Life!

Nanette Catigbe: the world as a canvass


Doctor and visual artist Nanette Nacorda-Catigbe

She’s an artist who can transform practically any surface into her own beautiful canvass.

From sanded paper to shoes to cakes, Nanette Nacorda-Catigbe loves to bring colors to things which may otherwise be washed in grays, whites and blacks.

She does this with so much passion and commitment that she inspires her Instagram followers and the people who attend her workshops to practice and hone their crafts.

“I have always loved the arts as a child. I didn’t have playmates so it was me and my dogs. My first subject was my dog, and then I drew anything I saw in our garden,” says Nanette, who lived near Basak Elementary School.

At 13, Nanette attended her first art workshop facilitated by Elena Larrazabal, a Fine Arts graduate of the University of the Philippines.

“She was my enabler. That was the lone art workshop I attended as a participant in my whole life,” Nanette recalls.

She was a constant representative of her school, St. Theresa’s

College, in art competitions. But she never thought of pursuing a career in the artistic field.

The young Nanette knew early on that she will become a doctor.

“It came from that sense of responsibility that my mother’s asthma developed after she gave birth to me. She also had a difficult delivery with me so I felt guilty.  I need to be a doctor so I can take care of her,” she says.

Her mother’s sister, Claudia Smithivas, a doctor and artist,  was her idol. She inspired the young Nanette to pursue a medical degree while continuing her passion for the arts.

In college, Nanette took up medical technology. When she got bored, she drew and doodled on her notebooks. She also hand painted jeans with various designs for personal use. In med school, Nanette found her skills in drawing in handy when she would illustrate the bacteria she sees under a microscope.

Nanette eventually got married to Dr. Francisco “Kiko” Catigbe, a pediatrician. In 2000, after she graduated from residency, the couple moved to Cagayan De Oro with their two daughters, Chiara Alyanna and Alyssa Ryanne.

When the “Twilight” series became a big hit in 2007, Nanette hand painted Converse shoes with quotes from the book. When the movie came out, she hand painted the faces of the main characters, Edward and Bella.

“My work became sought-after that I opened my own Etsy shop. There were so many orders from abroad. It was all about commissioned pieces. Anything you want, I’ll customize it for you,” she says.

Anything you want, I’ll customize it for you,” she says.

She sold each pair for $175 to $200. But she had to close her Etsy shop because of copyright issues.

She then focused on hand painting wedding dresses for her clients in CDO.

In 2012, Nanette and Kiko studied international cuisine as they were looking for another activity that they can do together. When their instructor told them that a pastry/baking course will be offered, they decided to enroll and learn the basics of making cakes, breads and pastries.

It was in this field that Nanette found another canvass: cakes.

Around the same time, Nanette also rented a small gallery which she called “Creative Space” where her artworks and creations were displayed.

“It was like an art cafe. We would cook and bake for friends. It was my happy place,” she recalls.

Going home to Cebu became inevitable in 2013 when Nanette’s mother got very sick and she had to come home to take care of her.

“When you’re a doctor, it takes years to build your practice. Coming back to Cebu was a leap of faith because it meant starting our practice from scratch,” she says.

But it seemed that moving back to Cebu was the right decision for Nanette, the artist.

A bridal fair held in one of the malls in Cebu City became her baptism of fire when she showcased her personalized and handpainted cakes.

“I was very intimidated because we had a small space there. We are doctors with no network or  contact in the wedding industry,” she says.

Her creations impressed several people.

By the end of the fair, Nanette gained clients, who eventually referred her to more clients.

Nanette looks at every surface as a possible canvass. She can paint on shells, sanded paper, bags, shoes… name it, Nanette can transform it into a masterpiece.

These days, Nanette and Kiko are also in the forefront of Mucchio di Bella Pastries and Art, a homegrown pastry shop.

She is active in organizing art sessions, especially calligraphy workshops, where she can be an enabler and inspiration to budding artists.

“Art provides a different kind of joy and satisfaction. I find that when you enable people to hone their craft, there is so much about life that you can appreciate. My goal in every workshop is to produce students who can be better than me she says.

TAGS: THE, world
Latest Stories
Most Read