One of the meanings of qì (or ch’i, from Chinese Mandarin dialect) is “energy flow.”
And qì seems to be running high with Happy Garaje’s Mark and Johanna Deutsch, who churn out fantasy-inspired art and corporate works.
Mark Deutsch created his own comic books when he was a kid. (His mother is a painter, so art runs in the family, so to speak.
For her part, Johanna Velasco started to paint and draw at a young age.
But then, both curtailed their passion when they entered college.
Mark took up Computer Science, while Johanna went for Business Administration.
Eventually, Mark took on a computer-related work at the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
Later he applied at the creative department of the company.
Johanna worked in Cebu Holdings, Inc., particularly in the company’s advertising campaigns.
Frequently bumping into each in parties, they found out that they have a shared passion for the visual arts—especially the
field of illustration, where they can easily come up with fantasy and superhero-type of characters and scenarios.
It didn’t take long before they became a couple.
Then Johanna got sick. Her bosses agreed to let her do the work at home.
Mark joined her in the conceptualization and execution of the projects.
Soon other companies asked the duo’s services for their corporate visual profile and in advertising campaigns.
Finally, they decided to legitimize their growing business.
Since they were mainly working in Johanna’s garage, they named the company Happy Garaje.
Now, they have a five-year-old daughter, and their clientele are mostly from the United States and Singapore.
They don’t seem to have clear division of labor. When one gets tired, the other takes over. Mark comes up with dozens of concepts all at once, but it is Johanna who decides which of these they will pursue.
How will they describe themselves in a nutshell? Mark paused and shook his head.
It’s not an easy question to answer for a couple of creative heads who write, draw, paint, lay out, animate, and work on clay, wood, resin, canvas, paper and the computer.
When Walt Disney Asia hired them for Art Attack (a how-to-do-art show for kids) the producer wanted them to be set designer, but when they said they didn’t know anything about the line of work, he changed their job description to art director.
Locally, they are in-charge of most, if not all, illustrations of the Abaca Group.
In Abaca’s soon to open Red Lizard Taqueria in Ayala Center Cebu, Happy Garaje not only did the artwork but came
up with a storyline, complete with heroes and villains, making the establishment a “living comic book.”
But all work and no play will make Happy Garaje a dull kid.
So let the fun energy flow… The yield consists of postcards of their works, their so-called contribution to affordable art.
Johanna has joined and won many US-based illustration competitions. They make postcards and posters for events like the
Zine Fest and the Lit Fest.
And when the season is bereft of events they make their own—like invitational board games and storytelling sessions.
Happy Garaje just finished illustrating a folklore-oriented book for children.
They are excited about this project since this is something they could share with their daughter.
Yes, now there are three of them in their Neverland.
The qì shows no sign of ebbing just yet.
