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A Message To All Artists

Interview Story | An Interview with Danielle Sarmiento

It is widely known that many people are pursuing art as their hobby— and every artist wants their creations to shine under the spotlight. However, achieving that level might take years for most artists. There are a few whose skills are worthy enough to be showered with attention and praise in a matter of months. One of them is a humble Accountancy student of Malayan Colleges Laguna named Danielle.

At seventeen, Danielle Sarmiento’s digital works of art had reached an audience of 8,000 followers, months after she began posting her art online.

But how did she accomplish that in a matter of months? What led to her success? Can I be able to do that too?

Ah, yes. The million-dollar questions. Luckily, we have interviewed Ms. Sarmiento personally for this particular story.

“I think my interest in art was already inherent,” Danielle informs us during the interview.

It was also according to her that she began taking an interest in art the moment she learned how to properly hold a pencil when she was around four or five years old in kindergarten. She was exposed to cartoons and picture books while growing up— which helped her develop a strong imagination. She claimed that at five years old, she was already doodling on any sheet of paper that she can set her hands on.

As the years pass by, she was always going around sketching, doodling, and copying any model she sets her eye on. Back then, she always used papers and other traditional artistic mediums. Now, she creates eye-catching illustrations on her computer using a pen tablet and a digital art software called Clip Studio Paint. To Danielle, digital art is much more comfortable and easier since she doesn’t have to consume too much paper and the features that are included in the software that she uses help her create more illustrations on an infinite number of canvases.

Some of you might be thinking, “But I just started practicing how to draw! Do I have to begin as a child to be great? Do I have to take art classes to reach her level at my age?”

Lacking confidence is a phase that all artists, including Danielle, have gone through.

“I'm a self-taught artist. There is a lack of confidence in the process of making a piece. Knowing that I had no formal education in this field, I lack some knowledge in the process of creating and finishing a piece that would satisfy not only me but also the people who would see it as well. “ She tells the interviewer and adds; “Though there is a sense of freedom as a self-taught artist. The freedom to create my own process, my own style, and how I execute my ideas into my work.”

Art classes are expensive and are just not for everyone. Although taking formal learning in the field of the skills you want to hone will be beneficial to every artist, it is not required to spend hundreds or thousands of money just to learn about something you can easily figure out yourself. Art is subjective. There is no proper way to do it. Besides, there are countless available resources online that self-taught artists can learn from.

Some may believe that art is an impractical passion to pursue, but Danielle disagrees with this belief.

She tells us in one of her statements; “As time progresses, we see how art is needed everywhere we look. From distinguishing business enterprises from one another, campaigns that gain people’s attention, social media posts, advertisements, the visuals of the games we play, the images on our textbooks to understand the lessons more. Art is everywhere and is practical.”

She couldn’t have said it better. Art has and always will be needed in society. Many artists are discouraged when they ignore their true calling as an artist and continue to live their lives pursuing something practical all while their hearts beat for the joy that art brings.

What continues to motivate our beloved young artist is “seeing people’s reaction to my art and how successful a piece was accepted and shared by many people.” Danielle doesn’t fail to appreciate her follower’s kind compliments and support, which is something that both beginners and experts should never forget.

However, even with all the glory she and her works get, Danielle is not immune to obstacles and problems. All artists do. Like other creatives, she constantly gets art blocks and burnout from creating too much or being unable to execute an idea correctly. You don’t have to be constantly drawing and creating to improve. Sometimes you just have to sit and rest your mind, preparing it for the next piece you will create.

If you’re thinking something along the lines of, “I can never be as talented as other artists.” You have to read what Danielle said next.

“I think having the ability to make art is a skill. Sure, some people are naturally artistic, while there are others who develop artistic skills through practice. Yet one thing’s certain, we all spend years working and practicing which is what makes art a skill, or at least, for me.”

What we can get from this is that creating any form of art is not something that one is born with. Calling it talent is an insult to those who work so hard to get a single piece perfectly. Danielle had always believed that although it may come easier for some people, the effort that one puts in improving their works is not to be invalidated that easily.

Danielle Sarmiento is also planning on making comics with her own story and characters in the future, as a side-job. While also continuing to create art based on her interests. Her future works will be awe-inspiring as always. The interview came to an end and she had these words for the young artists to read:

“If you want to start making art, start practicing. Learn the basics; anatomy, perspective, and colors. But do not pressure yourself to learn all these in a day, a week, or a month. Art is a process, it takes time to do it.”

Fellow artists can learn a lot from the interview with Danielle. She hopes that her humility and eagerness to share her experience with art will be able to inspire others to create as well. A good artist will create good art. While a great artist does not only create, but also uplifts others as they arise.

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Diners Hub

Writing Task 7

With the growing number of businesses getting exposure on social media, It’s inevitable for someone to want to purchase the delicacies they crave once they see it online. I’ve seen my friends on Facebook post pictures where they are enjoying their visit at one of those local dainty cafes or the lively streets that sell monster-sized street food servings that were reviewed by trusty vloggers and content creators.

I could only settle on looking at those mouth-watering advertisements of different savory dishes and desserts because I lived in a subdivision far from any food establishments that could potentially pique my interest.

This is why the moment we moved to the boisterous area of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, I was more than excited to have our residency be so close to many local and high-end attractions and eateries. I expected that I would be able to regularly go out to try out the different food and activities that Santa Rosa will be able to offer me. But then the lockdown happened.

It took a lot of time, but the moment covid cases dropped and our church was able to hold on-site sessions, our family had decided to attend and have a nice lunch out together after. I took this as an opportunity to try out one of the local diners that I have saved on my phone.

For lunch, We decided to try out this humble spot at the Infinity Shops at Garden Villas that serves affordable unlimited wings and other things. It was originally recommended to me by a friend so I considered it, and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

The restaurant was called “Diners Hub”, and it’s easy to get there.

If you plan on driving, a navigation app like Waze will come in handy. Just input the address: Infinity shops, Garden Villas 3, Bgy. Malusak, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Or, if you prefer to commute, just ask to be dropped off at Barangay Malusak, where you will ride a tricycle to the Infinity Shops at Garden Villas. The drivers will know for sure.

The spot where Diners Hub is located has this whole outdoor vacation-night vibe going on around it. They offer both al fresco and indoor dining— in which I prefer the former. The wooden furniture outdoors is well-loved, and the chosen aesthetic for the entire place was very minimal and had a generous amount of things colored brown and green. The entire place is in between a Japanese surplus and an unlimited Samgyupsal place.

The food was worth the money. The price for their unlimited wings, rice, and iced tea was 250 pesos per head. They offered a variety of sauces that ranged from mild to spicy and the wings themselves were crunchy and easy to bite. A small plate of ranch dressing comes with the chicken. Even with the different sauces that covered the wings upon serving, they go so well with the ranch. Other than wings, they also serve pasta, burgers, fries, milk tea, sisig, and cold beer. All of which we were unable to try out.

My experience with Diners Hub was not the best when it comes to accommodation.

Since we arrived at noon, there were almost no customers. I figured that the business was more bustling and lively at night. Still, the workers were a bit slow to attend to us that we had to wait for more minutes than expected for them to get our order— and we were the only customers! What’s more shocking is that they didn’t even take the time to ask for our sauce preference and just straight up served us a variety of sauce-covered wings and drumsticks. If that was the norm of that place, then it was not a good one.

What also irked me more was how long they were taking to serve up another batch of freshly cooked wings. I always had a rule when eating at all-you-can-eat restaurants. When we finish eating half of the serving from the first batch, we would order another plate so we don’t get full so quickly. So we put our trust in them that they were already preparing another batch of chickens while we ate like all other wing places do and stuck to our rule.

It took twenty minutes. We were already finished and had to wait for the fresh set for so long that I was almost full by the time it arrived. Was it on purpose? Was it some form of business strategy? Maybe we’ll never know.

On the bright side, they allowed a stray cat to wander around the area and allowed us to feed it without charging for extra. Somehow, the bare minimum of being empathic towards animals made me forget about the lack of basic accommodation. But like I said, it was early in the afternoon. The workers were probably saving their energy for the evening. Although it couldn’t be so hard to check up on your only customer at that time, no?

I would give it a 7/10. I would rate it a little higher if the place was more accommodating. Maybe if you visit at night, then you would get a better experience. The food was great. I can see myself craving for their wings and ranch. It’s a shame we were unable to try out other things on their menu. Will I return? I think the answer to that would be a solid 50-50.

So, Diners Hub, a food business that recently got exposure during the pandemic. The place serves everyone’s comfort food at an affordable price. The ambiance of the place is so mellow and perfect for unwinding with friends. All that but at what cost? Don’t worry, because every experience varies from one person to another. Yours might be better than mine. But, while we can, we should keep on supporting small, local businesses like Diners Hub.

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Interview Questions

BBL Task 6

At around what age did you start taking interest in art?

What are the mediums you use? How confident are you in using them?

Did you take classes for this craft or are you self-taught? How was the experience?

What are your greatest motivators when doing your craft?

Who are your biggest inspirations?

Do you consider art as a talent or a skill? Why?

How do you plan on using this skill in the future?

What is your stand on the popular belief that art is an impractical passion to pursue?

What are some obstacles you faced as you create art?

What are some tips you are willing to give out to those starting out?

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Arjay Pangilinan

BBL Task 5 | An Introduction to Arjay

As students, it is important that we have the basic skills in thinking and studying in order to pass our classes and properly apply what we have learned in real life. Without those skills, it would be difficult for us to excel in our academics and in life. We are taught about the different ways of learning by our hardworking professors, but most of the time, it doesn’t apply to everyone. We have invited a guest speaker to talk about the different ways and tips to hone our thinking and studying skills, and the best part about this episode is that we are learning from someone amongst our peers.

Our speaker is a multi-talented grade 11 student in the STEM strand. He is an artist in both the artistic and musical worlds. He is a young man with a wide set of skills including ranging from film to mathematics. Our speaker was awarded as the Best Director in his previous school’s film-making contest. He is also a back-to-back School Chess Champion. Amongst other things, he will discuss the huge part that our courage and confidence play when it comes to our everyday learning. With that, please welcome our speaker for this Estudyan-Talks episode: Mr. Arjay R. Pangilinan.

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Kyte Villanueva

BBL Task 5 | An introduction for Kyte

It is no joke that the “new normal” lifestyle is less than ideal for most people. The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, in terms of both physical health and mental health. With the upcoming elections, we now have an opportunity to break free from this incredibly draining situation. As students, it is vital that we play our part as the hope for our country and by that, we should learn the importance of credible information and proper decision-making. We, at Estudyan-Talks, believe that a student’s life amidst the pandemic is not only limited to school works and personal agendas, we believe that it can be more. That being said, we have invited a guest speaker to tell us about a student’s life in the bigger picture.

She is a Grade 12 honor student at Malayan Colleges Laguna. Among other things, she is a leader with a strong personality and also a writer with a passion for creating and supporting literature in different forms. Our speaker for today is known amongst her peers as someone who is always open about studying different things that concern society. She is described as a vocal icon that stands for her advocacies. Even as a young woman of 17 years of age living in a pandemic, she never stops educating her peers and those around her about the importance of critical thinking, wider perspectives, and avoiding misinformation in today’s world. On this episode of Estudyan-Talks, please welcome our guest speaker, Ms. Kyte Villanueva.

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A Win For Me

Writing Task 4 | Diary Entry

I check the time on my phone and almost choke on my tea when I saw that it was almost 10:30 PM. I deserve the shock, to be honest. I put myself in this situation thanks to my procrastination. What situation, you ask? Well, I recently joined an art contest called“Kreate for a Cause” hosted by Smart Communications where I have to draw about the Korean culture in the Philippines. I learned about the contest last May 5, 2021, and they set the deadline of submission to May 24 of the same year.

Today is May 23, 2021, and I’m only halfway done.

“Just one more episode, Phoebe! Rewatching One Piece’s Marineford Arc won’t hurt!” Well, it did, it hurt in so many different ways.

Still, I have to pass my work. My mind slowly began getting foggy and my hands start to hurt. It’s always like that, every time I draw, it hurts. It starts with the knuckles then work sits way down to my wrist. But I’m determined to ride this sudden rush of inspiration after overcoming a long period of art block.

I took a minute to pray to God and ask for guidance and strength. I took another minute to pray to my sexist ancestors that prohibited my female family to pursue arts just because they’re women only to tell them that I was doing great and slipped in a little “In your face! I’ll be able to finish this art! Me! A woman!”

Thankfully, my laptop and the software I use could keep up with the strokes I create and the colors I switch to. I feel my heart racing like I’ve just finished running a marathon. It’s silly actually, how making art makes me feel like my body’s moving at every moment, all the time. There are times when I feel like I’m walking on clouds and bathing in stars. But this time, after I finish this piece, I felt high like I won the Olympics.

I passed it in just before the clock hit 12. Tomorrow came, and I received news that the submission was extended to May 28. Oh well.

On June 6, I was congratulated and they asked for my details. Thank God. Beat that, sexist ancestors. I won.

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A Shared Space

Writing Task 3 | Journal Entry

The room where my workspace is placed is always, always, cold. Lucky for me, I have this purple blanket that I’ve been using for countless years now and I’m pretty sure the blanket and the table are well acquainted now with one another. Honestly, my workspace isn’t anything fancy. At one corner of the room, there stands a study table, with an air conditioner just right beside it. Which, obviously, explains the cold.

The laptop is the most expensive, it’s from Canada, given to me by my Grandpops. I swear, there are whispers of gratitude every time my fingers press on the expensive keyboard. Call me poor but it really is expensive! Moving on, there’s a cheap white phone stand on the left side of the laptop that I use. It still looks new, I just bought it last month from an online store out of impulse. Speaking of impulsive buying, that green roll of yarn is actually a frog bucket hat in the making, you can see how it’s crocheted by an amateur but it’s still fine to work nonetheless.

Notice how I said “the room” instead of “my room”? That’s because this room is a shared one, so I can’t exactly call it mine. Still, this is my workspace that I’m comfortable with. Despite the freezing fingers, the shared space, and the constant cold, this spot helped me with my academics, my personal online space, and winning digital art contests. It’s a space that most teenagers my age would be thankful for having, so I, too, am thankful.

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Authentic Beauty

Writing Task 2

The cold hits my legs first every time after I finish showering as I stare intently at myself in the fogged-up mirror. My fingers trace over my cheeks as I feel the texture from my scars, it slides over to my tired-looking eyes before I gaze at them, noting that they are a little bit darker than usual as I am beginning to wonder if there ever used to be any color in them. I do not see anything pretty by just staring at myself standing still, I only feel the chill and smell the flowery scent of different soaps and shampoos. Mirrors are just not enough to capture the genuinity of what I consider beauty.

I am at my most gorgeous when I’m being strong. My beauty shows every time I feel breathless after a long series of laughs and it shows whenever my heart races at the sight of breathtaking landscapes and adorable dogs. I feel like the epitome of beauty when I smile fondly after finishing a good artwork or winning art contests. My beauty is not conventional. It cannot be captured by standing still in front of foggy mirrors with cold legs and wet hair. My beauty emanates from rawness and authenticity, for how could anyone feel pretty without genuinity.