Roselle Manalastas

Roselle has been drawing—her first love--ever since she could hold a pencil. Growing up, she has joined several poster-making contests and became a cartoonist in her school paper. Drawing always has been in the background, but it was pushed back as she ventured into the field of analytics (She graduated BS Statistics from the University of the Philippines-Diliman).

In 2018, she turned to painting to cope with a pregnancy loss. At the time, painting was her escape, a way to grieve. Since then, she has never stopped painting, especially during the pandemic. Painting serves as her means to recharge, rest, and practice self-care.

She is fond of painting landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, and florals in impressionistic style. She particularly loves acrylic because it provides the flexibility and the kind of pace she was looking for in a medium. She is drawn to the contrast of light and dark in her compositions.

Each painting is an idea, a feeling, or even a dream realized into something tangible using brush strokes and a combination of colors. Likewise, it can also evoke different feelings: a sense of calm, peace, or hope, or any emotion that cannot be expressed in words. To someone who appreciates it, it may or may not have meaning. After all, it is fluid, dynamic, and ever-changing.