A lot of times, all it takes is an opportunity to shine, build one’s dreams, and live by the firm belief that one is made for greater things in life.
This is especially true for young artists who are newly entering the dynamic Philippine art scene. One such talented painter is 20-year-old Francis Eugene Andrade from Bulacan State University—a three-time winner in the prestigious Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC) held annually by global leader in power and energy Shell.
Andrade first joined the competition in 2014, after seeing the stunning works submitted by his schoolmates in the Fine Arts course. He saw the competition as an important stepping stone to becoming an accomplished artist. Like his contemporaries, Andrade experienced challenges and learned valuable lessons as he was venturing to pursue his passion for the arts.
“Sa contest po, natutunan ko na mahirap yung iniisip mo na ang dami mong kalaban. Kung iisipin mo yun hindi ka gagaling. Hindi ka mag e-excel.
“Ang iniisip ko lang po noon ay sa bawat sali ko, sa bawat gawa ko ng piyesa eh dapat matalo ko yung sarili ko. Yun dapat yung kalabanin natin eh yung sarili natin, yung matalo yung dating tayo,” he shared.
Andrade also got a fair share of discouraging comments from others, as people around him questioned his capabilities to do well in the competition. Despite it all, he soldiered on, and to his surprise, he ended up taking home the grand prize for his painting that year.
His winning piece, an oil on canvas titled “Ipinagkakait na Kalayaan,” depicts paintbrushes sealed in a plastic bag, ready to be buried. The artwork, like all of Andrade’s winning pieces, comes from a personal place. In particular, his background of coming from a broken family inspired him to paint it.
After his first win, joining Shell NSAC became a yearly event for Andrade. Winning became annual as well: he was awarded second place for his watercolor painting entry in 2015 dubbed “This is NOT a PAINTING this is a DIARY,” and won third place in 2016 also for the watercolor piece “Forgotten.”
At present, Shell NSAC has proved to be a game changer for Andrade. “Nung una po, simple lang ang buhay ko. Nag-aaral para makatapos, para magkaroon ng trabaho, para maging proud si nanay at yung family ko,” he said. “Ngayon po ang laki ng pinagbago. Nakilala ako ng galleries, ng ibang tao, collectors, kapwa artists. Napasok ko yung art scene nang hindi ko inaasahan.”
In Shell NSAC’s almost five decades, Shell has leveled the playing field in the Philippine art scene by shining a spotlight on budding talent like Andrade and by propelling them to make their distinctive mark as upcoming artists to watch for.
“Driving young artists to realize their potential gains even more significance for Shell, as the company celebrates Shell NSAC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. Through the years, the innovative competition has become one of the foremost avenues for young Filipino artists to build their dreams and explore who they are as artists,” noted Lans Bularan, Social Investment and Social Performance manager at Shell.
Among artists who won in the competition were National Artists Jose Joya, Benedicto Cabrera, Frederico Aguilar Alcuaz, Ang Kiukok, and other Filipino contemporary masters like Juvenal Sanso, among others.
