A Luna great grandson continues artistic lineage

SOME develop skills over time, others are born with them.

Painter Eleazar Abraham Luna Orobia is the latter. Fondly called Abe by his peers, he took formal art education at the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) in 2001.

But before that, Orobia had already been holding the brush since he was seven months old; at three, he learned how to draw; and at six, he held a one-man exhibit.

Orobia, who taught in CFAD from 2007 to 2012, comes from a lineage of artists. His father Rogelio is an established painter while his mother Fe is a granddaughter of Juan Luna, one of the first recognized Filipino artists and the man behind the famous “Spoliarium.”

Orobia currently teaches at the College of Saint Benilde and is a part-time instructor at the Asia Pacific College-Magallanes. He has upcoming exhibitions and recently conducted a workshop, The Art Room: 2014 Art Workshops, at the Ayala Museum last April 5, 12 and 26, where he taught basic drawing.

‘Art is you’

For this 30-year-old artist, one’s output, regardless of his chosen field, is considered art.

“When you’re good in math, then computing numbers, for you, is art. When you’re good in writing, then publishing an article, for you, is art. When I paint or draw, the pieces I produce, for me, is art,” he said. “When you do it with finesse, that’s already called an art for me.”

Although he hails from a prominent family of art enthusiasts, Orobia wants to be known for what he does.

“Yes, I should be proud of it because I have a name attached to mine but that does not give me a ticket to be a good artist,” he said. “I may be a son and a great grandson of two notable painters but if I would not practice my skills and work on my career to be good, the artistry will not manifest in me.”

“Bandang huli ikaw ang gagawa ng pangalan para sa sarili mo because we carve our own destiny.”

Hard work, for Orobia, is the key to be recognized in his field. To become successful, he said one should be optimistic and persevering.

“Lahat ng nagtagumpay ay nagsumikap,” he said. “You could not always ask for a miracle to happen; you dream of it but you work on it as well. An artist is ever evolving, he does not stop developing the skill he has.”

Propagate art

The country’s relative lack of interest in art prompted Orobia to teach and conduct workshops.

“I’ve been to several developed countries and I’ve realized how much value they have placed on arts and culture,” he said. “As an artist, you touch people’s lives knowingly and unknowingly. Your talent inspires some and some admire your determination in doing things. I try to share to other people what I know and love about art and probably in that way, there will become more artists like me.”

The Art Room: 2014 Art Workshops is already on its second year. He handled oil painting during the first year.

“For me it’s like the Gospel of truth. I have the skill and I have the talent so I believe these will all be wasted if I’m not going to share them to budding artists,” he said.

Orobia calls these budding artists to have a vision. According to him, while they are still learning the different facets of art, they should not lose the burning desire to understand and live it.

“UST has taught me to become resilient,” Orobia said. “The road to reaching your dream may be long and rough but you should not stop working to achieve it. Hope coupled with determination will keep that desire warm in your heart.”