Painting

Rooted in themes of nostalgia and identity, my practice explores the shifting concept of home through the lens of growing up mixed-race in a post-colonial Philippines. As someone who is half-Filipino and half-Scottish, I often find myself suspended between two cultural identities—belonging fully to neither, yet shaped by both. I was raised in Manila until the age of 18, when I moved to Scotland to join the other side of my family, marking the beginning of my independent adult life. This transition prompted a deeper reflection on displacement, memory, and the quiet tensions that come with cultural hybridity. In revisiting familiar landscapes from afar, I’ve come to see how the remnants of colonial influence have shaped my perception, once invisible in childhood but now undeniable. My experiences echo those of many in the Filipino diaspora, navigating belonging in both intimate and inherited ways.

Where the Mountains Meet the Ocean emerged as an exploration of the subtle, in-between spaces of cultural and personal transformation—the Philippines evolving as a nation, and my own identity shifting in tandem. Through mainly large-scale compositions, I depict transient, memory-driven landscapes shaped using natural imagery and emotional resonance. Working from both archival and recent personal photographs, I allow the paintings to unfold intuitively, gradually moving away from direct representation as memory takes precedence over the image. The lingering effects of colonial history on Philippine cultural norms are a driving force in my work; I embed these references subtly, just as they were invisible to me growing up. Amidst these reflections lies a deep-rooted pride that I hold for my homeland. Through these artworks, I wish to convey the raw beauty of the land and the sea of memories it holds for me.