"Not All That Glitters Is"
36 x 36 " | 2022
oil on canvas
Gold. Not all that glitters is gold. Everyone knows the saying.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... I found myself and some others exploring along a shallow river in an effort to comfort a brokenhearted comrade. It was a bright day, and the Broken One was poking at the rocks as he sulked. Behold! A shimmer! Is it? Could it be?? Gold!? Or even if it isn't, isn't this exciting? Maddening?? Who doesn't love shimmers! The gold rush began. We gathered stones, competing to find the sparkliest and shiniest. Maybe we brought home a few too many as pasalubong. I snapped many pictures.
It was a happy memory, and I held on to it.
I held on to many pyrite memories like that. They were shiny, and I like shiny. The thing is... pyrite is also poison. When it oxidises, it releases arsenic. And I had been holding on to that poison for years. But like my companions at the river, I was blind, maddened by the rush. I kept all those things –– stubbornly ignoring the signs, telling myself it was something else weighing me down.
Until one day, something clicked. I didn't need my pyrite sparkles.
And I was free. Because I knew.
Not all that glitters is.
"Make the World Go Round"
24 x 18 " | 2022
oil on canvas
"Mine Mine Mine"
24 x 18 " | 2022
oil on canvas
"Shake That Bottomline"
24 x 18 " | 2022
oil on canvas
"Preciousssss"
12 x 12 " | 2022
oil on canvas
"Gold Rush"
12 x 12 " | 2022
oil on canvas
"Greed is Gold"
12 x 12 " | 2022
oil on canvas
This series of paintings (except Not All that Glitters Is) is my contribution to my alma matter's building fundraiser.
The Learning Tree, where I studied primary school, is finally getting its own building after renting for soooo many years. My batchmate, Elijah Arce, is one of the architects on the team, and T. Francie, our beloved directress, signed us up for the Ortigas Art Festival. I am so prOUD✨ of my batch and how well-represented we were at this show! Some of us (and our parents/grandparents) contributed work: Annetta, Raya, Gabbi, Mishka, myself. And even more came to the opening! We must've been the noisiest ones there!! Ah, but what a privilege to be able to give a little something back to TLT.
This year's OAF was featured on Manila Bulletin, Philstar, Business Mirror, Business World, and even blogs like Ed Uy's. There's also this IG post and this photodump from yours truly.
Of course, TLT's PIMI and Angklung Ensemble played a little something at the opening program.
PS My main work songs for this series (and the source of some titles) were Mine Mine Mine from Disney's 1995 Pochahontas film and How Bad Can I Be? from the Lorax movie.
© Anaraneta | 2022
