_Young Bacchus_

Young Bacchus

Oil on canvas
1993

I learned to paint in oil from ages ten through 12 (fifth through seventh grades) at Ateneo Grade School's Arts Club under the guidance of Araceli Limcaco-Dans. From high school onward I made forays into graphite, charcoal, watercolor, chalk pastels, oil pastels, and acrylic, in that order.

In 1993 I decided to go back to oil painting for good, and this was the very first painting I made that year, a truly early work, of my younger son Chito as Young Bacchus.

In 1998 I gave this painting to Bambi Gamban, a student at De La Salle University and a member of the Spirit Questors, for safekeeping, and for the longest time it hung in her mother's lanai. I reclaimed it only a few years ago, giving Bambi my painting titled Batman in exchange. Both Young Bacchus and Batman were returned to me, however, and Batman ended up being given as a gift to Mico Marasigan.

This painting hangs in our studio foyer. I am glad to have it back.

Note that my definitive signature had not yet been developed at the time.