RAQS' PAINTINGS
(
Official website of artist / painter, RAQS SANTOS-GARCIA)
BEGINNINGS, 16" x 20", Oil on canvas (1997)
"A streak of light hits the water from afar, as lilies continue to surround a clear pond.
A crowd cheers as we enter a new beginning.
A painting
dedicated to my wedding."
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in 1969. Raqs is the youngest in the family of five children. She graduated in 1991 at the College of the Holy Spirit (Manila) with a degree of Fine Arts major in Advertising. In the same year, she already gained international exposure when she sold handpainted shirts during the Southeast Asian Games.
In 1992, Raqs launched her career as artist for Avellana and Associates, one of Manila's leading advertising agencies. In the A & A art department, artists spend their free hours expressing their emotions on canvas. And Raqs, like her colleagues, realized their true fulfillment...painting. Each of them started their own collection and formed a group called the "MADRUGADA Artists". Being pioneer of the group, Raqs was able to exhibit her early paintings at the City Gallery in 1993 & 1995. During this time she also attended workshops at the Ayala Museum.
Madrugada, a tradition in Spain, is a time Spaniards call their own, a time to be themselves, to live their lives as they wish. By adopting this Spanish custom, Raqs developed her skills thru the use of various mediums such as soft pastel, gouache, acrylic and oil paint.
In October of 1999, Raqs opened her first one-woman show entitled "Incidental Flowers". An exhibit of 25 paintings from Raqs' collection depicting her love for flowers in nature and still life. Rendered in soft pastel and acrylic with brisk strokes of blue, yellow and green, the Monet- and Van Gogh-inspired paintings create a vivid impression of country life, evoking a keen appreciation for the simple and the ordinary.
Presently, Raqs works as print producer for AV Plus, Incorporated, a multi-media company offering services on Next Gen Media, Design and Photography. She manages client's print production requirements including photography art direction, talent casting, and food styling.
Of Raqs'
paintings, New York-based Filipina Painter Mia Ongpin-Herbosa
says: "(They're) lovely, and have an innocent quality
which is endearing, leaving one with a positive lighthearted
feeling. She uses bright, happy colors, and her pastel paintings
are my favorite...Simple and carefree, her paintings easily put a
smile in your heart."
RAQS' PAINTINGS ARE DISPLAYED AT...
PILIPINA
SA MATA NG MADRUGADA
(The Madrugada
Artist's 5th Group Exhibition: March 25 - April 30, 2000)
PHILIPPES ANTIQUITÉS Art Gallery, Ground Floor, PJL Corporate Center,
1782 N. Garcia St. (formerly Reposo) cor.Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City
(Gallery hours: Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Click here to view Raqs' paintings in this show
Please inquire from Ms. Tacy Castañeda of Philippe's Antiquités
Tel. nos.: 895-0753 & 895-1777 loc. 255 or Tacy's Mobile: (0917) 8102841
WINDOWS CAFÈ Bar & Restaurant
114 H.V. dela Costa St., Classica Towers, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Please inquire from Ms. Didi Lopa of Windows Cafè
Tel. No. : 888-4297
GALLERY
For inquiries, comments and suggestions, contact e-mail address:
RAQS' PAINTINGS (1999) All rights reserved.
No part of this website may be downloaded for reproduction, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from artist/owner of this website.
(raqs' website updated march 2000)