Cheloy Dans’ artistic evolution continues

LAST MARCH 1, an SRO crowd graced the glitzy opening of Araceli Limcaco-Dans’ major retrospective at the Ayala Museum, with some 180 of her works on exhibit in three of the prestigious venue’s galleries, featuring carefully collated and curated paintings from 1947 to the present.

It was a moving experience for first-nighters to see Cheloy’s artistry in evolution through the years and decades—and they were inspired all the more when they learned that, already in her 80s, the artist is still exploring new and exciting initiatives—this time, as an illustrator of books for young readers!

That new direction may seem far-out for some collectors of Cheloy’s more familiar and cherished oeuvres, like her portraits and signature calado paintings, but we think it’s right up her artistic alley, because she’s always been good with children.

Unique way

For one thing, she’s had 10 of her own! And she spent many years as head of the Ateneo Grade School’s art department, motivating and inspiring many young artists to express themselves, each in his own creatively unique way.

Cheloy’s first children’s book, “Calypso, The Pig That Almost Became Lechon,” featuring 14 of her lovely illustrations in sepia and written by yours truly, will be launched at Ayala Museum at 4 p.m. on April 9.

How did we end up collaborating with the esteemed senior artist on her first outing in children’s book illustration? Fact is, we go back a long way—all the way to the ’70s, when we directed Cheloy in her two Citizens’ Awards for Television prize-winning educational TV series on the visual arts for the Ateneo Educational TV Center.

In addition, we acted and sang together in an Ateneo Grade School annual play, and a few years ago, we worked together again on the original Filipino musical, “Mapaghimalang Birhen ng Caysasay,” with music by Ryan Cayabyab and produced by Ramon Orlina.

How did our literary partnership come about? Two years ago, we realized that there weren’t enough stories being written for children here, so we wrote more than enough original stories for a book.

For luck, we asked Cheloy to illustrate the first story in the book—and, she says she enjoyed the experience so much that she created many beautiful images, so our first collaboration is making its debut on April 9—as a separate book!

Aside from the launch of “Calypso,” Cheloy’s Ayala Museum retrospective includes a lecture series—again, a relatively unusual innovation as far as art exhibits go. But, then again, Cheloy Dans is an unusual artist.

The lecture series led off on March 19 with Barbara Dans discussing The Art of the Innocents.

On April 2, Brenda Fajardo talks on Traditional and Contemporary Philippine Art.

And, on April 30, Cheloy herself sums everything up with My Evolution As A Visual Artist.

Cheloy Dan’s “suprising” artistic adventures proceed apace!