Where the sea meets the sky, Niño Marasigan finds his muse in the pebbles that line the coast of my hometown. With his work, he breathes life into stones weathered by ocean waves, evoking his rural past into narratives on acrylic.
In his colorful paintings, he captures memories of youthful adventures and chores in Tagkawayan's riversides and Minalabac's woodlands. As a child, his job was to pasture horses out in the fields and lead them to the corrals at night. The animals would keep him late for class, but he still excelled in academics, sports, and the arts. Having disciplined himself to rise at dawn and sleep early has given him the rewards of dedication and work that reflect in his art.
Discipline and diligence are keys to his rise in life. His works on Art Mentality and Bountiful Harvest hold a lot of meaning for him. Art has become his life’s purpose. His tool during the pandemic was a smartphone camera, which he used to direct short films with friends in his village’s rural setting. He produced his own work, "Ako ay Bangkang Papel," that earned NCCA attention in the category of visual artists.
He also creates religious images in stone. This Lent, he built a life-size wooden cross for his parish to carry in the 8-kilometer penitential procession using wooden nails in the traditional way.
His work is grounded in nature. The earth and stones are connected. It amazes him how many images can be found hidden within the shapes of these stones. In his view, an artist’s work is a collaboration between nature, the artist, and God.
His artwork is always a piece of the artist. His imagination and emotions are built into these works. The scenes depict his rural experiences.
He encourages fellow youth to devote time and effort to their craft. Self-belief combined with action will bring their mission to life.
His future efforts will include exploring other mediums like film and directing. For now, he retreats to the tranquility of his studio to express his ideas, still tending to the horses in the fields, but now they’re his.