Cebuano designer Julius “Oj” Hofer found meaning in his work when he started to engage in calligraphy, tai chi, Ikebana and meditation. “My designs did away with the flourishes. They’re softer and more fluid. The sparklers are in my mind,” he says.
Leaning over a large canvas, artist Mariko Jacinto was a picture of serene concentration as she spread white amalgam with a small palette knife. The tool made a soft scraping sound as she explained how the surface must first be primed before a single brushstroke is made.