Art by Feanne Hontiveros Mauricio

Published in Luminous #2

How do you pronounce your name?
"Fe" rhymes with "day", and then "anne" is pronounced as normal. I was named after my paternal grandparents, "Fe" and "Antonio".
How did growing up in Metro Manila shape you? What is it like to be a student and artist there today?
Metro Manila is a very exciting place, though I admit I'm fairly sheltered and haven't really been exposed to its urban perils. I'm a student of University of the Philippines, Diliman campus, and I have to say that every day is an adventure! (In my uni, you never really know what you're getting yourself into.) The local art scene is rich in talent and varied in genre, everything from folk to pop to postmodern to street to classical.
Being in a developing country means that the "starving artist" perception is quite strong and it's sad sometimes seeing great talent getting underpaid. We're trying to correct that perception though, and the blossoming of cute graphic design groups and artsy stores is asymptom of the changing times.
What inspires you to draw? Is it seeing something you would like to replicate, getting an idea you want to try, or having a certain feeling? Are there any images or situations you draw upon time and again for inspiration?
Yes, all those things. A desire to evoke a certain feeling, or a certain style, or a certain subject. My favorite period style is Art Nouveau and I know my lines draw heavy influence from there. Nature, celestial bodies, and creatures both real and mythological-- thesenever fail to inspire.
You've stated that you do not use caffeine, tobacco, drugs, or alcohol. What considerations were you taking into account when you made this lifestyle choice? In what ways, if any, does it affect your art?
I don't really like the taste of coffee or liquor. I dislike the smell of cigarette smoke, and as for drugs, I wouldn't want to risk losing self-control. However, I don't have anything against people who indulge in those things, as long as they don't harm others in the process.
My art is derived from my life experience, which I'm sure would be different if I were into those things. For one thing, I like being able to say that my art is truly my own, and not the product of caffeine/tobacco/drugs/alcohol.
What types of commissions have you done so far? Can you tell us what the process is like? What types of commissions do you hope to do in the future?
I've done designs for t-shirts, button pins, advertisement spreads, and posters. On the fine art side, I've done themed works for exhibits and commissioned tattoo designs. I love doing tattoo designs, it's very intimate and special, and really personally rewarding, seeing one's work on someone else's skin, for life. I'm happy to say that tattoo designs make up the majority of what I'm working on at the moment.
Communication is key, so I always try to make things as clear as possible from the start. I work out what exactly the client wants, the compensation details, and the timetable, before beginning any work. Sticking to this principle has always worked for me.
In the future I'd love to do more of the same. I'd also be interested in doing book covers, because I'm a bookworm, CD covers, because I love music, and murals, because I usually produce small works and I'm sure it would be interesting to work on a larger scale. I'd also like to design jewelry-- actually this is a project that my mom and I are really planning to do together, but it's nowhere near production stage yet.
Your art often seems to have a built-in sense of movement. Do you do this on purpose, or is it something that just happens? How does it occur?
I think it's a little bit of both. A product of my aesthetic sensibilities, subconscious reflexes, and plenty of practice.
Which artistic period or movement do identify with the most, and why?
Art Nouveau! The period style of organic form and whiplash curves. "Bieres De La Meuse" by Marc Auguste Bastard, 1896, is a fine example. My maternal grandma has that poster hanging on the wall above her bed. I've adored that piece and that moving style since childhood, but I only discovered Art Nouveau recently.
Do cats and fish have a certain symbolic meaning for you, or do you just admire their forms?
It's both aesthetic and symbolic. I love cats because they're beautiful, but also because they're sleek creatures of mystery, elegance, and noir. Fish are very pretty, and watching them move is fascinating. The water element appeals to me very much, as it is dynamic and life-giving, perpetually in motion, and crystal-like in the way it interacts with light.
How has going to school and studying interior design changed your work? What of your artistic sensibilities do you hope to bring to your future as an interior designer? Or are you still considering a switch to fine art?
Being a design student means having plenty of homework, which mostly require drawing or drafting, so it has certainly limited the amount of time I have to make art. Sometimes I feel as if school gets in the way of my real work. Sometimes it really does, such as when I have too much homework to be able to accept a commission with a tight deadline.
Most of my work is abstract in style, but being forced in school to copy things like furniture, for example, has made me more confident in my ability to draw things that I usually don't. This comes in handy when, sometimes, commissions require me to depict things like cars or staircases.
I do not feel compatible enough with my course, particularly the technical drafting part, so I am still considering a switch to fine arts. I feel more confident getting into a graphic design career. At least, my course is still within the range of design so I am sure I'll be able to learn plenty from it that I will be able to use.
You mention on your website that your mother and grandmother are both adept at working with paint. How is your art different from or similar to theirs?
We share a common love of nature-based themes, and a certain sense of movement. But we each differ greatly in our expression of these things. Placed on a spectrum, my mom would be at one end with the most realistic works, and mine would be at the other end with the most abstract, and my grandma would be in the middle.
You have stated that you believe art will save the world. How do you see this occurring in day-to-day life?
This is a complex multi-faceted question and there are so many different ways to answer it. For one thing-- you'd have to define "art", and you'd have to define what is it that art will save the world from. However, let's not get bogged down in semantics.
Personally, I've encountered and participated in various art-for-a-cause groups and events. These basically revolve around selling art and then giving the proceeds to charity. This is a fairly direct form of help and probably the most obvious answer to this question.
But the other, less obvious answers are worth mentioning. Art is such a powerful form of communication. It moves people. It can move people to act to change things that are wrong in the world. It can influence people's beliefs and ignite paradigm shifts. It is an essential part of what makes us human. Through art, we contemplate, share, and learn.
Those who truly experience art in their lives find it very difficult not to live more holistically, passionately, and meaningfully.