Photos by Maria Louise Corpuz and Elizabeth Lolarga
Coming from a family of art enthusiasts, businesswoman Gianina Emille “Gia” Mendoza- Bongco of the BHF Baguio Group of Companies came up with something related to art for the family restaurant Lemon and Olives in the mountain city. She timed the event, called “Let’s Paint and Dine,” on a Sunday when droves of families, local and out-of-towners, streamed out of their rained-in shelter for lunch.
Trained in art electives at the University of British Columbia and with a short painting course finished at the University of the Philippines Diliman, young Bongco at 34 qualified that none of her family members are full-time artists.
But, she said, “we always try to infuse creativity in all our businesses. Naturally, I thought that something art-related would be fitting for our first Lemon and Olives event. I was also inspired by my husband Andreo’s My Darkroom PH events for the film photography community. Since Baguio is a creative city with many talented artists living here, I thought it would make sense to create an event to support art and get people’s creative juices flowing.”
She met up with Ja Amores, one of the city’s rising artists, who motivated her to do the event, a group exhibit with an on-the-spot painting session for diners. The participating artists in the show are: Danielle Florendo, Lorr Borillo, Zelle Fermin, Andrea Gomez, the Bongco couple, Minry, Ane Janelle Muena, Kunaya Lopez, Roland Bay-an, Kuki Ulpindo, Gari Buenavista, Amores and Rinzu F. Maranan.
The turnout was more than we expected. The organizers were expecting 15-20 participants, but there was a total of 38 paint-and-dine participants: 35 adults and three children.
Bongco decided on holding the show in the main dining floor of the restaurant because “I wanted to support the artists by giving them a different space to showcase their works. I felt that this was the perfect place because we have tourists from all over the Philippines who dine here. I thought that it might give the artists a wider reach.”
She added, “Our guests are not only there for the food but the ambience, the interiors, the view and basically the whole experience. I feel like people know that Baguio is a creative hub, but there are only a few spaces where young artists can display and exhibit their works here. I just want to give them a more warm, inviting venue so people will not feel too intimidated by art. I also think food and art go well together. All senses are stimulated: sight, taste, smell, touch, sound. It’s the experience that I was going for.”
She has been painting since she was in high school. However, these days she only gets to paint during what she calls her “me time,” an hour dedicated to herself every day “after I take care of our two lively children. Sometimes if I don’t get ‘me time’ during the week so I guide my kids in painting with me over the weekend.”
She said she has lived in Baguio since she was three. Her parents were originally from Pangasinan who moved to Baguio when they were given a business opportunity here.
Bongco was introduced to the art community in Baguio ever since Andreo started his My Darkroom PH, events and workshops two years ago.
She said, “Back then, I was only immersed in my own businesses. I was an extreme introvert so I did not mingle or get to know the creative community on my own. I chose to hide my talent and not share it. Although I haven’t painted for a few years now, I have applied my creative endeavors in other things such as business.”
She continued, “The film photographers who are also like-minded artists, such as Amores, Buenavista and Faith Erasmo, inspired me to get back into painting. They have introduced us to the wider artist community which is so warm and welcoming. Just meeting all these new people has inspired me in so many ways and opened my mind to greater opportunities.”
She called herself a largely self-taught painter. Her high school teacher Bob Joaquin introduced her to painting, but, she said, “He always believed that painting shouldn’t be taught because if he corrected my own style, it would get lost and he would influence me with his own style, which he highly discouraged, so I had to discover painting on my own.”
It helps that her mother and sister also paint. Her mother took up fine arts at UP Diliman. She used to paint and draw often when her children were young. Bongco recalled, “Although she didn’t teach us, we were always mesmerized whenever she would draw or paint. I guess we learned by watching her. I believe she is still the best painter among the three of us. My sister paints, but she is very shy about showing off her works.”
Her artistic influences include van Gogh for his colors and Monet for his strokes. She said, “I’m also a big fan of Ang Kiukok because I always feel so tense whenever I look at his works. I hope to make people feel something that intense when they look at my paintings.”
The group show runs until Oct. 31, 2024. Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna is at 26 Outlook Drive, Baguio City.