My Most Significant Commission Yet

Every portrait commission begins long before the first brushstroke. It begins with trust.

When someone commissions a portrait, they are entrusting an artist with the responsibility of creating an image that will often outlive both artist and sitter. I have always approached this responsibility with the desire to understand not only the expectations of my client, but also the life and character of the person whose likeness I am about to paint. My role extends beyond producing a physical resemblance; it is to create a portrait that possesses presence.

Among the commissions I have completed, this portrait of Prof. Francis Capule, former Dean of the UP Manila College of Pharmacy, stands as my most significant project to date. It is the first portrait in which I oversaw every stage of its creation—from the initial photography session and compositional planning to the painting itself and the final framing.

The photographic sitting lasted a little over an hour, allowing us to explore different poses, expressions, and gestures. Rather than relying on a single photograph, we combined the strongest elements from several images to arrive at a composition that best represented the subject. This collaborative process ensured that the final portrait was not merely a record of a moment, but a carefully considered representation of the individual.

One aspect I particularly anticipated was the rendering of the callado embroidery of the Barong Tagalog. While the face remains the emotional center of every portrait, clothing is never incidental. The intricate patterns, subtle textures, and play of light across the fabric contribute to the sitter's identity and deserve the same level of careful observation and craftsmanship.

Looking back, what makes this commission especially meaningful is not only the finished painting, but the opportunity to guide every aspect of its creation. It allowed me to bring together the different disciplines that have shaped my practice—as a painter, photographer, and observer—in service of a single work.

I am deeply grateful to Prof. Francis Capule for his confidence throughout the process. The completed portrait now hangs in the Hall of Deans at the UP College of Pharmacy in Manila, where it joins the institution's history. It is immensely satisfying to know that the painting has found its permanent home, and I look forward to seeing it again whenever I return to the university.