PERSON WITH DREAMS FROM ISABELA INSPIRES

June 18, 2025 Lifestyle

The Isabela Artist Circle (ISAC) aims to make Region 2 the Art Capital of the North. ISAC brings together local artists who create and encourage others to develop skills. Currently at SM City Baguio until the end of the month with a Mobile Art Exhibit and On-the-Spot Art Demonstration featuring artists from the town. Michael Rivera Castillo, ISAC founder and president, said, “The featured artist for now is Mark Agcaoili. He is currently the heart of the organization, but we are already scheduling a group exhibit featuring different [ISAC] artists with various art styles and mediums such as thread art, bamboo sculptures, rice art, floralism, toothpick sculpture, screw art, syringe painting, and more.”

Since 2018, ISAC has had 200 members spread across 12 chapters in different towns and cities throughout Isabela. It supports and grows the province’s art scene by organizing workshops, exhibits, and participating in both local and national art competitions. For the past 20 years, Agcaoili, a visual artist living with meningitis, has proven that disability cannot stop artistic skill. He creates works using his foot, overcoming the hurdles of the disease to inspire and give hope to many. The 35-year-old Agcaoili hails from Cabisera 25 in Ilagan City and has since risen from his humble beginnings to present his artwork in exhibits nationwide.

Castillo, who serves as his spokesperson, said, “Pumupunta kami sa iba’t ibang malls is para siya [Mark] ay mas lalo pang ma-expose ang kaniyang mga works… naglilibot kami sa iba’t ibang lugar sa buong Pilipinas. Mostly nagpo-propose kami ng activity like this and then inaaproba naman po ng mga malls.” (We go to different malls so that he [Mark] can further expose his works… we travel to various places throughout the Philippines. Mostly, we propose activities like this, and the malls approve them.) Agcaoili’s love for art started in primary school until complications from meningitis left him unable to use his hands and robbed him of his ability to speak.

However, he can communicate through writing, utilizing his feet. Agcaoili creates portraits, and his work was slowly recognized, leading to many commissioning orders. “Maraming nakapila sa kaniya, sa kanyang mga schedules… Ginawan niya si Idol Raffy Tulfo, which is binigyan din siya ng financial assistance, lahat ng commissioned works niya ay ginagawa niya on the spot sa kanyang schedules at naka-live lahat sa kanyang Tiktok account,” Castillo said. (Many are lined up for him, for his schedules… He made a portrait for Idol Raffy Tulfo, who also gave him financial assistance.

All his commissioned works are done on the spot during his scheduled sessions and are live on his TikTok account.) Agcaoili can complete a portrait within 3 days to 2 weeks, depending on the number of subjects and the client’s desired size. The level of detail in the subject or reference also affects the completion time. Typically, a couple portrait in A3 size takes him about 4 to 5 days to finish. Agcaoili’s condition became his inspiration to keep going. “He wanted to prove that being a PWD does not limit a person’s dreams… Yung motivation niya na ang pagiging disability niya ay hindi naging hadlang para makamit niya yung mga gusto niyang maabot sa buhay, which is sabi nga niya PWD, hindi siya person with disabilities kundi ‘Person with Dreams,’” Castillo shared. (His motivation is that his disability did not hinder him from achieving what he wants in life. As he says, PWD, for him, doesn’t mean “person with disabilities” but “Person with Dreams.”)

By: Glyna Ritch Sabado/UC Intern/ABN