Her love for the arts is an innate calling she traces back to her childhood. She took her early influence and encouragement from parents, who also appreciated the arts. Her father was a set designer for LVN studios while her mother was a typical homemaker who took care of the children, performed regular house chores, and occasionally painted still life works. Since her father earned a humble keep, she had to make the effort to contribute to their needs as fish vendor in Malabon.

Jenny’s Serendipity’s featured artist, Lydia Velasco, was a student of the University of Sto. Tomas and pursued Fine Arts Major in Advertising. She worked shortly after as an artist for the advertising agency Philprom, where she stayed for more than a decade. Rising from the ranks, she became Art Director for several multinational advertising companies such as DYR, J.Walter Thompson, Pacifica, Ace Compton, Basic, and McCann-Erickson. It was in 1988, when she left advertising and ventured in entrepreneurship as co-owner of Lightmoves Photo/Design, Inc., where also became the company’s Art Consultant.

When her Lightmoves Design was stable, she returned to painting and became core member of Malang’s Saturday Group. Lydia devoted her time fully in painting and went way to discover her art, medium, and style. She focused her subjects on women, liberating them on her canvases and asserting their glory, identity, and freedom amid a mainly patriarchal society. She describes her depictions of women as elongated, massive, heavily set, and invigorated with almost masculine assertiveness.

For 30 years, she painted her heart and at the same time her children followed suit of her artistic endeavors, Chi is into sculpture, Chigo is into the contemporary arts, Owen is an art dealer, and Alona is the manager of the family-owned Galerie Artes.

Velasco is now an icon known worldwide for her own style and depiction of women in different settings and angles.To many, her legacy will always put her on the pedestal she well deserves. Lydia Velasco is a woman of courage, she believes the essence of a woman is not measured by the many laurels and accolades received but how one grows from enduring life’s trials and pains. She is indeed a woman of substance.

She also commits her time with other organizations such as Art Association of the Philippines and  United Women Artists Association of the Philippines.

There is a book written about Lydia Velasco by Galerie Joaquin Managing Director Jack Teotico entitled – “Allure.” Velasco’s main interest is to explore the subject of women in her unique and highly personal style depicting them as strong and sensual, exuding inner beauty and confidence. Lydia’s works free the Asian women from age-old societal conventions by her highly contemporary style of rendition.

All images are courtesy of Lydia Velasco.

For bookings, you can contact the artist, “Lydia Velasco” via her Facebook page.