From Plastic to Picasso

From moving clouds to city street lights, impressionism embraces the pace modern living. According to art history, impressionism encapsulates the idea of a ‘life lived in bursts of brief encounters in the city.’

And to walk through frames that realize that idea is a reward in itself, for both the craftsman and the spectator.

Roberto ‘Raul’ Agas started sketching in pencil at the age of 7. At 18, he started competing in painting contests and came on top, bagging grand prizes.

Born as Roberto ‘Raul’ Agas in 1966, his influence came from his father and grandfather who were well-known painters back in the 50s. He is now a visual Cebuano artist, celebrated for his lifelike subjects, robust color of his landscapes and most importantly, his choice of medium.

Some of the best of Raul’s collection.(Photo by Daxine Abala, USC-CAFA Intern)

In the 19th century, impressionism became an art movement that could easily be differentiated because of its ‘relatively small, thin yet visible brush strokes.’  As a ‘green artist,’ Raul creates those strokes by crafting his pieces using ATM and credit cards in lieu of a palette knife. With the ATM card, an artist owns the ability to paint with one stroke only, allowing it to be more defined.

As unconventional as it sounds, this technique sets Raul apart from other artists, creating single strokes that become a human experience, one masterpiece at a time.

Featuring some of the best of his collection, his 7th One Man Show entitled, “Independence: Perspectives in Art”  exhibits his acrylic and oil-based art pieces like “The Old Bridge,” The River” and “Tabo” among others, bringing Cebu’s culture and heritage into life.

As an artist who paints not only to be recognized, he is a family man, who uses his passion to provide for his home. He stands out as an art guru, committed to showcase his artistic prowess beyond the lines and strokes of his pieces.

Visit Independence: Perspectives of Art at the 3rd level Rotunda, Ayala Center Cebu (across Maze). The exhibit will run until July 10. For more information on the works of Raul Agas, visit www.raul-agas.com or like his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CebuVisualArtist.