Celso Pepito

Born in Daan Bantayan, Cebu but raised in Bukidnon, Pepito, never imagined himself becoming a painter but awarded as the Artist of the Year in his secondary school, he was encouraged by his adviser to consider taking up Fine Arts in College, and inspired by such suggestion, Pepito enrolled in Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Cebu in 1977 and finished a Degree of Fine Arts in 1981. Looking at paintings of Pepito, one is made aware of common motifs running through them: love of God, love of family, and love for country. Pepito's paintings reflect a strong spiritual and a commitment to a continuing apostolate through his art. An unwavering believer that positive change in society starts in the family, his works always show and depict family values and traditions, and a spirit of nationalism exemplified by subjects that are striving for self-reliance and dignity through hard work and labor. To help promote and develop the richness of Filipino arts, and to bring in the art of foreign artists to the Philippines, Pepito has initiated links with his peers in foreign countries, thereby allowing him to organize exhibits that promote art exchange programs, providing a platform for cooperation between artists from different countries. These linkages have resulted in opportunities for him to exhibit in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Peru, Luxembourg and America.