A work of Heart

CEBU, Philippines - There is a reason why ‘heart” can never be without “art” and that's probably because every heart work is a work of art.  It goes beyond passion because good art is the kind of art that doesn't only feed the soul of the artist, but one that truly touches the lives of many.

This was the belief that Iris Tirambulo-Armogenia, a visual artist by birth, held on to as she navigated the swirls of color and the stretches of canvas that surrounded her for most of her life.  For Iris, art was so much more than a mere expression of what you really felt.

It wasn't only until two years ago that this urge to go beyond the canvas and into the tapestry of life brought her right at the brush tip of an idea that would change the lives of so many people in the city where she lived in.

“I had initially thought of asking people from all walks of life to embellish a plate, auction it-without people knowing who the artist was behind the artwork.  The initial idea was for people to bid for the artworks based on how much they felt the value of the work was-not as the artist valued it.  The proceeds would then be given to a chosen charity,” Iris said.

Iris gathered some of the city's creative minds to help her brainstorm about the project.  Apart from Yvette Kim of the Silliman University College of Performing and Visual Arts, Iris opened up her idea to Razcel Salvarita, a Bali-based artist whose artworks were dedicated to a series of noble causes, as well as photographer and painter, Hersely Casero.  Iris' idea eventually took shape and with just a little nudge from her family, especially from her husband, restaurateur Richie Armogenia of KRI, the Plate Movement was born.

“Why ask people to paint on plates and not canvasses?” Iris said. “The PLATE symbolizes ‘food’ which then almost always translates to LIFE.  We also take its metaphors and ask the question ‘what is on our plate?,’ in essence what we put on our ‘plate’ is basically how we choose to exist, who we become. And like the plate, life can be as fragile.”

“It's a 'movement',” Iris added, “because this artistic pursuit was dynamic in its very nature.  It was conceived with the firm belief to change the community for the better-one plate at a time.  After all, small actions make a big difference.

In this particular project, we invited CHILDREN TO CREATE, and just explore their artistic potential and embellish or decorate (literally) ceramic plates with whatever media they would like to use (paints, beads, decoupage, recycled, even indigenous materials). The works were exhibited at Restaurant Kri in Dumaguete City. Then we opened the silent auction of the works (on Oct ober 29 through November 6, 2013), and people can bid, then a portion will go to CHILDREN currently undergoing CANCER therapy/treatment. To be specific, this will help in their chemotherapy medications. This will go through pediatric oncologist/hematologist Dr. Sheila L. Flores, (who is a cancer survivor herself) as there is not really a foundation that supports pediatric cancer patients and their families here in Dumaguete or the Oriental Negros Province. The artists will also get a percentage of the proceeds,” she said.

Iris and the city's artists who rallied behind her cause encouraged parents and mentors to allow their children to participate and “fill their plates with love.”

“We wanted the kids to know that no act of kindness however small is wasted,” Iris pointed out.

From a group of thirty, the steady stream of artists who were willing to give a slice of their time and talent to the Plate Movement has been growing.

“Seeing kids just create without inhibitions was very refreshing and inspiring. Their honesty and the purity of their hearts were evident in the colorful and original works. I think social consciousness just follows. I hope that in their creations, they realize the impact they have, not just on the people that need it, but especially the parents and others who may have, at one point, become so cynical from all the negativities that's been happening around them. I think there is hope. We just need to be inspired. The plate is our canvas. We get what we make of it or what we put on it. And may God be glorified in all this!” Iris concluded.

According to Iris, you do not need to be an artist to participate in the Plate Movement.  All you really need is a heart that's ready to help.  After all, any act driven by the inspiration to make a better world is a work of heart. (FREEMAN)