by Noel Sales Barcelona
At the age of 11, Rafaella Elizah Raffa Bragais Dala, or Raffa to her family and friends, became the youngest member of Quezon Artists Guild (QAG), an organization of visual artists in the whole Quezon Province. And now that she’s 14, her professional artistic career, we can say, has just begun; and with her talents and skills, it is expected that Raffa will be conquering not only the provincial art scene but also outside her beloved Quezon.
Making Art as a Kid
In an email interview, Raffa says that she has begun making art when she was a young child.
“I have loved making art since I was a kid. My school, Infant Jesus Montessori Center Philippines, always asked me to join poster and collage making contests since I was [in] elementary [grade]. I even reached the national level [in the competition] held in Baguio City. The last contest [I joined] was March 2020, before the lockdown but I only won 2nd place. I started painting and joining exhibits at the age of 11 years old,” Raffa said.
This echoes the popular quote from Pablo Picasso, one of the most important artists of the 20th century: “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
But observing Raffa on social media, she and her art are actually one and the same. On her Facebook walls, you will see the young artist painting her walls with her favorite anime characters, while also working on big commissioned paintings of churches, portraits, and other subjects. In fact one of her most impressive works is her tribute to the first Filipino Netflix animation series, Trese. Trese is based on the comic book developed by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, which started airing on June 10th in the US and 11th here, in the Philippines.
About Human Emotions and Personal Experiences
Artists, as they say, are emotional beings. They always have this “hugot,” or deep emotions which inspire and move them to make art. Same goes with the young Raffa.
“I love to paint images that show emotion and the things that I have experienced,” she quips. For her, a painting can show a myriad of emotions; they can be a mirror of pain and happiness that a person may have been experiencing, or has had experienced.
American artist Chris DeRubeis (b. 1978), the creator of abstract sensualism style in painting, once said: “All art should inspire and evoke emotion. Art should be something you can actually feel.” Through her works, Raffa has been able to effectively capture the moments of joy, melancholy, nostalgia, pain, sadness, and even tranquility.
Raffa perhaps is an old soul caged in the body of a young girl, who is full of wisdom and sensibility. This has been proven by her works which are now being collected by serious collectors.
Sometimes, this writer forgets that Raffa is only 14 years old who loves to do TikTok videos, roller-skating, and having her hair colored just like a K-Pop superstar. (We always talk through Facebook messenger, and she is such a very sweet and humble young woman.)
However, Raffa is not only into painting. She’s into wire sculpting, too.
“I started making wire sculptures, just this pandemic. I was amazed by wire sculptures that I saw from a museum, in one of our field trips. I even made one, for my collage before. Then I searched for online tutorials on how to properly make one. For the past 1 year, I have already made 11 wire tree sculptures. I sold more than I expected,” she shares with this writer.
Meanwhile, Raffa also said that she’s into dancing and spoken poetry. She also vlogs and her YouTube channel.
When asked about her artistic influence, she said it is her dad.
“My father is a street photographer in Italy; and I love his concept on how he captures the emotion and reactions of each person that he took a picture with,” she said.
An Exhibit about Human Emotions, Ethnic Diversity
If given a chance to have a solo exhibit in the near future, she said that she wanted to showcase works about cultural and ethnical diversity, and of course, human emotions.
“I think I’d like to have an exhibit showcasing people with different ethnicities or anything that involves people’s emotions,” says Raffa in her email.
Raffa in the Next 5 Years
While tomorrow is uncertain, we still asked the talented Raffa how she sees herself in the next five years:
“Five years from now, probably I’ll have my own art studio or gallery where I can help young artists to develop their skills, especially those who cannot afford to buy art materials but have the talent to paint or draw. Every time I sold a painting I tried to choose from the art groups that I joined on Facebook, kids that cannot afford to support their love for arts, and help them with their artistic journey,” Raffa shared.,” Raffa shared.
She has also a message for youngsters who want to venture into art:
“For beginners, just keep on doing what you love and just practice, practice, practice. Start from small projects or commission; it will eventually become bigger ones, once you get the hang of it. And if you make it big try to give back to those aspiring artists that needed your help. One more thing it’s much better if your parents support your passion. Painting needs patience, nothing comes with just one snap but don’t miss out on every opportunity that comes your way,” she said.
“I tried different things, joined different summer workshops but I believe in what TD Jakes said “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose,”” Raffa added.
Aside from being a good artist, Raffa is also a consistent honor student. She said time management is the key for a successful student life and an artistic career.
“Even if I’m too busy maintaining my academic grades I always see to it that I have time for everything that I love to do in order for me to stay happy and content, especially this time of pandemic. Like any other teenagers do. I also love making TikTok videos and doing content for my YouTube channel,” Raffa said.
We can’t wait for Raffa to further evolve as an artist, with her feet deeply set onto the ground.
