It's a dream come true.
But what really comes into this was 10 years of 'atras-abante', will this work?, will people accept this? Will this be good enough?
Growing up I never understood why I like Cinderella's ball scene . I even tried to draw my own version of Cinderella's gown. When I was on my graduating year at high school, I confided to my friend that I wanted to study fashion design at UP Diliman, she said that it was a rich man course, I believed her, my mother a policewoman, was struggling to send six of us to school, our eldest was fresh out of college, she also needed to review for the CPALE.
I studied how algorithms and mathematical equation solve real-life problems.
Still, I never stopped my self from loving design. How colors and logo and illustrations, made me love pinterest, deviantart and other blogsites and websites that talks about the elevation of designs, i love reading about it.
How photography, fonts, web designing and others art related contents that could elevate my appreciation on these things.
I am really fascinated with the art of dream weaving, how I find it magical and eerie. That is why when I was waiting for companies to call me, I volunteered to become a weaver at our local cottage industry at Cooperative Handicrafts Industry of Nabunturan months later I started my career at being an IT instructor.
After, I went home, volunteered again at CHAIN, mam Leah found me and my skills.
I started logo designing for tourism related activities, commanded the muncipality of Nabunturan to wear colors during the its inception day celebrations and developed its website. Almost three years, I served the municipality, marketing films and its tourism related activities but fate have its own funny way of diverting you to paths unknown, I become a public teacher, teaching media and information literacy, and the arts.
Last year, out of brokenness, I embraced my own uniqueness, I came back and launched myself become my own artist, together with the help of the LGU Nabunturan we created an installation art called Pukot sa Pangandoy. Two months after its feature I have launched the Pxtch Project, a t-shirt brand dedicated to the revival of the culture of weaving here in Nabunturan.
Last Monday(September 25, 2023), I was given the opportunity by Davao de Oro Provincial Tourism Office and the Province of Davao De Oro to present The Pxtch together with different rookie and professional designers all around Davao De Oro.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mam Xtin Dompr, the Provincial Government of Davao De Oro, and the Department of Trade and Industry - Davao De Oro Office for opening its doors and for giving artist like me a platform to showcase our works.
To Madame Leah Bugas Mesiona Calamba, a Tourism Leadership awardee, who always believe in Nabunturanon talents, like mine, daghan kaayong salamat.
To Ate Lynette Talo, who always provide guidance how to work with the weaves, daghan kaayong salamat, daghan pa ko utang nimo.
Ate Adeth,
Ate Veron,
Ate Bebing
Ate Lisa,
and to the weavers, sewers and braiders of the Cooperative Handicraft Industry of Nabunturan, salamat. The cottage will always be a home to me.
To Renz Y Botero who have said yes to me last minute. Salamat kaayo.
To the dreamers out there, this is a proof dreams do come true.
📷 Jonie Cadiz/LGU Maragusan
