Ryan Comilang is a mixed media artist whose passion
for the art is not a learned skill rather an eminent one. It runs
in their blood since his parents were also inclined to artistry.
He was able to discover this kind of talent when he was still a
youngster yet he didn’t put much attention to it. For him, being
a fan of other artists’ pieces were enough and he was already
contented with that. He was a fanatic of superheroes and was
an avid reader of comic books. He considered that as a
significant encounter with the arts. Many years had passed and
this passion of Sir Comilang remained stagnant. Later on, he
started doing art pieces yet he didn’t take the courage to show
off and publicize his works. In 2008, he enrolled his daughter in
an art workshop and little did he know that it will be an
instrument for him to finally get out of his comfort zone and be
more engaged in associating with different artists. He began
building a connection with his daughter’s instructor and that
was the start of many more connections that he gained.
Originally, he focused his career in his place,
Catbalogan City, but he was also assigned in other places.
There are times that he would be assigned in Camp Kangleon,
Campetic, Palo, Leyte. When he came here in Leyte, he was
introduced to Taclobanon artists and there he started joining
different exhibits. With his pursuit of the arts, he was able to
become more confident about himself and began to showcase
a variety of styles in his art works.
Pete Jimenez (born 1960) is among the few Filipino
sculptors who has consistently explored the qualities of scrap
metal as a medium, transforming rusty and discarded shards
from junk shops into visual puns and garage-produced gems.
Mario “ RAM “ Mallari Jr., 47, studied architecture,
and worked as a draftsman in the Middle East. In 2011, he
started experimenting with iron, metal and reclaimed metals.
He has mounted 6 one-man exhibitions and countless group
exhibitions. His works have been exhibited in the House of
Representatives, among other galleries, and most recently,
together with sculptors Ed Castrillo, and Michael Cacnio, Mallari
was commissioned by the Ayala Museum for a permanent public
installation in Nuvali, Laguna.
Ryan Comilang is a mixed media artist and a sculptor
as well who has the heart of turning something discarded or
considered worthless into a work of art that is appreciated. He
said he values scrap materials and he believes something
aesthetic can be made out of them. Also, in his sculptures and
paintings, he incorporates different styles because as he said,
"Art is continuously evolving and so are his artworks". He
doesn't focus only on one style and instead do whatever he
wants to do with his art pieces.
A. Scrap art - a creative work that's made from discarded
materials that once had another purpose. This includes
anything from old plastic toys and vehicle tires to scraps of
cloth and building supplies.
B. Wood Art - a decorative art work made from a piece of wood
that has been carved in an artistic way
A. Abstract art -art that does not attempt to represent an
accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes,
colors,forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect
B. Conventional art - art that is made using standard mediums,
such as paint and canvas. This art continues to be the favorite
form of media
C. Realistic art - art which is not abstract and is also called a
representational art. Typically, it's painted art that looks
almost photographic.
For him being an artist is not an easy one, he is not
that typical artist that can easily catch the people's interest
especially when it comes to his artworks. In fact, most of his
artworks were not sold during the exhibits that he was able to
join. However, he didn't see this as a negative one. He considers
it as a motivation for him to strive harder for a better
performance in his chosen field.
 In the art scene, he also sees a problem relating to
the lack of support of local government units in the
proliferation and development of arts. With this kind of issue, it
makes it harder for artists to promote their works and gain
economic benefits. Comilang said that this needs to be resolved
as soon as possible so that there would be a greater chance to
build up a strong foundation of the arts in certain places. More
so, a lot of people can actually appreciate the fruit of labor of
these artists and maybe this will be a stepping stone towards
another goal. That is to encourage and inspire more and more
artists to accept the challenge in strengthening and nurturing
the arts scene.
As an individual with a great passion towards
expressing himself as an artist, Comilang also makes sure that
he gets to value the environment by being resourceful enough
of materials and media that he uses in his artworks. Through
his creativity and wide imagination, he actually can produce
something out of scrap materials and turn it into an art piece.
He does not only exercise his innate skills thus also respond to
the responsibility of contributing something to his environment.
The lack of materials is not a hindrance in creating a
statement in artistry. Just by being creative, one can actually
do a piece of art that is worthy of appreciation. Let your
imaginatiom work, trust yourself, and create a name. No matter
how tough the struggles can be, be confident that you are much
more than your doubts. Connect with others and make a
history!