Rising from the Attic – BusinessWorld Online

Conrad Manila celebrates its own with an exhibition

It started with a white wall in the attic of his old house where Stephen Ozo painted murals and explored the use of color with small pints of paint he bought. But no one knew about it.

It was only in June 2021, when the country was under lockdown due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, that Mr. Ojo presented his work on his social media accounts. Her friends and colleagues started taking painting commissions from her.

Since working in his attic, he is now doing his first solo show at the Conrad Manila Hotel where he works as an assistant front office manager.

16^M The hotel’s Gallery C exhibits a 24-piece collection of the artist’s paintings in the “Off Art and Wine” series, which was created during the global epidemic. The title of the exhibition is “Positive.” Negative“

Born and raised in Baguio City, Mr. Ojo is a self-taught artist whose passion for painting kept him busy during the lockdown.

Conrad Manila Public Relations Consultant Jenny Iglesias Exhibitor Curator Nestor O. Jardine is told about a hotel employee who paints. Mr. Jardine then requested to see Mr. Ozo and review his portfolio before deciding whether to include him in the hotel’s exhibition program.

After the meeting, Mr. Jardine concluded that the artist still needed to “work with his focus on his subject, improve his color palette, and continue painting.”

The artist worked to find his style when he was off work.

“That [feedback] It pushed me and gave me a chance to find my style, ”Mr. Ozo told members of the press at the April 5 exhibition launch. “Finally through the painting I was doing for my colleagues; I was looking for my style. “

Dramatic, life-changing events in the last two years – the continued death of his parents, brother and cousin – Provides motivation for the development of his art.

“[It was] A way for me to cope with all my emotions. I think it was a good output, “said Mr. Ojo.

She works with acrylic paints and mixed media, ranging from flowers and wildlife to human images and portraits of women in abstract backgrounds. As a signature of his work, Mr. Ojo said he painted on canvas with gold and white bars “representing balance, purity and equilibrium.”

In the last months of 2021, Mr. Jardine re-evaluated Mr. Ozor’s work.

“I saw pictures of his recent works of art and I was pleasantly surprised. He has improved a lot. I think he’s starting to find his focus. Her color palette and her brush strokes have improved, “said Mr Jardine. “Artists usually find their artistic philosophy through some life-changing experiences.”

After his first solo exhibition, Mr. Ozo hopes to continue to honor his craft for future opportunities as an artist.

“I’m already thinking in my head about how to plan the next series of things I’m doing,” Mr Ojo said. “This opportunity [leads to] Other opportunities to meet more artists, young and old artists and masters. “

Mr. Ojo is currently working to improve his skills in portraiture.

“I can sketch a beautiful face but once I draw them, it changes. So, I am practicing portrait right now, which I will incorporate into my future drawings,” he said.

“Industry and Wine: Positive | Negative” Gallery C will be on display until June 11. Works available for purchase. For more information, call 8833-9999, or e-mail [email protected]. See Digital Brochure of Art A. http://bit.ly/OAAWPositiveNegative. – Michelle Ann P. Soliman