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Pete Velasquez, architect turned visual artist, is one of the more prolific artists in the country today, even during the pandemic. Known for his idyllic scenes of the country and her maidens, in drawing and painting, Velasquez never tires of capturing his experiences through paintings or drawings.
In his 11th solo exhibit, Pidh-DRAW, Velasquez displays modernist techniques in producing classic images on canvas or paper by means of line drawings and tonal renditions of objects or forms. In the imaginative world of artist Pete Velasquez, figurative expressions are celebrated, and were produced through pure imagination and keen observations.
In this exhibit, Velasquez portrays the Filipino maiden bearing classic names from a bygone era; which may sound too old-fashioned for the young generation of today. The maidens of Velasquez bear exquisite names such as Mariposa, Paraluman, and Marilag; names that epitomize old-world values such as industry, faithfulness, and purity. His maidens remind us of our great-grandparents, who led lives of sacrifice, dignity, and respect for farming and the good Earth. He identifies himself as an artist and a farmer, and his name Pete, in Filipino is Pedro (pihd-Draw), connecting him to the traditional women featured in the exhibit.
Velasquez takes inspiration from the outdoors and loves doing plein air (outdoor) painting by the river bank, or anywhere that his folding Brompton bike may take him. Other days, he would use his Vespa, an Italian scooter that makes his outdoor painting sessions an inspired, elevated experience. His love for Vespa manifested in his art, as seen in the Vespa series, situating the Italian classic in a Philippine backdrop of traditional terrains, culture, and lifestyle.
