In an Instagram post, Cebuano artist John Michael Notarte shows off the coat with hand-paintings of Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidates Apriel Smith of Cebu and Alaiza Malinao of Davao.
CEBU CITY, Philippines— A budding Cebuano artist is using his skills in painting to raise funds he can use to help victims of the recent typhoon in Luzon.
John Michael Notarte, 23, a chef and an artist from Mandaue City, is selling his custom-made, hand-painted tote bag and thrifted coat online so he can help the victims of typhoon Ulysses, which wreaked havoc in the northern part of the country starting November 11, 2020, leaving some towns and cities under state of calamity.
Read: Help from Cebu City is on its way
As of Tuesday, November 17, the coat has a bid of $170 and the tote bag, $180.
“I will stop the bidding by the end of this week and proceeds will be donated once the money is on hand to Redcross Philippines’ Paypal account,” Notarte said.
Hand painting may not be that unique but the Cebuano artist made sure his will stand out.
Notarte, who is now based in Los Angeles, California in the United States, achieved this by painting on the coat portraits of Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidates Apriel Smith of Cebu and Alaiza Malinao of Davao.
“I have always admired women, as I myself grew up in a household filled with empowered women and beautiful women, and I want to celebrate the beauty of Filipinas,” he said.
It took him at least nine hours to finish the paintings on both items.
His works became popular when MUP 2020 candidates took notice of the pieces like Smith herself and Miss Bohol Pauline Amelinckx.
You can check out the tote bag and the coat in his Instagram account @mn.notarte as he is also open to doing commissioned art pieces. /bmjo