Featured Artist | Neil Dela Cruz

          With Neil Dela Cruz’s show, “However” coming up this Thursday on March 30, we thought it would be great to feature the man behind the paintings.

          Neil Dela Cruz is a 30-something painter from La Union, now based in the Metro. Known for his muted abstract works that possesses both movement and stillness, Dela Cruz has been doing art for more than a decade. He describes himself as a trial-and-error historian instead of the stereotypical artist-as-perfectionist, viewing his work not as masterpieces but as abstract data to be collected: art as artifact, proof of life.

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Tell us about yourself, who you are as an individual and how you've reached the place you are at now.

          Ako, laking probinsya ako. Nakipagsapalaran lang din ako dito sa Metro 8 years ago hanggang ngayon gawa ng impluwensya na unti-unti kong nakikilala yung sarili ko simula noong "nagpakamatay" yung tatay ko sa probinsya 15 years ago. 16 years old ako noon that time noong nawala sya. Naging motivation ko yung moment na yon para magpursige bilang isang tao o bilang isang artist. In a way, naging therapy ko yung art. Music, film, painting, atbp. Malaking factor ito dahil para sakin siya ang naging reversal sa mga pangyayari. Ayoko na damdamin lahat ng nakaraan at malunod nalang. Palagi nalang ako gagawa ng art. Susundin ko nalang kung anong meron akong energy para dito na lumakas yung loob ko. Bottomline naging dialogue ko siya bilang challenge o lesson na naging shield ko din para sa mga di natin maiwasang hindi magagandang pangyayari. Nagkaroon ako ng dahilan para mamili uli kung saan ako papunta. So yun yung pinanghahawakan ko hanggang nagyon. In a good way yung background ko rin yung nag push sakin para gawin ang lahat ng ito.

Describe your style in 5 words.

Controlled, chaos, structured, yes or no. 

How did you come about working in this style?          In terms of style, loose lang din. Laging nagsisimula sa observation kung anong available na information tapos from there nagiging playground ko na siya psychologically na pwedeng mailagay na studies sa pyesa. Parang Yes or No lang din yung approach. Minsan confident yung idea, minsan naman okay ang happy accident, pero minsan hindi talaga, so parang yun na yung sign ng mistakes na pwede pang remedyohan at ibalik sa direction. Laging ganon yung sitwasyon lately.

Describe a typical “work” day or tell us about your creative process.

          Yung naging proseso ko is initial reaction pa din ng ilalagay sa piyesa, shapes, lines, pattern, at kulay na available agad. Parang yung konsepto sa pagpinta ng "pwede o hindi" "On and Off" "balanse ba o hindi" "Yes or No" parang binary narin yung takbo sa utak ko habang ginagawa ang trabaho laging patanong yung pahid at composition, maaaring "Go ba o Stop muna o tapos na?" kung ano yung instant na maaccess na pwedeng playground sa pag create doon ako naglalaro.

Where do you find inspiration? 
          Yung inspiration sa akin kutob ko. Wala naman syang boundary as long as napapakiramdaman ko yung isang bagay or situation. Mapa-nature, urban, conversations, o discoures. Pakiramdam parin sya.

Who are your creative influences? 
Mga taong lumalaban parin sa buhay matalo man o manalo.

What, in your opinion, is your greatest achievement?
Greatest achievement is pagiging malaya. Iba yung nabibigay ng freedom. Kalayaang lumikha

Any advice to those trying to “make it” in creative fields?
          Sa creative fields? Wala siguro ako sa posisyon para sagutin ito pero since lahat naman tayo may choice na gawin kung ano yung pinaka gusto nating gawin sa buhay. Parang kailan pa natin gagawin itong mga gusto natin? Pag 80 years old na tayo? Hindi sya madali talaga pero kutob ko worth it naman yung byahe as long as mahal natin yung ginagawa natin.

Guilty pleasure?
Beep Street na track ng Squarepusher