The Mundane and Familiar as Fine Art | Dario Buan Encinas

Transforming the ordinary into the magnificent is the main theme of the works of Bicolano artist Dario Buan Encinas. From landscapes to portraits, to rural and urban scenes, he seeks out the mundane and familiar and elevates them into pieces of fine art, warming the heart and resonating with the soul.

Born in August 1970 in Canaman, Camarines Sur, Encinas always had an eye for the extraordinary. Through he did not have any formal training in art, he persevered to hone his skills in various media. Today, he works in watercolor, oil, and acrylic, masterfully selecting which medium suits which subject in a way that can only be called his very own.

His paintings have been part of numerous group art shows, including the prestigious 1st International Watercolor Biennale in Vancouver, Canada in July 2016. With fellow artists, he has also exhibited at Buenas Artes Gallery, SSS Gallery, Sigwada Gallery, and Asian Hospital, among many other galleries in Metro Manila.

Kulay sa Tubig award bestowed on Dar Encinas in 2021

In February 2016, he showcased some of his works in a solo exhibit called “Sarumsum” in the Naga City Art Gallery as he did later in a second solo show dubbed “Sarumsum 2” in 2019. These were followed by four-man shows in Ayala Malls Legazpi and Art Asia Gallery in Manila also in 2019. He also joined international exhibitions: “da Frame International Art Show” in Kolkata India, January 2017; “Hues” two-man show, Altro Mondo Creative Space, 2017; “Four Art’s Sake” four-man show in Art Asia Gallery, 2018; and Pameran Cat Air Asia Tenggara (PACA) Southeast Asian Watercolor Exhibition, 2020.

His most recent shows with fellow Bicol artist include: Maogmang Lugar, a 3-man exhibit, Gallery Genesis, Megamall in Ortigas Center, January – February 2022; PintaFrancia: Gawi-gawi, an Bicol na aram ta, Naga City, September 2022; and, Sari Sari Kugos 5, Legazpi City, February 2023.