SKETCH TOUR EXHIBIT TO SHOWCASE BAGUIO LANDMARKS, LANDSCAPES

September 24, 2022 Metro BLISTT

It is also set for the first location sketching exhibit in the city that could be a fitting end to the city’s celebration of its Charter month. Aurelio Castro III’s Session: SketchTour of Baguio exhibit will be launched on September 30 at the Baguio Convention Center. The Pasig City based artist who made a name for himself during the height of the Covid19 pandemic by featuring health care workers who succumbed
to the virus through his sketching will have 40 sketches of Baguio landmarks, landscapes and people.
Castro, who also made a name by doing sketches of Leni Robredo supporters during the last election, will highlight the exhibit at the former venue of the world chess championship.

Castro did the pen and watercolor on paper measuring nine inch by 12 inch, during his on location urban sketching efforts last September 1 to 4. Actually he arrived on August 31 and stayed at his cousin’s house, noted Baguio creative Karlo Altomonte, and did initial works like the Carabao Mountain or Quirino Hill.
He later stayed at the Podium Botique Hotel where he sketched the back – overlooking Bengao and
Bakakeng – then the inside of Hoka Brew and much later the hotel itself.

On a gloomy September 2, Castro sketched the former Session Theater at the middle of the city’s most famous thoroughfare after getting the nod of cops stationed at the former cinema. Inside Volante (which is inside Session Theater), he sketched the people and the detail of the cinema lobby turned resto.
The rainy weather actually prevented Castro to do his sketches. “Masyadong gray and background (The
background is too grey),” said the artist of his sketches and when the skies cleared a bit on his last day, he did the Podium Hotel.

“Luckilly, I was able to do some works, some 24 sketches. But I will do more when I come back,” said the music major cum visual artist. Castro, who plays lead guitars for the band Juan Pablo Dream, said he will be back in Baguio on September 28, two days before the exhibit and do some more works. “I have stopped playing since the pandemic,” said Castro, who made sketching his main task during the pandemic. “I am happy that I have the talent for it and was able to make a living during the pandemic,” who also divides his time with cooking, aside from collecting toys, which was also a source of income during the Covid19 lockdowns.

Castro also delivered his cooked food to his client using his reliable bike and usually make a stop to sketch. On the other hand, Ged Alangui failed to do much work during the stormy weekend during the first days of the month. Alangui has done his alma mater Baguio Central School as he attempts to finish the older public schools and the three biggest universities before the end of the month. “Ugggh the rains,” said Alangui, who just finished the Heroes: Wall of Fame murals at the Baguio athletic bowl.

“I just do hope to finish it before the start of the exhibit due to the rains and my work as barangay official
and of course as father to my younger kids who I wall to and from school, as well as provide lunch,” said
Alangui. Castro said that he is hoping that a Baguio chapter of the urban sketching will be started here and with Alangui to spearhead it. Castro will also highlight his skills in guitar playing during the exhibit date.
The event, a project of e-Pub which is behind the Heroes projects, is backed by the city and is under the
Breathe Baguio project.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN