Biography of an Artist - OMI REYES
Omi Reyes has come a long way as an artist from starting his painting career as a textile painter in early 1980’s to slowly becoming known as a versatile painter dabbling with new techniques for different painting genres. In the early days of his career, he painted floral designs on diaphanous and gossamer material to accessorize fashion. His artistic soul, howe
ver, hungered for venues that can really showcase more of his creativity and celebrate the way he views the world around him through art. A graduate of the University of the East (in the Philippines), he majored in Advertising Arts during which he realized his interest is really in painting. When asked to speak a bit of his background during interviews, Omi does not hesitate to admit, “I came from a poor family and going through school was really a hard struggle.” He intimated that he drew strength and inspiration from the support given him by his parents who did not prevent him from pursuing an artistic career despite the practical need for a more lucrative profession. Being a true artist at heart, his limited resources at the start did not deter him from continually experimenting on his subjects and style. His initial subjects manifested his affinity with nature. His desire to showcase the beauty of nature and the need to protect it influenced the choice of his usual themes. Scenes from nature evoking feelings of tranquility and peace of mind, birds to exemplify freedom and beauty in simplicity, flowers through which the artist’s philosophic viewpoints on beauty and life are conveyed are just among the many natural representations with which he portrays his sentiments and advocacies. The message of peace reiterated in all of Omi’s works, has a way of being etched in the mind’s eye and cannot be ignored. He establishes his deep connection to his audience through the feelings he evokes and exposes on his canvas. He fittingly describes this by saying “hopefully, my paintings are able to relate to my personal call for non-violence and deep respect and love for nature.”
While before, the painter centered his themes mostly on the magnificence of nature, he has become comfortable in diversifying his subjects. His treatment of flowers for example is something else. Centering on the floral theme, he rendered a unique style through the use of his fingers. At that time, he was one of only two names associated with finger painting in the Philippine scene. Instead of using a brush to apply the pigments on to his surface, he dabbled with the use of fingers in applying the visual effects he wanted to come out. Of interest is the manner in which the artist achieved an impressionist interpretation of his background of leaves and light achieved by a pastel-like application of oil colors. It is not only the brilliant hues which promptly captivate the viewer but the inexplicable feeling of being face to face with a timeless presence. For almost three decades his works carried the characteristic inventiveness in painting flowers. Omi’s inventiveness did not stop there. He collaborates with his wife, Susan, on coming up with ideas on interpreting subjects and applying techniques. With much support and inspiration from his wife, he broke new grounds when he started combining floral painting with abstractions of color fields and textured planes amid the polyphony of visual elements that are both compositional and decorative. His versatility has been greatly manifested through the variations in style, color, subjects, or even a mix of his different techniques. Gone were the mono-chromatic shades that somehow spoke of sadness, sometimes melancholy. Omi would only say, “I have matured as an artist and people have begun to recognize my own style.”
He believes that a true artist is one who is not afraid of trying out new ways of rendering art. He plays around with depth and focus, photographic impressionism, abstraction, at times surrealism, juxtaposing different subjects, mixing light and shadow to create a rare hazy, smoky effect evoking evanescence and ethereal landscapes among others. Being a frustrated musician, he says that he always finds a way to convey his musical inclination regardless of his theme as suggested by his works “Rhythm of the Wind”, “A Symphony of Flowers”, “Harmony in Still Life”, and in his most recent one-man-show entitled “Omi’s Symphony” where he focused on musical instruments as a theme subject. Born on Valentine’s Day, Omi exemplifies love, dedication, harmony, peace where his art is concerned. In retrospect, Omi is a man who believes that art stems from a heart and spirit that are pure and free from pretense and malice – that the artist himself should be at peace with himself and with the elements. Omi’s recent works is a combination of modern realism, landscape, surrealism as a celebration of his self-discovery and mixed media. His numerous one-man exhibits and several group shows have taken him and his works to Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the United States. Those fortunate to have seen many of his works can always expect something new from this artist. His inventive style does not escape notice of casual viewers and art connoisseurs alike. Of note are his contracted work on some church murals, mural paintings in Sultan Bolkiah’s musical room at his palace in Brunei, and paintings he rendered in the residence of the Sultan’s brother in the Philippines. He vows to continue the brilliance and diversity of his palette. He hopes to share it not only with Filipinos but also with the rest of the world.
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Biography written by the artist’s nephew-in-law Jet de los Santos as an entry to the Best of World Art book.
