St. Francis of Assisi

Acrylic on Donax Serra Shell. Artist's statement: St. Francisco de Assisi is one of the most venerated religious figures in Christianity. He regarded everyone as his brothers and sisters and even preached to the birds. He became associated with patronage to animals as well. My painting on shells is an amalgamation of Oriental and Occidental. It is my unique way of 'Filipinizing' western art/subjects just like national hero Jose Rizal and esteemed 19th century artist Felix Resureccion Hidalgo also painted on shells. Somehow, I am continuing their legacy for them to make it relevant in our present times. Noli Manalang is an Architecture graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He was a recipient of the Freeman Fellowship Grant of the Vermont Studio Center, VT, U.S.A. in 2004. He has won numerous painting competitions in the Philippines. Awards received include Jurors’ Choice in the Philippine Centennial Painting Competition 1998, Second Place in the Shell National Students Art Competition 1998, Finalist in the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards in 2001, Three time Honorable Mention Awardee of the Metrobank Young Painters’ Annual National Painting Competition in 1998, 2001, and 2002, Second Place in the Art Association of the Philippines Painting Competition 2003, Second Place in the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence 2004, Recipient of Gintong Kabataan (Golden Youth Awardee) for his contributions and achievements in the field of Visual arts in his native province of Bulacan in 2006, Jurors’ Choice in the GSIS (Government Service Insurance System) Painting Competition in 2008, Finalist in the 1st Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Painting Competition just held recently at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and the youngest artist to be elevated to the hall of fame in Kulay sa Tubig, an invitational watercolour competition sponsored by Gallery Genesis for having won the competition thrice (2002, 2003, 2004). He also bagged the Grand Prize of Jewelry Guild of the Philippines’ 6th HIYAS Jewelry Design Competition in the Non-Traditional Category in 2016. He has held Solo Exhibitions in 2005 & 2014 and has also participated in numerous exhibitions here and abroad. He participated in Art Fair Philippines from 2015, 2018-2021.