“Being a painter is not easy.”

Those were the exact words that the well-known serious painter Johnny Otilano parted to us before we ended our exclusive interview.

Johnny, a visiting artist from Los Angeles, California, is a Pinoy painter who create masterpieces which are not just for expressing his experiences in life but also to create awareness about the social issues the Filipinos are experiencing in their endeavors.

Passion for Painting

At a young age, Johnny was able to realize his passion for art without having to be exposed to that industry. No need for role model. No need for eureka moments. He just knew then that he is set to be an artist. Instead of asking his mother to buy him toys and things that usually interest kids at his age, he always asked for watercolor and things he could use to paint or draw. As a little kid who just loved sketching and drawing, he was able to win medals and awards at school already.

One of the things he liked most about in this career path is that “you have the freedom”. Johnny never had to experience artist’s block because he never felt pressured to create his masterpiece. But  that’s because he never runs out of ideas to paint. Whenever an idea pops into his head, he always have a paper ready, if not a canvas, for him to sketch on.

However like what he said, his journey to being a successful painter wasn’t easy.

Johnny started art by studying advertising design. He had to financially support himself for him to get a degree on arts. He had to sell photos to be used for journalistic purposes to earn money. He had to counter his dad’s decision for him, despite the fact that his dad was totally against his dream.

But all his hardships ended up with success.

Pride as Prize

As an artist for more than thirty years now, Johnny had multiple successful exhibits and achievements he is happy about. The first ever painting that was bought from him was titled “Three Hiding Birds”. “Three Hiding Birds” is an abstract painting that was originally hung on their family’s home but his mother’s friend needed a decoration for her new home. It was an unexpected experience for Johnny but one that became memorable for him. He realized that even his paintings can be used as decoration to one’s home.

Johnny was also given an award for the Most Outstanding FilAm Artist of Fresno and Vicinity in California award for a painting titled “Mi Ultimo Adios” in exhibit in Fresno, California.

The recent “My Old Guitar” Series in Quezon City, the Dream Series in Davao were few of those said achievements. When asked about his favorite achievements, he first talked about the painting and the song he composed dedicated for his mom on an art exhibit for breast cancer awareness. However, for him, the achievement he is most proud of is when he was selected among many other competitors to go to Los Angeles. Even though he was given a short amount of time to complete masterpieces he can present, he was able to create five oil paintings. His talent was his ticket for that once in a lifetime opportunity and he was able to grab it.

Experiences to Express

Johnny’s main foundation for inspiration? Experience. And the products of his inspiration were always dedicated to people he cared about at some point in his life. His most recent art exhibit held in Erehwon Center for the Arts in Quezon City last February titled “My Old Guitar” Series was one where ordinary goers would assume that it would only be about guitars, but seeing the paintings in real life, the paintings showcased another element wherein most people would get an eerie feeling from: a detailed eye on top of every guitar. When asked why those two elements were the most prominent elements on the paintings, Johnny said that the masterpieces were dedicated to both his mom (the guitar) and his dad (the eye). His mom gave him a guitar as a gift and he held it dearly in his heart while his dad lost his eye when he was still working in a Middle East country. Together, those two elements created an impact to whoever sees the painting and experience the eerie feeling first hand.

But like what was mentioned, as a serious painter, he doesn’t only paint about personal experiences. One of his famous masterpiece was titled “Mi Ultimo Adios” where the sacrifices of Jesus Christ was compared to the hardships of the Filipinos since the beginning when the country was colonized. Heroes were in the painting because these people helped mold the way of thinking of the Filipinos.

Paintings are masterpieces where artists put their souls into and amazingly, Johnny is one of those artists. His masterpieces always had a piece of his soul. Since he paints what he experiences in life, he always give a piece of him to each of his masterpieces. And the feelings his paintings range from happiness to regret.

For him, paintings bring hope and life to anywhere they are placed, be the place a home, an office, etc. As long as a place has a painting, it is never a dull place. He also paints detailed portrait of families for families to have a memory posted on their walls.

On April 27, Johnny’s paintings will be showcased in La Habra Art Gallery, Orange County California and title of the art show is “Dreams” Series, the Art of Johnny E. SJ. Otilano.

Johnny can be contacted for painting requests and transaction through his instagram account @johnnyotilano and/or through his public phone number (+1 626 365 6121). He also showcases some of his artworks online on http/www.artmajeur.com/darkhorse4002

—written by Dana Louise Bersamin