Art without age: Sunshine Place nurtures a new creative movement
A new generation of artists is emerging in the thriving Philippine art scene. But for the first time, a multi-generational collective is set to make headlines within the year.
For the past decade, Sunshine Place along Jupiter St., Makati, has nurtured artists of all ages—from grandmothers to grandchildren—within the creative space of its atelier. Some have already held solo exhibits and participated in group shows, steadily carving their place in the art community.
And now, a new chapter unfolds. Gilda Reyes, the watchful head of the five-story wellness center, confirms that plans are underway for exhibitions in select SM malls across Metro Manila. The news has ignited excitement among its resident artists, who will soon showcase their works under a new brand—Sunshine Place Artists.
“We have been meeting with SM mall executives to materialize this plan, a natural sequence of the creativity unleashed in the center,” Reyes shares.
For Sunshine Place president and feng shui artist Lizanne Uychaco, this expansion is a testament to the center’s vision. “Sunshine Place was built not as a business enterprise, but as a space where people, especially seniors, could reclaim that joy,” she says.
To nurture this growing artistic community, Uychaco enlisted Fidel Sarmiento, president of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP). Renowned for bringing art to unexpected places—prisons, military camps, corporate offices, and public parks—Sarmiento and the current AAP Board recently established AAP Tahanan in Silang, Cavite, the first dedicated headquarters for Filipino artists.
At Sunshine Place, Sarmiento takes on a new mission: awakening forgotten dreams, with renowned hyperrealist painter Robert Fernandez assisting in honing artistic skills.
In a cozy rectangular nook, a team of 10 Sunshine Angels, led by Cheryl de Vega, works behind the scenes—managing logistics and ensuring the atelier hums with creative energy.
Sunshine Place’s roster of artists speaks volumes about art’s transformative power:
- Conchitina Bernardo, a multi-hyphenate, found her artistic soul a decade ago and has since held solo and group exhibits. Her then six-year-old granddaughter, Ella, who tagged along to Sunshine Place, is now an artist in her own right.
- Dr. Florangel Braid, one of the country’s most esteemed educators and a framer of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, frequented the studio until mobility issues recently slowed her visits.
- Loida Tan joined Sunshine Place in 2015, bringing along her mother-in-law, who has since passed. What began as a shared pastime became a personal passion, inspiring her to keep painting and give back through volunteer work at St. Luke’s Medical Center. She describes her painting experience as a “discovery… a rebirth.”
- Carolina Llanillo, past president of the Zonta Club of Makati and current president of the Order of Malta Foundation, found her own creative renaissance. “My father told me to study law and discouraged me from pursuing fine arts, a commonly perceived low-income career.”
- Rica Rosario Ong tries to find more time with painting than her business interests. “I am amazed at how life can offer unexpected creative detours.”
- Erlinda Flores, a two-time Palanca awardee, is thrilled to be leaving behind not just her writings but also her paintings—more legacies for her children and grandchildren.
- Irene Ibañez, a watercolorist, recently became a finalist in the 2023 GSIS National Art Competition.
Joyce Ashworth received “honorable mention” while Atty. Vicky Pollisco emerged a finalist among thousands who participated in the 2024 GSIS National Art Competition. - Len Torres Fernandez, Leni Reynoso Araullo, and Fang Fang Li—all breast cancer survivors—are among the most inspiring resident artists of Sunshine Place. With each brushstroke, they embody grit, transforming their pain into powerful art. All three have exhibited their works in the local art scene.
Perhaps the most remarkable is Vicky Zubiri, who paints with one eye and endures chronic headaches. Over two decades ago, she underwent two critical surgeries at Stanford, California, to remove a 2.5 cm brain tumor that affected her eye and ear nerves. Despite these challenges, she remains the epitome of elegant tenacity, sometimes painting from memory with artistic skills honed since the ’70s.
Twice, sometimes thrice a week, the atelier comes alive with a mix of “originals” and new faces. Among them are accomplished Sunshine artists such as Eduardo Ramos, Meliza Gonzales, Vicky Lopez, Grace Agbayani, Connie Cadelina, Mariquit Reventar, Dr. Teresita Sy Giok Long, and Angela Yu—each contributing their unique style to the center’s rich artistic tapestry.”
“Art has no age,” Sarmiento reflects. “The hands may tremble, but the heart never forgets how to dream.”
At the heart of the atelier, another beautiful scene unfolds. Art teacher Laiyan Balubayan leads a class where super seniors, accompanied by caregivers, paint alongside young teens. These intergenerational sessions overflow with warmth and wonder. By day’s end, small masterpieces on canvas and jute bags turn fleeting moments into forever treasures.
Across the room, another artistic pursuit quietly blooms. Whenever she’s in town, Mee Lee Casey, a Malaysian porcelain artist based in Australia, leads students to paint delicate florals on porcelain plates, later fired in a kiln by the balcony.
Credit for this flourishing artistry goes to Felicidad Sy, whose vision of a five-story senior wellness center was brought to life by her daughter, Tessie Sy-Coson. What was once a sanctuary for seniors has become a dynamic creative space for all generations.
Who would have thought that simple things like a palette, a brush, or a porcelain plate could awaken something so profound?
Here, creativity has no expiration date. In the right space, at any age, the heart—once awakened—never forgets how to dream.
