materials he find in places he visits which range from seashells, drift wood, corals, plastic bottles, soda cans and even coconut husks. For the 28 years old artist his craft are an extension of his love for the environment and his passion reflects as he goes through his works.
Though his crafts has a considerable potential in the market, Apurillo stated that he is not entirely after the profit. “Gin bubuhat ko man la hiya kay, waray la. Gusto ko la. Ngan Nakita man gud ako nga urog nga gusto pumalit are mga teenager. Tapos nag agi man gud gihap ako ka istudyante bisan it singkwenta danay makuri pag buliw.”
Although he did not disclose the prices, he pointed out that his crafts are fairly cheap and presumably start at less than P50.
Committing to art
As of now, the agriculture graduate is looking forward to being able to travel with his crafts as he immerses in the culture of the communities he might visit and learn ways to improve his art.
For Apurillo, despite the challenges in being a freelance artist, he has no regrets in his current path that he is taking.
“Kun papakianhan ako kun worth it, oo gad worth it. Syempre iba gad it love nim tim gin bubuhat kesa hit napipiritan ka la. Mag iba it natrabaho ka kailangan mo la it trabaho or ikaw it kailangan tim trabaho pero ikaw it nag bubuot ti tratrabahuon.”
For others who chose to later on give up on their careers in the art, there is no prejudice on their choices. As Apurillo pointed out, it is merely of personal choices and circumstances. But for people like Idol Apurillo, they are indeed unique and brave enough to pursue a path which many deem as lowly as they chase after their passion.
“Kun ha akon, basta tak maaram gin bubuhat ko it akon karuyag, it akon love nga diri ako napipiritan ngan akon mismo gusto.”
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