Joejene C. Santos — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Apr 29

Apr 29 Joejene C. Santos

Biography
"Art is a discovery of who we are and the greatest that we will be."
Self-discovery is the one true purpose and joy in life has always been the subject of Joejene's works. Discovering the beauty and wonder of the existence of life and nature fuels his creative process. Joejene’s artistic practice springs from consciously engaging in and feeling the moment of creation with a sense of joy, wonder, and curiosity like a child discovering life. His medium acrylic on canvas translates these artistic ideas into abstract paintings with his unique style and skills at rendering rich colors, textures, and depth. Born in the Philippines where he earned a degree in Fine Arts and practiced his artistic passion professionally, Joejene is now making his mark as an abstract artist in the Ottawa art scene. He has held numerous exhibitions in Ottawa and Toronto since moving to Canada with his family in 2006. His work is currently represented by the Orange Art Gallery in Ottawa and held in private collections in The Philippines, United States, Japan, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and Canada.

Artist Statement
Painting intuitively and trusting my inner self in complete surrender are the core of my creative process. To me, knowing the beauty of who we are within is a liberating truth… it keeps me to be in constant awe of the world around us, to be one with all its creation, to soak at the moment, and to fully and truly live the gift of life. It is about allowing the process and the moment to happen, to take place and surrender yourself in your purest, most authentic self, without worry or fear... To just trust in your intuition until the process takes its own shape and reveals itself… and the result is like LIFE in visual form, in its truest physical presence.

What first prompted you to think of becoming an artist?

Back when I was just a kid, I remember my father bought us a set of good-quality watercolors and he handed it to me to keep it. I was so happy and excited to have that really good watercolor set. I kept on learning how to use it and enjoyed making drawings during my spare time after school. In the days that followed, while watching a children’s TV show, I was mesmerized when they showed a person in that show doing some landscape painting saying that he is an artist. Then I said to myself, I wanted to be like him, an artist. And I did.

What kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?

A contemporary one who’s always in the present, ever engaging and conscious of the gift of life. Actively participating, sharing, and contributing to the promotion of arts to all on a global scale through online shows, art fairs, and gallery exhibitions. An artist who wants to achieve greatness and success in life by being passionate about making good art about the beauty of who I am within that never ceases to be curious and enjoy life’s abundance and wonder.

What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?

A visual extension of our true and authentic self. An experience of inner joy, a feeling of wonder that when we allow our senses, we can feel the life energy in the movement of lines and shapes. I would hope to convey that the relationship and nuances of colors and the balance and harmony of the composition is an equivalence of a breathtaking waterfall, a beautiful landscape, a majestic bird in flight, a child’s laughter, or a glowing sunrise... In essence, being one with the cycle of life and nature in its visual language.

Can you explain the process of creating your work?

I have this kind of practice that when I create my work, I let myself go through stages like solid, liquid, and gas state. So normally, I start with a subject matter, it could be thought about color or an experience that inspires me and this will be the framework or structure of the composition, my solid state. Then by consciously working adding layers of paints and feeling my way through the process to determine the direction of the painting, I let go of my pre-conceived thoughts and just surrender myself to the process... my liquid state. Once I feel or sense something that is true then I start painting it over or prime it just to start fresh. Then I tap into my intuition to look deeper within me, my inner self (the gas state) to tie up all the process altogether so I can achieve a sense of oneness in the final composition.

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Always being in the present everything feels like new. And when I go deeper and surrender into my intuition because there, I can feel the best of me. I am alive.

Can you give us an insight into current projects and inspiration, or what we can look forward to from you in the near future?

I am really into the discovery of the beauty of who we are within through the process of art-making. Currently, I am working on the idea of how to be yourself and find a way to build a harmonious reality in a world of structured beliefs and expectations. And I have an upcoming International Art Fair in Montecarlo, Monaco this August 2021. Please watch out for that. Thank You!

Website https://www.joejeneartstudio.com

Instagram @joejenecsantos

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joejeneartstudio/