POETRY & ART BY:

BARBIE ALMALBISTINA ARCILLA

OLEG DE LEONJOURDAN SEBASTIAN

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2new beginnings

Who, upon upward gaze will pace his eyes and contemplate those tyrian drapes that shroud the stageso carefully above us?

To ponder on the cloud of dust that waits behind the silent curtains

Gathering dreams?

To thank the swirling mass of sleeping fires for keeping faithuntil our thoughts find voices and call them to rage?

Who will remember the blank page where possibility dwells?Who will remember its patience?

The star can only blaze against the night as its canvas

WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY: KARA ESCAY, “SOUL PIECE”

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It's the first issue!SPARK is something very

close to my heart. The idea for the magazine

dawned on me earlier this year in a flurry of thoughts that I had around election time. As usual, I was frustrated with the way things were playing out. It was like an old vinyl record jumping back because of that same old scratch in the grooves.

In the end, I realized all my own frustrations were coming from a passive disposition. They were coming from a box I placed myself in. I was not really doing anything to change the situation that I was in, the situation we are all in.

I eventually started thinking of ways I could really be the change, be the difference. As I started conceptualizing new projects towards nation-building (one of those projects being this magazine), one of the realizations I had was that I wasn't making any substantial change in the career I was focusing on.

I was a real estate agent. I wouldn't go as far as saying

that I sold my soul to "the man". Though I felt my soul was slowly being eaten away by an unknown malevolent force, it was more that, despite the fact I was providing people with homes (mostly second homes) I felt I could be doing so much more.

I decided to go back to what I love… teaching.

After several interviews (some pleasant and refreshing, others being tests of patience and personal fortitude), it was like the fates were dancing and playing that little game they play with the strings they weave. The universe was conspiring.

I met a community with the same advocacies and the same passions. I became a My Masterpiece teaching-artist.

I won't go too much into details (I have other articles for that). To make a long story short, I found a place where I could be who I truly am without second guessing myself. It’s a place where you find the everyday magic in the little things and where you choose to be like a kid again.

What was funny was that they also wanted to put up an online magazine (I told you the universe was conspiring).

It felt right to join creative forces for this new adventure. And that's where we are now.

The theme for this issue, "New Beginnings", was chosen for various reasons. On a personal level, I liked the idea because it was in line with the launch of my book (yes, I know, I just shamelessly self-promoted myself).

Also, this being SPARK's first issue, the theme seemed appropriate. But as you read the rest of this magazine, you will see it touches different people in many different ways.

Most of the time, it's in ways that you would least expect.

For you, maybe it's a new career. For some, it might be as simple as a new book they read or a restaurant they visited for the first time. For others, it's a new stage in their life. As a nation, it's a new day with new hopes and aspirations. And for many, it may even be the old hopes and aspirations with a fresh outlook.

As artists (yes, this includes you), we can see today as a blank canvas. It's a clear empty space where anything and everything is possible.

And much like how I realized that I wasn't alone in what I believed in, you may realize that you don't have to paint that picture on your own. I know it may sound corny but we can all paint that landscape together.

So pick up a brush, a pencil or any instrument you see fit and join us in being the difference!

R I C H A R D W , D A C A L O SE D I T O R - I N - C H I E F

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

{ spontaneous collaborative poetry }BY: CORINNE CHING AND FRIENDS

ART BY: TINA ARCILLA, COBBIE KARAGDAG, ERICA VILLANUEVA

BY: ISABEL GARCIA FEATURING: CARINA SANTOSCAT CORTES

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BY: MONIQUE TOLENTINOFEATURING: GABBY CANTERODAYLIGHT SERIES

BY: SMARLA ANGTUACO

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ON

CONSPIRACY GARDEN CAF

E

E X T E R N A L C O N T R I B U T O R SSmarla AngtuacoTina ArcillaYosu De Erquiaga Oleg De Leon Isabel GarciaCarl Montalba

T H E S P A R K T E A MCorinne ChingRayyn CortezMarco DinglasanKara EscayBianca HolganzaCobbie KaragdagFran MortelErica Villanueva

My Masterpiece Movement (MMM)Sparking Creativity through the MultiArtswww.welovemymasterpiece.comhttp://twitter.com/welovemmmmail to: mymasterpiece@me.com+63915 432 7439

S T A F F & C O N T R I B U T O R S

Richard W. DacalosEditor-in-Chief / Renaissance Man-in-Training

Nica HechanovaCreative Director / Contributor

Ku RomilloManaging Editor / Contributor

Monique TolentinoCopy Editor / Contributor

Anna Escay-CortezCreative Consultant / Contributor

P U B L I S H E R S

IndieART Inc.Media, Publishing and Managementwww.indieartinc.comSan Juan, Metro Manila, Philippinesmail to: rdacalos@indieartinc.com+63922 882 2325

God gives us time,time for everything

To express who we are or how we feel like being

Sometimes we hide beautiful things behind a wall

A wall we build around us that makes us deaf to any call

Build it up, break it downTo reveal, to conceal what's

there to be found

Live your life to the fullest, only who knows how?

Live the moment cause what we have is now

WORDS BY: ERICA VILLANUEVA

ARTWORK BY: ERICA VILLANUEVA & CARL MONTALBA

God gives us time,time for everything

To express who we are or how we feel like being

Sometimes we hide beautiful things behind a wall

A wall we build around us that makes us deaf to any call

Build it up, break it downTo reveal, to conceal what's

there to be found

Live your life to the fullest, only who knows how?

Live the moment cause what we have is now

WORDS BY: ERICA VILLANUEVA

ARTWORK BY: ERICA VILLANUEVA & CARL MONTALBA

With the simple and humble let us take flightFrom the silence and hush of darkest nightTo a place of fancy and fantasyWhere dreams are birthright of ecstasy

Where all everything is what we createOur fires newly stowed, we no longer waitAs tomorrow's embrace holds magic and promiseOn we go to search for our soul's infinite bliss

The seeds in our spirits now guide us steady,Dreams and imagination deem us readyWith the simplest and strongest sparks we take flightOnward we fly to new beginning's brightest light

6new beginnings

WORDS BY:

YOSU DE ERQUIAGA

ARTWORK BY:

NICA HECHANOVA

Seeds of L ight

own waking life. My state made it difficult for me to find inspiration where I used to gather them in pails. I had no money to take me anywhere, and my friends were too busy to keep me sane.

The depression was so daunting that I didn't even bother to drink my problems away. Not that I could've afforded it anyway.

All but one person struggled to rebuild my connection to the world and my identity. Anyone in his situation would've left me for dead but here was someone who never let go – a person with an enormous heart and a self-replenishing source of patience.

Even through my darkest days, I found myself confronted by someone saying how proud he was of me, and could never fail to enumerate the good things he saw inside of me. Then out of nowhere a light turned on. I started to see what he saw. I suddenly recognized myself and saw what it was that I kept ignoring all this time. I felt myself bursting from within, and before I knew it, I was painting again.

For the first time in my entire life as an artist, I was able to finish not just one but three paintings. All of which hung alongside other works of art by old classmates from university. It was my New Beginning. I saw myself in a different, yet familiar light. Like it had been there for ages but I'd always failed to notice it.

In the hope of writing an article that would receive innumerable amounts of praise and great reviews, I struggled in the attempts of coming up with the perfect idea, the perfect wording, and the perfect work of literature. I had forgotten what the point of all this was. Being human, I drifted off in rejoicing over a delirious glimpse into my self-fabricated future – a standing ovation, or in this case, a possible bombarding of comments, likes, and reblogs. Vanity had taken a relatively large toll on my time and effort. So there I was, finding myself staring at a blank Word Document, four hours before my given deadline.

A tsunami of questions drowned my thoughts. I asked myself what I truly want to convey through this opportunity to be heard. I thought of this issue's theme, namely, New Beginnings. I had gone through this before, but now I had the chance to see it, breathe it, and internalize it with a clear and empty space within me. Somehow, as I took the phrase in, I grew more aware of the fact that I am not a stranger to this idea. Not long after that I knew most, if not all, of those who are reading this might be familiar with it in different ways.

This made it a great deal easier for me to relate what I have to say. At first I was very doubtful with my article but soon I realized that all it needed was something more personal, something that would truly prove to be a piece of me.

About three or four months ago, I felt like I lost everything. I was forced to drop out of school. I was kicked out of my house. I had no money and nowhere to go. The people I depended on, in a way, weren't as helpful as I had hoped. I lost trust in the things that used to sustain me. It was as if the world was against me. I was scared. I lost track of who I was and all that I used to love. It was difficult for me since this feeling was new. All my inner demons were clawing out from under my skin. I spent every waking day bringing myself down, and even as I slept, my dreams served as a horrid reminder of the day that was.

With this mindset, I often found myself spending long hours staring into canvasses, unfinished works of art, feeling too tired to be motivated and too depressed to even try. It bothered me enough that I began to despise my very existence, and the more I thought about my situation, the more desolate and lost I felt. I thought of myself as my own worst enemy – a nightmare within my

A new form of excitement, inspiration and motivation was birthed. I found myself creating more within a day than what would have taken me months to finish in the past.

I read an article about how the structure of a human being's brain cell strikingly resembles the structure of the universe. It somehow fed me a new perspective on my experience. As an artist, this piece of information proves vital to my grip on sanity.

Stereotypical questions like "Why do I exist?" and "Who am I?" seem to fade out in lieu of these tidbits of information. The idea that we are actually connected to our universe even in such miniscule details gives us a feeling of security, a sense of acceptance, a definitive point in our existence, more questions and soon enough their respective answers.

I gave my New Beginning a name and thus called it the Big Bang. The idea of the Big Bang model reminded me so much of how it felt – the spontaneous surge of energy, the constructive and creative ingenuity, the force that drove me to extend my reach and demolish the barriers that had once hindered me from becoming all that I am now. I suppose the same goes with everyone. This experience is not limited to me alone.

In an attempt to strengthen the bridge that connects us to our vast home, we must first know how it all began. The

closest we can get to understanding our universal origin is a dot, a point, a miniscule condensation of matter and energy whose origin is also unknown but its existence evident prior to our own.

This point, with reasons unknown to us, produced a massive explosion, a Big Bang of all that we know, of space and of time – a pure creational burst, almost like the birth of an idea in the deep chambers of our brain. The universe, after the explosion, was a chaotic tangle of light and high-temperature mass, and within a second or less, its temperature dramatically dropped from a trillion to a billion degrees. A continuous expansion and cooling of the universe occurred, and eventually, the stellar formation of certain life-sustaining elements led to our existence.

The title says it all: Anthropomorphic Cosmology. I didn't mean it in terms of what philosophers of the past dub it as (an egocentric view as to how we are the point in which all the universe revolves upon), but as how I think we as human beings should (that we are a reflection of all that is around us).

We are not much different from our universe. As far as we know, the universe is vast, it continues to grow, it is eternal, and it is infinite. It isn't wrong for us to think that we are as well. We shouldn't limit ourselves to small things. We have to rid ourselves of the idea that we can't do certain things for certain reasons.

These are all excuses we delude ourselves in to prevent ourselves from making mistakes or being humiliated, and so we find ourselves wasting our time doing nothing and living in fear of unimportant things.

I'm not telling you to find yourself someone to see you as someone great to motivate you, nor am I telling you to lose everything. But try to see yourself for what you are – a masterpiece: a unique individual capable of anything you will yourself to do. Accept yourself. Love yourself. Let the explosion from within engulf you in the light of creation and you'll see that, like Anne Copeland once said, "There is a whole universe within."

8new beginnings

K U R O M I L L O

R I C H A R D W . D A C A LO S

"Untrained"… What does it really mean?Some people believe we come into this world

as a tabula rasa or a blank slate. Others think we have a priori knowledge or that there is something already there.

Regardless of these beliefs, there are points in our lives where we feel we need to go an extra mile to learn something. May it be training ourselves or getting training from others. More often than not, people won't think you're capable if you aren't "formally" trained.

Strictly speaking I have only been formally trained in singing, Capoeira (the Brazilian Martial Art), research, marching in unison, rifle drills and live ammunition firing. I half believe this is because the collective unconscious is preparing me for a zombie apocalypse or another dystopian post-apocalyptic scenario that may involve a musical number, but that’s beside the point.

The point is if I lived up to the prejudice of others I would never get anything done.

I would never have become a musician because no one taught me how to compose (or make weird sounds with my mouth). I would have never written a book because no one taught me how to write. And this magazine may have never come into fruition because no one trained me how to manage a publication.

For a long time, I considered myself a "renaissance man". But it wasn't really something I really owned up to until a few months ago.

At work, we started making "declarations" for ourselves and for the team. This meant taking on a possibility and being a stand for yourself and for others. Choosing to do or be what we declare.

Seeing that, at work, we were teaching our kids about Shakespeare and his stories. I felt it was appropriate to push myself to be bigger than I previously thought I was. I chose that day to become a renaissance man. I declared it.

A huge part of declaring that for myself was that I had to push myself out of my comfort zones (e.g. playing guitar, sketching, acting). It wasn’t that I lacked skills. I believe it was more related to how I thought of myself.

I used to believe all I was capable of drawing was stick figures and random shapes. The moment I told myself I could do it, in a matter of days, you could drastically see the difference in my drawing.

10new beginnings

It was about letting go of whatever fears I wasn't acknowledging. It was about taking a step forward and taking on a new adventure… one of the first being painting.

In all honesty, I wasn't an "artsy" kid (or an athletic one for that matter). Yes, I drew (stick people count as drawings and so do sheep pooping stars). I also made comics. But as a child, my "art" and my games were more story-driven.

When it comes to painting and other traditional mediums, I had barely any exposure before I started working as a Teacher-Artist. It’s likely that most of the paint I had handled before this year was when I used to make and decorate macaroni necklaces in elementary school (possibly given as a task to curb my ADHD).

So taking it on was a daunting task. Buying the materials was fun but the adventure I chose for myself became concrete when that blank canvas was actually in front of me.

I thought to myself… Now what do I do? Where do I start? I had sketches already to guide me but putting the paint and making that white space disappear was a whole different story. The same old fears started rising up again.

Where did those fears come from?Part of me believes that it is how we were

raised. May it have been a parent, sibling or a teacher, there was a point in our lives when someone got mad at us for doing something wrong (or wrong in their eyes). We become trained to fear "imperfections". Accustomed to seeing a mistake as a failure (yes, there is a difference).

In connection with that, it may also be a fear of the unknown. A white space is intimidating because there so much space to work with, so many possibilities. Many of us feel comfortable working with something that is already established rather than venturing into the unfamiliar.

Again, this is very much related to the idea of seeing a mistake as a failure. Trying to stick on a set path rather then playing with a space and letting yourself get surprised.

Children play so naturally. It's something I guess we forget as we get older.

In my own personal experience, the first brush stroke was the hardest. But I guess, like anything, you just have to take it a step at a time. Once you jump in, just enjoy the ride. See where your own creative daemon or genius takes you.

I still remember the first time I put the oil paint on the palette. I seriously used too much black. A surge of panic went through me. To think, the paint wasn't even on the canvas.

More than anything it is about playing with the possibility,the space, and seeing that mistakes are your friends. If you see a mistake as a comrade, you might be surprised where your friend might take you (as you choose to take yourself).

After the initial panic, it was just about exploring myself and the paint. But I must say, clean up was an experience. My own obsessive-compulsive tendencies were pushed to a limit.

The "Aaaahhh! My sink is black. Ahhhh! The paint is spreading! Ahhhhh! My hands are black and the paint is spreading to my arm!" thoughts almost pushed me to a comfort zone breakdown.

I didn't go as far going into a fit of yelling, "Unclean! Unclean!" as I scrubbed myself with a loofa in the shower but I did have flashbacks of my general science courses in college and the reason why you use soap in terms of positive and negative charges in water and oil. I'm strange.

After I let go of my own frantic scrubbing, I just accepted the fact that I may not get all the paint off. I just thought to myself that it's pretty cool that I either looked like a mechanic or that I killed the Predator with my bare hands. And aside from that, my painting was looking pretty good.

Painting is just one of the things I’m “untrained” in that I'm taking on to learn. I'll be sharing regularly, through this column, my experiences exploring different art forms. I'll embark on new journeys as often as I can.

Who knows which adventure is next? With how much the world has to offer, the possibilities are endless. I could be taking up a new dance (maybe involving a pole), learn how to play an instrument or try out a different martial art. I’ll let the world surprise me as I surprise myself.

I invite you to do the same. Take something on. Be not afraid. Venture into the unknown and embrace the adventure in front of you.

What are you going to take on? Let me know and tell me how it goes. Send me a message at richard@indieartinc.com or rdacalos@indieartinc.com

{ s p o n t a n e o u s c o l l a b o r a t i v e p o e t r y }B Y : C O R I N N E C H I N G & F R I E N D S

what is una poetry?

una poetry was discovered by my friends jourdan, lina and me, one lazy afternoon by the bay, near CCP. we appropriated the concept from a common exercise used in acting workshops called one-word-story.

each person throws a word, and another person responds by adding another word, until the group is happy with the story they created.

through this surprising spontaneous collaborative exercise, i've collected around 200 pieces.

una poetry, randomly made with friends, acquaintances & sometimes strangers from 2001-2010.here are some of our masterpieces...

p.s. i'll be coming out with a collection of this fantastically bogus poetry soon so watch out for it!enjoy our succulent organic poetry!

right start!today and this time, everything seems right.finally, clarity.seeing purpose, being whole.coming in... roses fragrant,laughter after every pain,baggage released clouded thinking.!strategies implemented,losing ground.closer to every reality,becoming beautiful personal relationshipsassisted by emotionsand crowns placed atop my beautiful head.!existence now!forever, freedom attained.closet cleaned,summer arrives, raining stops,work brought about meaningful relationships.peace.friendship.!come to a never-ending glorious love-affair!!!!ross & corinne chingmarch 4, 2005iloveyoustore, saguijo

mismo ka talaga!exactly my preferred desire,coming, becoming,lasting forever...!dearest insight,i succumb to you.!sigh... then float,!zoom inward, outwardburst with succulent, luscious moments,forever clever like me.!todo ayus talaga!kakagigil ideas na mismo!tumatama talaga.kaya wag na patagalin ang kwento,!act na now!!!!

!

summerjourdan sebastian, barbie almalbis & corinne chingnovember 11, 2005

hit it hard

expectorant expecting dephlematoric flummoxedgastric complication needing constant attention.!inside bodily functionslie a desire not easily quelled.!discomposure becomes evident.!nightly questioningwhether to or whatever not.!taste everything fresh from today's batch of cookies.stale servings deserve stale treatment.!desserts like apple-pie- a-la-modemelting into realizations...!empty toxic treats.!deliberatly punishpanis ang bumubulok na prutasunlike peypakwa,soothing, healing deliciousnessnecessary for complete recovery and closure.!!bianca holganza & corinne chingaugust 2, 2005

12new beginnings

h t t p : / / c o b b i e k . m u l t i p l y . c o m

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS?clue: It's recylable

Be one of the first 3 to send in the right answer and WIN A PRIZE!Email us at richard@indieartinc.com or rdacalos@indieartinc.com

F o r p u r c h a s e s a n d i n q u i r i e s ema i l :r i c h a r d@ i n d i e a r t i n c . c om o r r d a c a l o s@ i n d i e a r t i n c . c om

14new beginnings

tinaA R C I L L A

awakenOil / Tempera on Canvas12x14

cobbieK A R A G D A Ghttp://cobbiek.multiply.com

beginnings digital photos

beginning to get used to crowded areas

beginning to show the signs of twilight

beginning to form into something else

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ericaV I L L A N U E V A

freedom mixed media on canvas

rayynC O R T E Zhttp://www.rayyn.com

Hello my friendand so we meet again

Begin the gameand fire away

We won’t fade into the unknown divided, broken and alone

We burn forever in the name - we are the flame

Do you recallthe rise and fallof men and kingson broken wings

We won’t fade into the unknown divided, broken and alone

We burn forever in the name - we are the flame

the flame

download this song fromRayyn’s 3rd album, Big Machine,

for FREE!

http://web.mac.com/rayyn/rayyn/3rd_album_BIG_MACHINE.html

18new beginnings

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