Jonahmar Aguilar Salvosa (born March 29, 1953) grew up in Calabanga, Camarines Sur. His early awareness of the beauty of his hometown, the scenic locales, and unique attractions, must have provided inspiration. He was exposed early to art as his father studied art in UP Diliman under National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. His natural talent for artistic expression as a young child grew and moved him to take up art as a student.
At the University of Nueva Caceres, he quickly displayed potential by winning awards from art contests. He eventually moved to the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts in Diliman. There he reaped more awards and recognition in the Shell Student Art Competitions. After his graduation in 1976, he quickly gained attention from the art community and was one of the 13 Emerging Artists honored by the Art Association of the Philippines. His art evolved from the raw, “ism-influenced” styles of the seventies to modern classic forms, more sensitive and balanced, and precise but fluid.
As a nature lover, practitioner of Zen Buddhism, seeker of truth, beauty and meaning, he integrated all these influences and transformed them into stylings rife with self-awareness and enlightenment, free from conventionalism. His works became reflections of inner being and life history. Indeed, his life history has been eventful.
His 1978 painting “Lorenzo Ruiz: First Filipino Saint” won the grand Prize in the First Filipino Saint Art Competition held under the auspices of the Circolo Romano Filipino and the Art Association of the Philippines. This 1m x 1m acrylic painting was presented to Pope John Paul II in 1979 and is now part of the artworks collection of the Vatican Museum. Add to these at least twenty more awards from different local and international competitions, showing his skill, talent, and sheer brilliance.
Achievements in Art Competitions
His hometown honored him in 1999 during Calabanga’s 250th Foundation Day Anniversary for his “Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Fine Arts”. In 2002, he was hailed as one of the Top Five Watercolorists in Gallery Genesis’ 19th Kulay sa Tubig (Colors in Water) Annual Invitation Watercolor Competition.
Having traveled extensively in study tours and exhibits in Europe, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia, Jonahmar has continued to bring his art and his philosophy to art enthusiasts through watercolors, prints, murals, and sculpture. At his own gallery at the Seven Suites Hotel in Antipolo City, he mentors young artists and shares his skills and talents with art learners even as he continues to develop his technique. He serves as President of the Agos Kulay Maynila, a group of artists which he co-founded with fellow watercolor advocates.
Jonahmar’s concern for Mother Nature started in 1988 when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources sponsored his painting exhibit entitled “Psalm of Nature.” Rosalinda L. Orosa, famed author, and art critic wrote in her column Sundry Strokes about visual artists and the environment. In a piece titled “Not a single tree to paint” (Philippine Star, 1990), she began with a statement, “Paradoxical as it might seem, painters, through their works, are the ecologists’ most vocal allies.” She featured the art of Jonahmar Salvosa, together with pro-environment artists, Manuel Baldemor and Marivic Rufino:
“… for his part, (Salvosa) once held an exhibition “Psalms of Nature” rendering of trees, flowers, rivers, and landscapes which presented nature both in its pristine and devastated form. To dramatize the plunder of our forests, one painting depicted nothing but tree stumps scattered over a vast expanse. The work spoke volumes against the vandals and, not any less eloquently, against those in government who had countenanced and abetted the crime. In Salvosa’s paintings, viewers recognized Baguio, Pasig, Tullahan, reputedly the country’s most polluted river, and the Bicol National Park where illegal logging continues undiminished.” (Editors’ note: Tullahan River starts from La Mesa Reservoir in Quezon City and flows through Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela and Navotas and empties into Manila Bay. It is now part of a P1B cleanup pledged by San Miguel Corp.)
In Orosa’s article, Jonahmar expressed his outrage in words as he explained his rationale for his “Psalms of Nature” exhibit:
“I felt a sense of sadness and depression upon seeing the extent of the wanton degradation of our country’s environment… I am only an artist, and I can only speak of art, of what pleases the eye and our artistic faculties. So, I can only speak through my art. All I have is my brush, my canvas, and my craft. So, l will make use of these to express my outrage, to give vent to my longings and vision for a better environment.”
In 2017, Jonahmar contributed a magnum opus to the Sining Saysay exhibits at the Gateway Gallery of the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. He said it took him two years to complete the gigantic painting “The Galleon Trade”, describing his experience as follows, “Due to strict historical documentation in all aspects, I could not choose what I wanted in terms of color, texture, movement, shape and even characters. I had to stick to the call of time such as the garments, utensils, weapons, tools that could not be added or subtracted to maintain authenticity. I had to compose the classic way and not to clutter subjects for it might be misunderstood. I could choose dominant subject as my point of interest because it will weaken other characters.”
100 Breastfeeding Filipinas
When asked if he has accomplished his lifetime goal of painting 100 breastfeeding Filipinas, Jonahmar demurred, but optimistically said, “I am closing in on 100!” In his website, he says the Madonna and Child has always been his muse in his artspeak. To him, a mother nurturing her baby is a powerful exchange of love and survival. The intimate act of breastfeeding her child is her significant contribution to society’s future. Breast milk is the first food and medicine of humanity from the mother’s innate resource. The breastfeeding mother is the nurturer of the next generation, first food producer, first doctor at home, first educator teaching values at home. Mothers are life bearers and life givers, but he laments whose roles are undervalued.
Jonahmar’s art has been colored with social causes. Over the years he has rendered portraits of women in defense of the environment. His Diwata series depicts women as whisperers of life force in greening the forest. His Babaylan series show women as healers foraging for herbs and spirituality in trance with nature. Women are the earth’s keepers but threatened by earth wreckers in the name of mining, logging, and chemical industry. Breastfeeding is being undermined by formula milk manufacturers that are guilty of dumping waste and exploiting earth’s precious resources. He supports Arugaan, an organization for women with infants and young children, aiming to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. He believes the breastfeeding issue is intertwined with economy, health, environment, education, and gender factors. Featured below are random selections from his 100 breastfeeding Filipinas series:
About Agos Kulay
Jonahmar is the President and founding member of Agos Kulay Maynila (meaning color flow), a group of watercolor enthusiasts who banded together in February 1992 to raise funds for the Philippine High School for the Arts and to popularize the most challenging art medium, the watercolor. His fellow founders are Pete Castañeda, Neil Doloricon (Board of Director), Antipas Delotavo, Egai Fernandez (Board of Director), Elmer Gernale, Renato Habulan, Wong Shui Loong, Entes Magpusao, Victor Ng, Adi Baen Santos (Board of Director), Magoo Valencia, Francisco Verano (Secretary), and Paul Yap.
From the foothills of Mt. Makiling and Pinatubo to the shores of Boracay, the Agos Kulay artist paint the changing landscapes, including unexpected changes by nature and by disruptions caused by man-made development and greed. They use their art pads to express their collective grief for mother nature’s endangered beauty.
To continually hone their art skills, Agos Kulay ventured into painting “live models” enabling the artists to explore different figurative images and faces of the human body. This became possible with their acquisition of a new studio in the Ayala Museum under the leadership of Jonahmar Salvosa. With his initiative, the group contributed artworks to the fundraising effort to assist the Yolanda typhoon survivors. More recently, because of their advocacy towards community outreach, proceeds from their spot portraiture and art exhibits have benefited the Tindig Porac Foundation and the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation. The group also provides painting workshops and art lectures to out of school youths and senior citizens in the city of Manila.
Gallery
Artist’s Awards through the Years
2009 – Main Prize, 2009 Freedom to Create Prize London, UK. 2000 – 2nd Place Winner, 1st International Designers Network Club Philippines. Pasig Photo Safari. Metro Manila. 2007 – Salute to the UNCEAN Outstanding Alumni for Arts, University of Nueva Caceres, General Alumni Association Inc. Naga City. 2004 – 3rd Place, Sculpture Category, Art Association of the Philippines. 2002 – Top 5 Watercolorist 19th Kulay sa Tubig Annual Watercolor Competition. 1999 – Millenium Oragon Award For the 100 Outstanding Personalities of the Province of Camarines Sur in the Second Millennium. 1999 – Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Fine Arts 250th Foundation Day Anniversary Calabanga, Camarines Sur.
1995 – Best Entry, 1st Place, “Pamana” Lithograph Printmaking Category [1995 AAP) Annual Art Competition, Philippines. 1984 – Outstanding Bicolanos Awards University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City. 1979 – Outstanding Calabanguenos Award (Art) Calabanguenos of Metro Manila. 1978 – 1st Prize, “First Filipino Saint Art Competition- Trip to Rome Circulo-Romano Filipino and AAP. 1975 – 1st Prize “Pamanang Ginto “On-the-Spot Painting Tilt “Parks and Wildlife” -Trip to Belgium- Capitol Jaycerettes, Quezon City. 1975 – 2nd Prize, Painting Category, AAP 28th Annual Art Competition. 1975 – 2nd Prize, Caloocan Bantayog Jaycess On-the-Spot Painting Contest. 1975 – 13 Emerging Artist Award, AAP Club Filipino, San Juan, Metro Manila.
1974 – Celia Diaz Laurel Scholar (Painting) University of the Philippines, Diliman. 1974 – Artist-in-Residence University of the Philippines, Baguio City. 1973 – Grand Prize Winner-On-the-Spot Painting Contest, Makati Rotary West. 1973 – Honorable Mention- On-the-Spot Painting Contest Makati Rotary West. 1972 – Adiel Arevalo Scholar (Printmaking) University of the Philippines, Diliman. 1972 – College Scholar University of the Philippines, Diliman. 1971 – 1st Prize, Children’s Museum and Library On-the-Spot Painting Contest Fort Santiago, Manila. 1971 – 1st Prize-1st Annual Nayong Pilipino On-the-Spot Painting Contest Pasay City. 1971 – 2nd Prize, Shell Philippines Annual On-the-Spot Watercolor Contest. 1971 – 2nd Prize Annual Painting Contest, Shell Philippines. 1971 – 2nd Prize, YMCA Annual Art Competition.
1970 – Artist of the Year Graduation Day, University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City. 1969 – 1st Prize, Watercolor Contest Colegio de Sta. Isabel, Naga City. 1969 – 1st Prize, On-the-Spot Caricature Contest Ateneo de Naga Xavier Anniversary. 1968 – Jahawarlal Nehru Gold Medal Winner, Shankar International Art Competition, India. 1968 – 2nd Prize, On-the-Spot Watercolor Contest St. Xavier Anniversary Ateneo de Naga. 1966 – 1st Prize, On-the Spot Sketching Contest 18th Foundation Anniversary University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City. 1966 – Outstanding Artist of the Year, Commencement Exercises, Calabanga Central Pilot School. 1965 – 1st Prize, On-the-Spot Painting Contest Provincial Boy Scout Skill-O-Rama. Camarines Sur. 1964 – 1st Prize, On-the-Spot Painting Contest Central Bay Meet, Camarines Sur. 1962 – Special Talent Award Foundation Day, University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City. 1961 – 10 Outstanding Winners Uncle Bert Coloring Contest. The Manila Times. 1961 – 1st Prize On the Spot-Watercolor Contest, 13th Foundation Anniversary University of Nueva Caceres.
The header image features from left to right: Diwata ng Butawanan, 2023; a painting from the 100 Breastfeeding Filipinas collection, 2021; Cadena de Amor, 2021. This report was written by Jojo De Jesus for Dateline Ibalon based on his interview with Jonahmar Salvosa and content from the artist’s website, FB page and the Agos ng Kulay Maynila FB page. Visit the artist’s website: jonahsalvosa.wordpress.com.