Name of Artist:

Guia Ty

Art Form:

Traditional Art – Watercolor

Artist Biography: 

I’m Guia Ty, 28 years old, a self-taught watercolor painter who hails from Cavite.

I started drawing when I was two – the usual incomprehensible scribbles on the floor and walls of our home. I never took drawing seriously until I was 8 years old when I joined my first contest at school. Since then I only relied on art subject, art club activities, and the school library (internet was for the rich way back 1990’s), to learn about drawing and painting. I continued to learn on my own, practicing every day and discovering how to paint with watercolor. I had to save from my allowance so I could buy what art materials I wanted. It was until second year high school when I first won in an international contest in Hong Kong. I won for three consecutive years.

College life was completely artless, and it continued until I started working. I hardly painted for seven years straight. I would draw occasionally, because it was needed in my profession as a teacher; having creativity and skills in drawing was an advantage. But teaching wasn’t really my passion. I did discover a new found love: writing. I keep journals filled with random thoughts, poetry, until I was able to write short stories. When creativity strikes and I do not have the time nor space to draw, I end up writing until way past midnight.

I stopped working to focus on my master’s degree, but I ended up painting. The last quarter of 2013 was life changing. I was encouraged by a stranger (who happens to be an artist, and eventually became my mentor) that I should try painting a piece every day, and see how my vision was developing. He said I already had the skill; it was time I found myself in what I was doing. At that time I was terribly lost and confused to where my career was going. I did what I could, to think of something new, unique, creative, and try to execute it on paper. I had no knowledge at all of paint and paper brands, I stuck to ordinary student-quality materials that were affordable.

Early 2014 I made a series of four abstractions of women. I entitled them ‘Tetralogy of Fallot’, with each piece expressing unspeakable emotions: Vanity, Melancholy, Obsession, and Emotional Tirades. It represented all the feelings and confusions I had, everything I could not voice out, all demons that I have been fighting within me. I used the idea as motivation and subject of my craft. I finally found what others say ‘signature’ in my craft.

And as any little girl with big dreams, my series were sent to a gallery in Florence and I participated in a group exhibit in Portovenere, Italy last September 2014. And I owe everything to my mentor who helped me, guided me, and supported me.

Doing abstractions wasn’t enough. I continued discovering what I could do, and every day I try to learn something new about painting and what my hands could create. I learned, on my own, the value of artist quality paints and papers, how to store and preserve my works, and even how to frame them carefully. I also discovered a new path for my artistic expression: women and flowers. Still with the same motivation, I started to try and represent emotions through beautiful faces. I try my best to give life to them through their eyes, as if I want to draw the viewer to look closely at my work and make them feel what I am feeling. This new discovery has led my art to be patronized by women like me, who have passion for the arts, beauty, and elegance. My works have been collected by both Filipino and foreign individuals, reaching countries such as Austria, Germany, Malaysia, and Australia.

I still remain as a simple, dreamy girl who aspires so much in life. I still wish to have an exhibit in the Philippines, and maybe teach art someday. Teaching is my profession, art is my passion – to do both would be the best job I could ever have. I use my Instagram account to share my works and encourage young painters to stay away from the mainstream, and try to look in themselves to discover what their creative souls are made of. I hope what I do inspire others to strive on their own and be the best they could be.

Contact the Artist:

• Portfolio: http://guiaty.daportfolio.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/guiatya
• Email: guiatya@gmail.com
• Contact Number: +639212783963

Feature Image Caption:

“Insignificant Me” Watercolor on Paper 23x23cm Sold in Germany

Artworks (images) and biography submitted via the Artist Submission Page.