Back in the old times, the letter “T” was used by the ancient Phoenicians as a marker or a sign especially for people who didn’t know how to sign their own names. Today, the letter “T” stands for so many things and can be used for so many words. After seeing the exhibit of Ebb and Flow, we can now associate “T” to three powerful women whose names start with the letter “T” and we can aptly use the adjective “talented” to go with their names.

Tessa Mendoza, Tina Gonzales, and Tessa Alindogan – up-and-coming artists who teamed up for the first time to unveil their three women art exhibit featuring their distinct signature paintings in each canvas. It tells of three different painters with different styles, yet when their works are put together, these create a rhythm – a movement of different songs flowing and interweaving to create an ebb and flow. Mendoza, a self-taught artist, had her first successful exhibit entitled “Gracia” in November 2014. Coming from her sold-out show, she featured some of her earlier works for the three-women exhibit. Her style focuses on detailed human form, portraits and other line art with animals and nature as inspiration. Since 1986, Tessa has been painting but stopped for a while when she had to focus on marriage and motherhood, having four children of her own. For over 20 years, her passion took a backseat but after a successful sold out exhibit last 2014, she’s back and ready to conquer the art scene. “Mine is but the hand that wields brush to canvas; it is Christ’s abounding grace that inspires, conjures, creates and blesses,” she shares.

For Tina Gonzales, art comes as second nature as she is a long time collector and art dealer. “Ebb and Flow” marks her first exhibit. While Mendoza dabbles on linear details, Gonzales’ work is almost without lines as paint flows to create the illusion of forms highlighting scenes from everyday life with people in parks and places that caught her fancy. “It’s Life, real life. I like to draw and I started in 1994. When my mom died last 2014, I decided that this is what I really wanted and what I like to do,” she explains.

Tessa Alindogan on the other hand has been a practicing interior designer since 1988. She graduated with an Architectural Interior Design diploma from the Inchbald School of Design in London. Painting didn’t come as something she loved to do but “had” to do out of necessity. She began painting in 2004 when she needed some artwork for her condo, and people who visited her place loved the artworks and it eventually became a calling, as the need grew for her profession. As an interior designer, Alindogan creates abstract pieces that go well with the walls of offices and homes that she designs. Ebb and Flow was a one-time exhibit held last March 8 at Discovery Primea. Portions of the proceeds will be donated to Assumption High School Batch 1981 for the benefit of the Assumption Alumnae Association (AAA).