?Reflections? of Betsy Westendorp

By Pranz Kaeno Billones

The Sapphire room of Mandarin Oriental Suites in Gateway is filled with large paintings: clouds, orchids, a view of the Taal volcano, and houses on stilts with the sun setting on the background. In the middle of the room dressed in all white is Betsy Westendorp having lunch with several members of the press. The Madrid-based painter is back with an exhibit after a five-year hiatus. This will be her first exhibit since getting the Presidential Medal of Merit for Art and Culture at the Philippine embassy in Madrid, an honor reserved for artists who are not eligible for the title National Artist because of their nationality. But while Betsy may hail from a different country, she is very much in love with the Philippines.

It all started when she met the love of her life. ?I met [husband Filipino-Spanish] Tony Brias in Madrid, married him, and made our home here in Manila. I loved him, his family, his friends, his country and its people,? recalls Betsy. She swings back and forth to Manila and Madrid. Here she maintains a studio and apartment overlooking Manila Bay and our famous sunset. She confesses that even the shanties and fishermen ?s houses on stilts can act as artistic inspiration.

Her paintings had made their way to Museo de La Real Academia de San Fernando (Madrid), Biblioteca Nacional (Madrid), CCP Collection (Manila), Museo de Azuaga (Spain), Museo de Marmlejo (Spain), and Museo de Salta. Some of them have also graced the halls of Malaca?ang including the portraits of former First Lady Imelda Marcos and husband former President Ferdinand Marcos that were destroyed during the Edsa revolution. Today, her large painting of orchids is used as a backdrop for the President?s pre-taped press conferences in the palace.

Over scrumptious servings of salad and fish we talked about things as varied and colorful as her works. She recalled her memorable encounters with Amorsolo, painting portraits at an island in Palawan (which will later be known as the Amanpulo) while the Edsa revolution is breaking out, rubbing elbows with royalties, she as a ?lousy? housewife, being a techie, and how she does not allow politics to meddle with her art. She is a woman full of colorful experiences and at the end of the day she wishes nothing but the happiness of her dear ones and to paint more.

Betsy may not be a member of any environmental advocacy group but she is aware of the impact her medium has on the environment, and vice versa. She is a big fan of oil-based paints but she is also careful in choosing hues that would last. She explained that pigments with lead may be very appealing but they usually do not last. Lead is also detrimental to health, she explained, citing the nightmares Goya had as the effect of overexposure to the substance.

She usually uses big canvases since she believes nature is too big to be crimped on a small frame. Betsy is also known for doing portraits, landscapes, floral paintings, and atmospheric art which give out her strong impressions of light and color.

Her exhibit Reflections opened at the Mandarin Oriental Suites in Gateway Mall, Araneta Center with an exclusive opening reception yesterday. Starting today, the exhibit will be free and open to the public. The exhibit features over 100 paintings covering a wide range of subjects including a selection of portraits of ?Manila?s elite.?