Patricia “Chai” Santos is a self-taught artist based in Arayat, Pampanga, Philippines. She discovered that painting was therapeutic – a form of catharsis for her to deal with painful memories and experiences. She describes her work as realism with a touch of impressionism, perhaps awakened by the experience of loss. She takes great interest in portraits as well as breathing life even in the most ordinary scenes. She is inspired by light in seemingly dark scenes, objects or humans in motion and, sometimes, melancholic scenarios.
Chai first worked with charcoal, graphite and colored pencils until, in 2014, she became increasingly interested in oil. It was an immersive experience where she states, “The world just seemed to disappear and time stood still as I painted.” Since then, painting has become an outlet, easing sudden episodes of sadness or whenever she needs a break from the fast pace of life.
Currently, she is on a journey of experimenting – developing her portfolio and establishing her style. Her recent paintings present a touch of modern feel by incorporating shapes and bright colors with realism.
She began exhibiting her works in 2016 at the City of San Fernando Old Train Station in Pampanga. Her work was also recently featured in an art book, Heart for Art, which was launched at Makati Shangri-La in July 2018 and will also be launched in the Netherlands in December 2018. Her work continues to be exhibited in Pampanga and Manila.
Chai is happy to inspire and encourage people through her art. She is also a digital marketer and is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management Information Systems.
You can view more of Chai’s art on her Instagram page at instagram.com/patriciasantosart/.
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Art Pairing
Slicing Tomatoes 