OPAV honors Daanbantayan’s Rubik’s artist

CEBU, Philippines —  The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas has recognized a 19-year-old Cebuana whose portraits of some famous figures using Rubik’s cubes went viral on social media.

OPAV Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino gave Rubik’s artist Mel Ann Shane Lauron of Daanbantayan town a plaque of appreciation in recognition of her artwork.

“I really would like to support you guys (artists). It’s my first time to hear of someone who does this in Cebu or in the Visayas,” Dino told Lauron during the event.

As his way of support, Dino has commissioned Lauron to make Rubik’s cube portraits of him, President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

“Honestly, I feel challenged because I never thought I would make portraits of politicians. At the same time, I feel honored to make portraits of such powerful people and get my artwork delivered to them,” Lauron told The Freeman.

Lauron said she targeted to finish the three portraits by the last week of this month with a hope to get these portraits done.

Lauron added that she learned this art style with the help of the internet and this is the first time that her Rubik’s cube portrait will be sold considering that she made her first portrait just last month.

Lauron, who has already made portraits of some international heroes, local artists and her parents said that she spent at least P20,000 for the Rubik’s cubes alone for one portrait, excluding the frame.

She added that Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura was the first one to order for a Rubik’s cubes portrait but she has not started yet.

Philanthropist Augusto Go, president of the University of Cebu, has also promised to give Lauron a full scholarship for her college education.

Go, who was with Dino during the recognition of Lauron, said that talented young people like her deserve to get support like a scholarship.

Dino encouraged Lauron to finish college even as she continues with her hobbies in art.

“While continuing what you do now, you must finish college. Nothing beats finishing your education,” Dino said.

Lauron said that she did not study this academic school year. She is supposed to be in her first year college. She plans to take up Accountancy.

Lauron has long been into arts. She has been into crafts making claw machines and vending machines using cardboard; a bahay kubo made of bamboo sticks and banana trunks; and portraits of super heroes using cardboard and banana leaves.

The Cebuana artist featured her creations on her YouTube channel, I’m Yowawerts, which now has 110,000 subscribers which also gained followers from foreign countries. — GMR (FREEMAN)