Few individuals are gifted with the innate skills to depict the enchanting allure of women and children. One of them is Lito Milan.

Born into a poor family in Biliran, Leyte, Philippines, Milan is nonetheless blessed with an artistic spirit. His talents shone early in his first sketches, when he was just seven. Since then, people have closely watched his amazing control of colors while creating subtle images on paper or canvas.

Milan drew so well that many persuaded him to find his niche in painting. In so doing, he abandoned his dream of becoming a pilot and ventured further in the realm of art. He studied the art of painting at the University of the Philippines but had to drop out for lack of funds. Even so, his mentors encouraged him to continue painting, as they saw great promise in his abilities.

1982 was the year Milan started to join prestigious competitions. He won a major award from the National Museum for Portrait Entry. That big boost enabled him to join numerous exhibitions and do one-man shows. He was commissioned to do murals for Rustan’s and several Starbucks Coffee Shops in the Philippines.

His strokes stand out in sultry renditions of beautiful young nymphs and children frolicking innocently on colorful mixing backgrounds. Such lovely works have since found their way into stately homes, the halls of legislators, and private enclaves of art collections.