Joannah Paula De Leon was having an art jam about three months ago in a café in Virac, Catanduanes when sipping her coffee, a ‘what if’ moment turned on her head.
She then painted a caricature portrait of the President of Catanduanes State University using coffee on a locally-made abaca paper and was recognized after the President posted it online and went viral.
“Yung pinaka-advantage ng coffee painting in abaca was mabilis siyang gawin. I can create coffee painting caricature in just a minute lang and since Catanduanes is the Abaca Capital of the Philippines so triny ko talaga siya sa coffee and I love the result and para mas ma-promote pa ang abaca,” De Leon told Bicoldotph.
As a coffee lover, it is convenient for De Leon to use this medium.
“Coffee is much cheaper than other medium, nakakapagkape pa ako.”
“Coffee is unique. Yung aroma niya is nakaka-relax. Unlike other medium na medyo hindi maganda sa pang-amoy and ang kagandahan din sa coffee, one color lang siya, bale bineblend ko nalang thru light to dark para may effect,” she added.
Initially working with acrylic as her medium, De Leon admitted that she still doesn’t know what the coffee paintings would look like as time goes by, whether it can be preserved long-term like acrylic and oil paint.
De Leon said she is still observing whether the protection she used to preserve the coffee paintings in abaca actually worked but by far, according to her, she noticed that the result and color texture are getting better.
Her first works were given free of charge and also to special people as an appreciation. “…fine free ko din once na nagpurchase sakin ng paintings ko. Then the rest for commission din pero as of now more on appreciation ginagawa ko wala pa masyadong commission.”
When asked if she plans to conduct workshops on ‘coffee painting in abaca’, she said that if given the opportunity, she is willing to share this newly-found art medium.
“Explore everything, because everything is an art. Be inspired. In discovering something connected to art like coffee — dapat samahan ng pagmamahal kasi mas nagiging maganda yung result nya and kalmahan lang explore lang ng explore kasi makukuha mo din yung comfortable spot and your work of arts,” De Leon advice on people who wants to explore with their medium, and try coffee art on abaca.
De Leon’s coffee on abaca paintings were just recently featured by the Provincial Tourism Office of Catanduanes.
Her paintings were also featured in international virtual exhibitions like People of Creating Mind in Germany by Ilona Lakatos and MMT Galleria de Peru.
Meet Joannah Paula de Leon, a self-made artist who turns coffee and abaca paper into extraordinary masterpieces!
Her unique art form, aptly named ‘Kape Sa Abaca,’ not only showcases her creativity but also highlights the ingenuity of our local artists.
Joannah is a member of Catanduanes Artistic Minds and Outstanding Talents (CAMOT) Catanduanes and currently the head organizer of the art jams of CAMOT.
You may visit more of her artworks on her Facebook page ‘LIKHANG SINING SHINKARA’ through this link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064870052952&mibextid=kFxxJD | Mera Melitante
Photos: LIKHANG SINING SHINKARA
