Born 1976 at Bato Camarines Sur, Filipino artist “Nobing Villez” grew up being fascinated by the works of National Artist “Fernando Amorsolo.” Norbing is a Fine Art undergraduate at Far Eastern University (FEU) who also attended Pol Mesina’s Art Workshop at Marikina. Joined the group “Sikat” (Sining Kulay at Tinta) who also participated in group’ shows and held his first solo exhibit at GT Tower in Makati. Later migrated in the US in 2006 and joined Temecula Valley Art Group for a year till he formed Let’s Paint Filipino Art Group, his current undertaking.

Norbing believes that an art advocacy group is an empowering instrument in reaching out to our very own Filipino artists and inspiring them to act and change their life in a positive way.

“Let’s share our work to inspire others.”

“Isa sa layunin ko sa grupong eto ay makapagbahagi ng aking munting nalalaman sa pagpipinta upang makapagbigay inspirasyon sa mga nais matuto at magpinta…”

It is his aim to share some of his knowledge in painting, most of which he has learned from his mentor Pol Mesina, Jr.

Let’s Paint is an online art tutorial Facebook group founded by Norbing Villez last March 2015. It quickly grew fellowship in terms of participation, involvement and support as well as comradeship. The group’s mission is to help promote, educate, and affect change by engaging people to act as a community and help transform their life and their world using various visual arts media.

Based in Murrieta, California, Nobing runs the Philippine based art group remotely. (See Filipino Artists LET’S PAINT Online Art Tutorial Group Exhibit their works in Baguio City)

He observed that most artists are members of one or more Facebook groups depending on the group’s objectives and themes. There are some groups that cater to promoting art, while others held online art competitions. Some art groups have stayed on while some dissolved quickly. Some have sparked hullabaloos while some remained conservative. That is why he was inspired to create Let’s Paint that has no other admins but him in order to avoid political tensions. However, the way the group is growing, he might want to add one or more admins to help him facilitate the group.

Simultaneously, while encouraging a creative atmosphere to the group, Norbing also gives small cash incentives for the artists to inspire them to participate in the monthly painting tournament. Wherein artists paints with similar themes while using their own respective interpretations with a reference guide he provides. The winning piece receives the prize money and has the advantage to keep the rites of the artwork and also a chance to be featured at “Filipino Artists Magazine.”

The group’s first major activity was a gathering of artists and group exhibition of their works at Fred’s Gallery in Baguio City held last August 25-27, 2015. With the success of the previous art engagement, another major activity will follow suit at the “Baguio Arts festival” this coming Feb 24-26. This will compose of 4 groups: Lakbay Kulay, Artipolo, Makasining Pinas and Let’s Paint.

The group will get a spot of 10 artist delegates chosen by Norbing. The activity includes exhibits at Freds Gallery and at the same time, the launch of Fred’s Mobile Gallery at different Baguio’s tourist spots for the celebration of Baguio’s Art Month.

All artists are advised to bring affordable artworks to sell at the exhibit and mobile gallery. There will be on the spot plein air and sketching sessions. Artist and Architect Fredi Agunoy, host and participant, will open one unit of Fred’s Serviced Apartments in Baguio to house all artists. For accommodation, painters will exchange paintings not smaller than 8×8 inches.

Norbing’s way of fun is to enjoy sharing his works with everyone in the group and to inspire newbies as well. Let’s paint, support and do his share to teach his knowledge for the groups one & only Let’s Paint Art Group.

On the personal note, Norbing’s landscape paintings truly capture the scenery.  It is his own way of preserving the subject and to continue learning in the process said the artist.

This makes him HAPPY – Happy to help and Happy to Learn!

“SOME OF NORBING’S VILLEZ MASTERPIECES”

Contact the artist on Facebook or join the fun @ Let’s Paint Art Group.

Image supplied by the artist.