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Living in a fast-paced world, everyone wants everything to be quick: quick fame, quick fortune and so on. People like things to happen in an instant, like putting hot water in a cup of noodles.
Glendford Lumbao is on the other side of this dizzying world. He likes to take things slowly but surely in the field of art.
The 23-year-old, who recently graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts major in Visual Communication, is fueled with passion for his craft, yet still on the verge of tapping his full potential.
Doodles
His journey as an artist started when he was in fourth grade, when a teacher asked him to join an art competition. Although he said yes because it would allow him to skip class, he ended up winning the contest.
This encouraged him to join more poster-making and editorial-cartooning competitions, which his mother fully supported. “My mom admires my doodles, and I think that convinced me to pursue visual arts,” he says. “It made me believe in my skills even though they weren’t really developed at the time.”
As Lumbao joined more competitions, he developed a style, which he described as a combination of angular figures and bold doodles in shades of violet, pink and orange.
But with this unique style, he knows he still has room to improve his skills.
“When I entered the UP College of Fine Arts, I met a lot of talented artists and that made me realize there’s so much to learn, to improve and to explore,” he says. “Since day one, we spent a lot of time cramming plates and late-night prods and, to this day, everyone keeps pushing their limit to hone their craft. Through the years, I’ve seen my batchmates improve in their craft and that motivates me to keep doing better myself and create more art.”
After college, Lumbao became a freelance artist. Today he has so many projects, he barely has time to create his personal ones in watercolor. Busy as he is, he’s grateful for the opportunities that come his way.
Travel allows him to relax and come back fresh and inspired. “I love going to beaches and mountains,” he says. “Assaulting summits, chasing sunrises and sunsets, sitting with friends before a beach bonfire—these moments give me the rest I need, a time to pause, reflect and live in the moment.”
So, as others chase their dreams of fame and fortune, Lumbao is content to do it at his own pace, knowing well enough that with experience and commitment, he’ll get there in his own time.
