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Philippine-born Robert Garcia began sketching at the age of 10, wanting to become a painter but lacking the money for supplies. He was later able to move into watercolour, and then eventually acrylic paints, but his dream was to paint in oils, something that was out of his reach at the time.

In adulthood, after he married and had children, his family immigrated to Canada. In doing so, Garcia’s art flourished. He was finally able to afford oil paints and began recording his life via paintings. In doing so, he has created a celebration of his journey and of his new home.

Many of his pieces are done in plein air, and depict what he calls the “beautiful sceneries” in Manitoba. In fact, the title of his first solo exhibition, Tanawin, translates to landscape or scenery. Others depict his family and day-to-day life, such as portraits of his children playing, a set of nudes of his wife, or a painting of the alley behind his home. Each a memory of a time or place, finding beauty no matter where he is.

While Garcia exhibited his art in a group setting in the Philippines, the show was outdoors and inclement weather damaged the pieces on display. Ever since then he dreamt of exhibiting his art properly lit in a gallery setting. With his new show at the Manawaka Gallery, that dream has become a reality.

Garcia takes us through the exhibition to explain how his experiences translated into the landscape paintings that take us on this journey with him.

(In Tagalog with English subtitles.)