For Janine Barrera, as a young artist in the Philippines who had gained recognition through major awards as a student and arts practitioner, the opportunity to study in the United States to further her art education put her on the first step towards becoming herself part of this “diaspora”. Her education in the US allowed her to hone on the skills and knowledge she had acquired in UP Fine Arts, and especially as one of the favorite mentees of the late Dean Martino Abellana. His tutelage inspired Barrera’s work in ways she has, up to this day, been cognizant about. Having a strong base of portraiture like her mentor, her US education allowed Barrera to explore and become confident in her own style of landscapes and abstract work.