ORA et LABORA: A Gift to Inspire

Have you visited the Benedictine Monastery in Cogon, Digos City? This Priory was established in 1983 at the request of Bishop Generoso Camina of the Diocese of Digos. He wanted to have a monastery that will become a spiritual center in the diocese. Today, it is one of the most favored retreat houses for groups like students, teachers, corporate employees and church-based groups and ministries.

On July 11th of this year, during the Solemnity of St. Benedict, the monks joyfully announced the blessing of the new retreat houses. This is in addition to the existing retreat houses and a total upgrade in nature.

Couple of months after, I decided to go back to the retreat house for two reasons: to cover the gathering of this year’s Benedictine superiors and abbots all over the world mostly from Europe and to meet a guy whose artwork is to be unveiled on that day.

The hour of the interview came. After short introductions, we got down into business. Here’s the transcript of our conversation:

ME: Hello. Thanks for the precious time you allowed for this interview.

HIM: Good afternoon. I’m thankful to be here and grateful for whatever I can share to you about my work.

ME: (Looking at the framed artwork) What inspires you to create your art? What particular message do you try to convey? Or invoke?

HIM: Just trying to come up with what I was tasked to do. To create something about the story of St. Benedict and of the congregation.

ME: The size is enormous. Upon learning that you will be making an artwork this big, what first came to your mind?

HIM: The time allowance to complete this work. The medium that can go easily with the time frame. The hues that I will be using, considering the size. I thought bright colors catch the eyes of the viewers better considering the exact location where they said it was intended to be placed. The landscape elements of the artwork. I started imagining the subject matter which are the core values of the congregation. I have to paint something that shows their love of work and of their mission. From my experience with them, I can tell this congregation is very welcoming to people who need help. Most importantly, I have to do strokes showing their prayerful life. That landscape in mind was enough to inspire me.

ME: How long did it actually take you to finish this beautiful painting?

HIM: 8 days. I started with one full day and the rest, I did it after work.

That ended the interview when I thought I had all the needed information. So I went down to getting to know the artist in another perspective and I’m glad he’s generous in his time. It was very interesting to find out in the end that the man behind the masterpiece is himself the cartoonist of Davao Catholic Herald, Mr. Glenn Remolador. He is presently employed as a school administrator teaching Arts to kids and to grownups at the Muzic’sKool in Davao City. This place offers classes including music, painting, playing different musical instruments like guitar, keyboard and wind instruments. It also offers dancing lessons to the contemporary or classical rhythm. Glenn shared he was born endowed with natural skills in arts. He had the basic skills and was reinforced by his aunt’s overwhelming support. She is herself an artist, teaching art classes in Ateneo. When he was a young boy he remembered his auntie coming home with a whole lot of painting materials which he could endlessly use for explorative painting. He recalled using watercolor for a start and later tried one medium at a time. He also joined competitions at a young age and admitted he experienced both the winning and the losing. The painting “Ora et Labora” means Prayer and Work and it is the biggest material he ever made. Its size 4X8 was a pretty challenge to fill. But with proper landscape elements in mind, he was able to convert his thoughts into this beautiful creation. Thanks to his friend of a friend, Bro. Aldrich who asked him to create this masterpiece dedicated to their congregation.

Today he continues his passion, his profession and his first love. Doing this, it gave him the privileges to participate in some local and international exhibits. He even recalled September is his lucky month when he gets the chance to join the different festivals especially in the international arena therefore celebrating his birthdays with more meaning.

And as to his masterpiece, the picture says a thousand words. (Blaze Q. Cantaros)