Edwin Wilwayco is a Filipino artistwho has enjoyed incredible success via his bold paintings which have been exhibited globally. Edwin is currently preparing for a show in New York City’s esteemed Walter Wickiser Gallery and recently spoke about his experiences as an Artist.
Early inspiration
Blasting News (BN): When did you become an artist?
Edwin Wilwayco (EW): It started when my father discovered that I could draw/copy illustrations from comic books at five years old. I always loved to doodle, just like my father. I attended art school at college.
BN: Growing up, what art interested you?
EW: I remember drawing plants, amoeba and scientific illustrations. I admire the watercolor effect; colors that gradate, ripple and flicker. I am drawn to the work of J.M.W. Turner, Matisse, Picasso, Pollock, De Kooning and Zao Wuoki. The vivid colors of the fauna back home have played a big part in my color selections.
BN: What inspires your work?
EW: My works are inspired by my fondness for nature. Anything that calls my attention, whether an image I've seen in a magazine, music that triggers my imagination, scenes that stay in my mind with reference to travel and y constant visits to museums and galleries, admiring works by different artists. Floral designs lead to me curvilinear forms found in landscapes.
I see floral designs or patterns as part of the whole earth's landscape.
BN: How did you get into galleries?
EW: I've prepared my past brochures and catalog and presented them to galleries who I think would be a good fit for my work. I'm always thinking and preparing work that is distinct.
BN: Do you have a favorite piece?
EW: I make every series different from the previous ones. Evolution is the key for the moment. There are paintings done spontaneously and others with longer months to create and finish. I know when a painting is finished when I think and feel that I cannot add something to it. I think it is more the 'feeling' that helps me to decide to stop.
BN: What are your mediums of choice?
EW: I use a brush most of the time, combined with using pallets, scrapers, sponges and whatever instruments that can help produce interesting visual results. I like to use acrylics when I start a painting. It's an experimental exploration for me. It serves to set an outline and can define the composition. Acrylic dries fast and then I can apply oil paint.
Present work
BN: How did you develop your unique style?
EW: I prefer bright colors. I want to look at them and get a good feeling. Music plays a big role for me in creating art. When I paint I have no preconception of what I want to do. I let the painting develop according to my inner feelings and moods; this is especially so when I work early in the morning.
I don't even start with a color preference. The colors in my paintings are juxtaposed for various changing effects; they challenge or echo each other.
BN: What is the most rewarding experience regarding being an artist?
EW: The years of continuous painting, pushing myself and being recognized for having a distinct style. When I’m painting I’m not aware of what I’m doing. I just go with the flow. I have no fears of making changes, destroying the image, adding or erasing. I let the painting come through on its’ own. I believe that gesture in art must appear out of necessity--not habit. I have always found that listening to classical music sets a helpful tone and helps me to create a painting.
BN: What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
EW: Don't lose sight, keep on painting. Be open to everything you see. Interact with fellow artists. Prayer is what sustains me and enables me to create. Look at the colors in nature and marvel in awe at the transitions of color--the sudden, seamless shift from one hue to another.Color in all its infinite variations is the very air that I breathe. As melodramatic as that sounds, that is how I feel. I will continue to paint as long as I can.
