SEVERAL Thomasian artists showcased their arts and crafts brands in the “Patrons of the Arts” fair, which ran from Jan. 20 to 21 at Centris Elements in Quezon City.
Over 350 artists participated in the fair and featured artworks ranging from accessories to art prints and stickers.
Isabel Malit, one of the co-founders of “Patrons of the Arts” and a graduate of UST’s information technology program, said the fair gave artists the space to promote their works and monetize their talents.
“We really love the artists and feel that they deserve a bigger space centered on them, not just an alley in a big event,” Malit told the Varsitarian.
“That’s our main goal: for artists to be recognized here in the Philippines,” she added.
Among the participating artists at the fair was Krishten Katibayan, an accounting alumna who creates stickers and prints that feature characters from popular Japanese animated shows like “One Piece” and “Jujutsu Kaisen.”
“When I see customers who also like the character [that I drew, it’s] uplifting for an artist,” she said. “This [fair] encourages non-artists to try drawing or jewelry-making.”
Medical technology alumna Natasha Sarmiento also joined the fair, which she said has gathered a community for artists and encouraged budding ones to promote their works.
“‘Patrons of the Arts’ started as an event, but after it, a community among the artists was formed here,” Sarmiento said.
“To join events like this, it’s kind of hard because there’s a lot of participants and competition is more on-the-spot…[But] they were really encouraging new artists to join their event,” she added.
Sarmiento’s brand, “The Sylvan Arcade,” specializes in hand-crafted accessories and decor.
Journalism junior Justine Malonzo showcased stickers and prints featuring her own character design.
“[Because the event is] handled by actual artists, [we participating artists] feel comfortable with our space [since] they actually value our comments and suggestions,” she told the Varsitarian.
Thomasians were also behind the brands “ScottWM,” “Jopetdraws,” “Suff and Rain,” “nabi,” “nastyfeat,” “Ink and Plans,” “Grid Art Lab,” and “meriyart.”
This was the second year that the “Patrons of the Arts” fair was staged. It will have another run from March 2 to 3 at Centris Elements in Quezon City.
