Casero paints a dragon to help Sendong victims of Dumaguete

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – People and institutions donated used clothing, canned goods, sacks of rice and even money to the victims of typhoon Sendong, but a home-grown artist in this city did a painting, a unique one at that, as his contribution for helping the victims of this city.

Hersley Ven Casero, 26 years old, painted a dragon by using mixed media on a 12 x 4 canvas, perhaps the largest artwork done in Dumaguete and certainly the first painting to use papers of receipts as part of the media.

The white dragon in Casero’s masterpiece is covered with receipt papers that he collected or kept since 2007.

Casero said the painting symbolizes people and the challenges that we would be facing this year 2012.

He told The FREEMAN that he dreamed of the vision of this painting at dawn of last December 17, the day Sendong struck Negros Oriental hard. Immediately after waking up, he quickly sketched the picture from his dream.

Casero finished college and is working now at Foundation University that has been helping the Sendong victims who were living beside the overflowed Banica River, which is also near the school.

He said that he witnessed the sad state and sufferings of his fellow Dumagueteños caused by the flashflood, and this prompted him to decide to paint the vision from his dream.

As of yesterday, Casero was already in the final details of the painting, and the young artist said he was hoping he can sell it at a high price so he can use the proceeds to help the typhoon victims for their food and rebuilding of their houses.

A total of 11,012 families in ten towns of Negros Oriental were affected by Sendong. 37 lives were lost and five more were still missing to this day. Many of them need to rebuild their torn houses, said Casero, adding that he would use his talent to help them in whatever way he could. (FREEMAN)