Artist Ginny Guanco's Third Exhibition “Her World” Presents The Mysteries Of Women

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Artist Ginny Guanco presents her third solo exhibition, Her World, which opens to the public on March 17 and will run until March 22, 2024.

Through a sophisticated interplay of vibrant hues, bold, evocative strokes, and an intuitive painting technique in her stunning portraits, Ginny Guanco masterfully unveils feminine power, its captivating mystery, and the beautiful nuances of womanhood in her third solo show aptly titled, Her World.

From the tender age of 8, Guanco's artistic journey found its roots in a fascination with the female form. Sketching silhouettes of women in fashionable dresses and crafting expressive profiles, her early dedication and focus in childhood paved the way for her formal training in Fine Arts at the University of Sto. Tomas. Further studies in the United States in painting and watercolor added greater depth to her artistic repertoire. However, it was under the tutelage of the late Salvacion Lim Higgins, Haute Couture designer par excellence and co-founder of Slim’s Fashion & Art School, that Ginny honed her creative eye and refined her sketching skills, laying down the expert groundwork for her artistic voice.

Guanco kept her mind and hands busy, dabbling in art over the years. But it was only in 2016 that she seriously embraced her calling as an artist. Transitioning from media, then a PR career, which she held for over 18 years, she embarked on a personal odyssey, resulting in her inaugural solo show, Boho Chic, in 2016—a fusion of fashion illustration and human anatomy. This was then followed by her second “virtual” exhibit, Festival, which was an uplifting and inspiring collection that she created to counter the heavy emotions of the pandemic.

This 2024, Guanco marks a triumphant return with Her World. Described as "aggressive and bolder," this collection signifies her liberation from creative constraints, manifesting in 26 paintings that chronicle her evolution as an artist. “Here, I’m no longer held back and afraid to go out of the box,” she beams.

Ginny Guanco with some of her Women paintings for “Her World.” This is her 3rd solo exhibition.

One can still see the distinct touch and personaty of Guanco through her works - bright, joyful colors, intricate designs, and thoughtful details. All these signature elements persist in her experimental use of oil pastel. watercolor, acrylic, brush pens and Sharpie pens. However, one can more deeply appreciate the evolution of her style, which now boasts a newfound confidence, freedom, and power – certainly the rewards of her courageous introspection over the years.

“In her day-to-day life, a woman wears many hats – a mother, a homemaker, a housewife, an executive, a creative, etc. But despite all these labels, she is not defined by them. She is more than all these roles. Women have greater depth and mystery, which I find truly fascinating,” Ginny shares.

Her World will be unveiled at Gateway Gallery Studio in Araneta City, March 16, 2024, coinciding with Women’s month. “Women empowerment has always been a recurring theme in my exhibits. When you express power, people often confuse this with being dominant and domineering. However, women are able to convey this power, while also retaining their femininity and inner strength. She knows what she wants and she knows what she’s capable of doing,” says Ginny.

For commissioned portraits and bespoke hand-painted pouches and bags, you may send inquiries to her art pages in FB- Art by Ginny or @artbyginnyg in Instagram.

#herworldartexhibit  #ginnyguancothirdsoloexhibition  #gatewaygallerystudio

A festive exhibit amplifying the Filipino spirit

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Visual artist and painter Ginny Guanco headlines a long-awaited second solo exhibit entitled “Festival” which formally opens on May 19, 2022 at the Gateway Gallery, Araneta City, Quezon City.

Ginny Guanco with four of her 25-piece collection from the “Festival” series 

It showcases 25 original paintings done in different media which aims to depict the festive spirit and joyous disposition of the Filipino, amidst the most trying situations. Her purpose to relay this positive message is shown through her beautifully and carefully rendered assorted colors and intricately-painted detailed ethnic designs.

Ginny narrates, “The Filipino is by nature, a happy, festive human being. In spite of hardship and many problems in life, Filipinos are able to smile and see the bright side of things. I express these Filipino qualities in the beautiful faces of my paintings, and ethnic designs, tribal costumes and painted faces to prove my point. Filipino resilience is very empowering, whether one is male or female.

This exhibit is 5 years in the making and a fitting follow up to her first solo exhibit back in 2016 with the theme “Boho Chic” as her tribute to bohemian fashion. It took this long to prepare as she encountered many challenges along the way, among which was the onset of the Pandemic where many art stores were temporarily out of operation when she needed to purchase art supplies and materials.

Ginny earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from University of Sto.Tomas and took further studies in drawing, painting and watercolor at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. in the 70s where she won first prize for a nude watercolor painting during a Spring Competition and another first prize in pencil drawing.

Her professional background is also related to art. She taught basic subjects like Freehand Drawing, Color Theory and Art Appreciation at Karilagan Finishing School. She also taught Fashion Illustration and Fine Arts in Slim’s Fashion and Arts School. Then at one time, she changed her career path and became Editor of City Life magazine in Rex Publications, Inc. Her last job was in Public Relations where she worked for several years prior to retirement. And now she has returned to her first love which is Art, doing what she does best and loving every minute of it.

Boho in a Solo : An exhibit featuring hippie chic as art

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Ginny with the center piece of her art exhibit- the biggest one, done in Acrylic on a 36 x 36 canvas.

BOHO CHIC : A One -Woman Show 

Ginny Guanco presents a series of paintings expressed in a fusion of human anatomy style and fashion illustration.

Ginny Guanco’s figures for her painting exhibit at the Galerie Y in SM Megamall are what can be described as a Bohemian’s rhapsody. The art show, which features all-female subjects, opens on September 15. Of the 32 colorful paintings of women, 26 of these are clad in classic boho chic designs in a bow to the artist’s roots as a full-bloomed flower child in the 70s.

Even in her growing up years, Ginny’s inclination to art was already very evident. In school, she participated in art contests. It was no surprise that after graduating high school from the College of the Holy Spirit in Mendiola, Fine Arts was the course she chose at the University of Sto. Tomas. As an artist immersed in her era, she believed in the message of peace, love, joy, and happiness against a backdrop of rock music and hippie art. 

“I was also really into bohemian fashion then as much as I am now. I did not outgrow my fashion taste, because I feel that it fits my personality and represents who I really am.”

Her 26 muses are clad in similar fashion, in flowy and flowery creations and are labeled, alphabetically, after hippie names that derive inspiration from the elements. Among the collection, exhibit guests would meet Aura, Freedom, Lilac, Seagull, Meadow, and Ocean, all hand-drawn in acrylic, in a style which Ginny describes as a fusion of fashion and art illustration. This effect is a direct result of her training as an artist both in the UST and in the Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C., along with fashion illustration lessons from no less than the doyenne of Slim’s Fashion and Arts School, the late Salvacion “Slim” Lim Higgins. “I would describe my drawings as a mix of the two drawing disciplines where one features elongated figures for fashion and the other shows a more sinewy effect as in the fine arts,” she describes.

This artwork, done in 2012, marks the beginning of Ginny's return to art after a hiatus of 15 years 

OCEAN

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Size: 24 x 30

BLAZE

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Size: 24 x 30

Paintings number 27 to 32 is her homage to the strong women in the comicverse, featuring pop culture heroines from Marvel and DC franchises – Black Widow, Elektra, and the two main incarnations of Wonder Woman. “I have always been attracted to strong female characters, as I was also very much into women’s rights in the 70s. I have always believed that women should be empowered, that regardless whether you are a career woman, a CEO, a homemaker, you should know how you are as a person, knowing your worth, a human being to be respected and not looked down upon. And one who is secure in who she is.” 

The solo exhibit took a long time in coming, as Ginny took a 15-year hiatus from painting, pursuing a career, first in the media, and later on as a public relations professional. It took the passing of her favorite ginger cat, Simba and a few art materials lying around to get her back to art. A post of her finished figure on social media garnered a lot of interest from friends to convince her to take up the brush again. A chance meeting with Galerie Y owner Rollie Yusi, who viewed her works with interest, set the exhibit in motion. Ginny’s boho-inspired pieces join the gallery’s carefully-curated works by established and emerging Filipino artists as it works toward the enrichment of contemporary Philippine art.

Ginny Guanco’s Boho Chic exhibit will be on view at Galerie Y from September 15 to 24. Opening cocktails are provided by; Chef Jojo Javier’s SWEETIELICIOUS, Chef Greggie Mercado of AGING’S FOOD DELIGHT, WINE DEPOT, NESTEA AND KITKAT, Strategic Works, Inc. and Ginny Guanco. The gallery is located at the 4th floor of the SM Megamall, Bldg A. 

For more information, contact Galerie Y, open from Mondays to Sundays, 10 AM – 10 PM, or call 634- 2704. Visit also the artist’s website, artbyginny.net or FB page Art by Ginny.