At 28 years old, Filipina contemporary artist Plet Bolipata picked up her first brush. Years later, her striking pieces enjoy big spaces in some of the country’s most sought-after auctions and exhibitions. In this exclusive interview, we delve deeper into her artistic intelligence and sensibilities
"I am a painter! That's who I am," Plet Bolipata declared in the atelier of the late National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. Not so long ago, she was but a humble dreamer whose determination pulled her into a world she enjoys today.
"I was 28 years old when I picked up the brush. I taught myself how to paint in the basement of my parents' home. It all happened when I went to pick up the sons of Tito Freddie [Alcuaz] in the late '80s. He is a relative by affinity because his sister married my mum's brother. The sons were visiting from Germany, so I offered to take them out to dinner since we had known each other since we were kids," Bolipata recalls.
"Strangely enough, out of nowhere, as soon as I entered Tito Freddie's studio, I recognised something—the smell of oils. I looked at him and said I wanted to paint. He burst out laughing. He was taken aback. So was I," she continues.
Bolipata's pursuit of visual artistry was not just a momentary decision; the same evening, she asked Alcuaz's sons to help her gather everything she needed to start her latest venture.
"Tito Freddie's sons are painters too. So that night, I asked 'all of my sudden desire to be a painter' questions. 'What do I do?', 'Where do I go to buy materials?', 'What kinds of paints should I use?' I ended up buying everything from National Bookstore and started with Maries oil paint. There began my meet-cute with painting!" she tells Tatler.
In case you missed it: Turning Trash to Treasures: Mars Bugaoan's Art Speaks of Life's Pains and Growth
