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Born on the 27TH day of February1972 in Angono, Rizal, Philippines. Geraldine Hernandez-Martens is a Fine Arts & Mass Communication Bachelor Degree Graduate at Philippine Women’s University in Manila. She gained her Master Degree in Arts, Design & Music at Center for European Studies in Maastricht, The Netherlands where she did her 1st International Mural Painting sized 132 sq.feet.

Geraldine has 2 kids: Maelynn & Hugh Granth. As Hugh start painting at an early age of 8 months & has been featured his first artworks on TV & Newspapers as “Gifted Child at a very young age of One year old. Hugh also did his First commercial in Promil Milk for Gifted Child under Wyeth Corporation. While Maelynn start painting at early age of 2 ½ years old. As owner & President of Arts International, Geraldine has actively contributed to the World of Arts History since years by promoting & developing her naive locality of Angono, RIzal into an Artists Village by among other things, institutionalizing that towns first youngest art instructor in 1990 & established the Art Foundation for talented youth since 1989.

Geraldine, Hugh & Maelynn are known aritists in their original country and as a “Singing Painters ” & known for introducing a Imaginative Art in “Impressionism” & Action Paintings. They have various major exhibits, did mural paintings & portraits internationally namely in Europe, USA & Asia as well. Both are a reputed environmental artist for their total commitment to the preservation of the environment expressed thru their series of mural paintings worldwide. Geraldine & her children leads their fellow young visual artists/performers by making major exhibits, mural paintings & establishing artistic organization at an early age of their lives to help encourage young artistic individual to pursue their bliss in arts. They did several exhibits in different states such as Maastricht, Den Bosch, Amsterdam in Europe & also in some states in Illinois, USA such as Skokie, Glendaleheights & West Dundee including Wisconsin, New York, Florida & in Asia as well. They were commisioned to create over 25 murals & hundreds of paintings around the world. In the span of 20 years that has began in 1989, both has staged 29 Major Exhibitions with Special Events participated in over hundreds of group exhibtits in various & prestigious part of the country.

ARTWORKS & TRANSITION

Working with oil & acrylic on canvas, Geraldine & her children pictures landscapes & garden of lush green forestlands teeming with tall trees & deer grazing the grasslands in the late ’90s also show green meadows with interesting terrains breathe talking flowers & shrubs, & soft cool mountains ranges in the background. Both also zooms in a lovely blooms & bring them up close. Unlike other artists though, she does not focus on popular flowers like roses, lilies & chrysanthemum. Instead, both findes in an ordinary flowers like santan & gumamela & tries to put their best blooms forward other people to enjoy in the early ’90s.

In 1994-1995, these artist paint a mother hen looking after her chicks as they search for food & have fun in the hay, frames a flower in a vase & dish portrait on the table by the windowsill. They also paints the famous Mother & Child, Father & Son, old building & zeroes on a pair of slippers on the sand.

In the late 1996, tree’s bark inspired Geraldine to paint the Fall Impressions Seires which depicts trees with yellow-green & red orange leaves. Autumn in Winconsin provided the backdrop of their first USA made artwork. Pictures of the sea were impressions from their brief visit to Florida, while the rest were inspired by the green fields & flowers that surround the farmhouse of their benefactor in West Dundee, Illinois where they spend the summer of 1997. In late 1998, returns back to Asia to bring & share recognitions to their own country.

By all means, a mixture impressions of European & American Landscape’s nature & atmosphere where reflected in their work, which brings their a feeling of deep satisfaction. Not often can we see an artist that can translate these impressions & feelings into paintings in such a successful manner, at such an early age in their life. Hugh painted “ The Horses ” when he was 8 months. “ Musician ” painted when he was 1 ½ year old – collected by Madam Imelda Marcos, “ Untitled ” painted when he was 2 years old – collected by the Former Ambassador of the Netherlands, Theo Arnold. “ Face ” done when he was 2 ½ years old and painted on the spot when he was being interviewed by GMA Channel 7, Hosted by International Beauty Titlist and Model Ms.Miriam Quimbao. As Hugh painted as well “ First Impression ” when he was 3 years old. While Maelynn Faye painted her first artwork entitled, “The Eagle” in which it reflects her strong appreciation to animals specially birds.

Nevertheless, these influences never made them distort nature unlike Hugh & Maelynn translate his creations on blank canvas distortedly beause of his young age. Beyond these, these artists creates beautiful impressions of life and nature that also expressed their feelings and the atmosphere as experienced by them which filled their works with the vitality and emotion. In doing so, their paintings do not “copy ” nature , as on the photo, but change it thru the incorporation of thier experiences at that time and place. What does this mean for an artist, to create something different or out-of-trend or to “ change ” nature by adding the impression of the experience of it does this make the works worthless? Or do perhaps, artpieces requires a mastery of one identity.

“Citing their own experiences, the artist adds, “We can work fast if we feel strong emotions. But if we felt empty, we can’t produce well. Some of our colleages criticize our works because of this. But we as an artists thinks that the value of an artwork isn’t base on how long you worked on it or how much materials you used. But it is based on the artist’s strong feelings and motivation used in the creative process and the capability to convey this on the artists’works. The foundation of art basically comes from the artists’mind, heart and soul.” These artists believes that people with an “ëye” for paintings can sense the artists’ feelings as reflected in the work.They also believes in everything they will encounter in life will effect their creativity. The artists’great respect in nature is brought about their firm believe in God.

STRUGGLES & BREAKTHROUGH

Through hardwork, sacrifice and determination, Geraldine, Hugh & Maelynn established themselves as one of the promising Filipino Artists in the 20TH Century. They live up to the dream of the late national artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco in painting & Lucio San Pedro in Music to make their birthplace the Art Capital of the Philippines. Geraldine was born 3 years after Francisco’s death while her children were born more than 3 decades after Francisco’s death. Little did they know that someday they will carry on that dream and their experiences have changed their views in life. Experiences in being rejected because of religion, culture, tradition, stability, race and age have manifested in their works and help them mature. They long to find true love, which for them never having discriminated. They also find avenues in singing, composing, photography, writing, graphic designing and painting as well.

ARTISTS´ PHILOSOPHY

Geraldine, Hugh & Maelynn phrase, “Än art created from the Heart,” symbolized the artists’ firm believe in God. Where this artists recreates real nature into blank canvasses. As they zeroes in on their subject and make it bold and uncontrollable by using pastel, pure or intense colors such as faith and hope. A belief that made this individual to continue their sojourn in the world of arts history. That art is a passion for love live.

Geraldine established Arts International in 1989 while she also established Hugh Granth International Foundation in of the future Angonians talents in 2003. In which it serve as a training ground to help young individuals to develop & achieve their goals for the future by making exhibitis & qualify to receive scholarship grants worldwide in cooperation & assistance of private corporations, foreign diplomats, companies, governments & organizations as well.