2017 GSIS National Art Competition: Mechanics, Guidelines, Rules, Entry Form, Cash Prizes

The Government Service Insurance System is once again calling on Filipino artists based in the Philippines and abroad to take part in its annual art contest. Now on its 13th edition, the 2017 GSIS National Art Competition will have an open theme which means artists have the freedom to conceptualize their works of art with very little restrictions as far as themes are concerned. Winners of the competition will receive cash prizes. The winning entries will also be exhibited at the Museo ng Sining starting in June, 2017.

Here are the three (3) categories for the 2017 art competition:
1. Representational - in any style, realistic, stylized (distorted figure) representational cubism in Horizontal/Landscape Orientation
2. Nonrepresentational (Abstract) - purely non-representational, non-recognizable figures and objects in Vertical/Portrait Orientation
3. Sculpture

Who can join?
The art competition is open to all Filipino artists who are eighteen (18) years old or above. Officer of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) and artists officially assisting in the 2017 GSIS National Art Competition are prohibited from participating in the contest. Artists can submit one entry per category. That means you have a maximum of three entries. There is no registration or participation fee.

Where to get an entry form?
There are two main ways on how you can avail of an entry form. One, just go to any GSIS office and ask for the form. If the form is not yet available in the office you went to, you can always download a copy of the form from the official website of GSIS. Just go to www.gsis.gov.ph and find the article about the contest.

What's the deadline for the submission of entries?
There's only one specific day wherein you are allowed to submit your entry to the competition. Entries for the contest will only be accepted on May 6, 2017 (Saturday) from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. You are not allowed to submit your entries the day before or the day after May 6. Furthermore, you have to personally deliver your entry at the GSIS Gymnasium at the GSIS Head Office located at the Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.

Here's a breakdown of the cash prizes to be awarded to the winners:
Representational:
First Prize: 300,000
Second Prize: 200,000
Third Prize: 100,000
Five Honorable Mentions: 30,000 each

Nonrepresentational:
First Prize: 300,000
Second Prize: 200,000
Third Prize: 100,000
Five Honorable Mentions: 30,000 each

Sculpture:
First Prize: 200,000
Second Prize: 150,000
Third Prize: 100,000
Five Honorable Mentions: 30,000 each

Competition Mechanics:
1. The representational entry should be 3 feet by 4 feet in horizontal/landscape orientation only (excluding frame). It must not exceed 10 kilos including the frame.

2. For the nonrepresentational entry, it should be 4 feet by 3 feet in vertical/portrait orientation only (excluding frame). It must not exceed 10 kilos (including frame).

3. The accepted medium for the representational and nonrepresentational categories: Oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas and watercolor only. Entries using collage, decoupage, assemblage or use of non-pigment based materials like paper, board, plastic metal, cloth etc. is NOT allowed. [For watercolor entries, any watercolor paper is allowed EXCEPT Illustration Board]. Mixed Media not allowed. Museum wrap or box type is allowed. Textured paint, Versatex or Gesso is acceptable primer for the entries.

4. All entries must be ready for exhibition, framed and with proper hanging system using nylon cord (tansi) only.

 5. Digitally enhanced entries using machine printed canvas, silk screen or tarpaulin are strictly prohibited. Participants who shall submit entries using these materials shall be automatically disqualified from this competition, and if found guilty shall be banned from joining the competition for the next three (3) years.

 6. Entries must be dated not earlier than 2017 and must be the original works of participating artists. Entries must not have been exhibited before, revised, and awarded a prize in previous competitions.

7. Entries MUST BE SIGNED by the artist but the signature should be covered with masking tape prior to submission to conceal the artists’ identity. They must also be properly labeled using a card tag or card caption to be placed at the back of the artworks. The card tag must contain the following information: Artist (Name, Address, and Contact Numbers), Title of the artwork, Medium, Size, Year and Price, if the artwork is for sale. Directly writing the information on the canvas is not allowed.

8. All participants must be responsible for bringing and transporting their entries to GSIS. No wet works shall be allowed.

9. Mail forwarders coming from the provinces should be advised by the participants that the entry will only be accepted on May 6, 2017 from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Further, participants who opt to submit their entries by mail forwarders (esp. those from far-flung provinces) are encouraged to group together to save on freight/shipping cost of entries. GSIS shall not be responsible for any damage to the artwork sustained during shipment.

10. All possible care shall be taken by GSIS to protect the entries submitted. However, GSIS assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage to the entries before, during and/or after the competition. Artists shall hold GSIS and/or any of its officers or staff free and harmless for any liability/claims for loss, damage or injury to the works while in exhibit or in storage.

11. Entries must be submitted to the GSIS Gymnasium located at the GSIS Main Office, Financial Center, Reclamation Area, Pasay City (CCP Complex – JW Diokno Blvd.) on May 6, 2017 (SATURDAY) FROM 8:00 AM UNTIL 5:00 PM only. Entries submitted BEFORE or AFTER the stated date and time will not be accepted.

For the complete rules and mechanics, please visit the official page for the competition at the GSIS website.

Visitor Guidelines At The National Museum Of The Philippines (Pambansang Museo Ng Pilipinas)

1. The following are not permitted in the exhibition galleries: smoking, food and drinks, touching of museum objects, flash photography, commercial photography, videography, tripods, large bags and carriers, wrapped packages, umbrellas, pens and art materials.

2. All persons and items are subject to security inspection.

3. The National Museum reserves the right to refuse entry to any person.

4. The National Museum reserves the right to refuse to check any item.

5. The National Museum is not responsible for any items lost, damaged or unclaimed.

6. Food, drinks and any organic material may not be deposited in the checkroom.

7. Public facilities are for museum patrons only.

8. Disabled access - the museum is accessible for those who are mobility impaired. However, wheelchair use is restricted in certain exhibitions due to space limitations. Special arrangements can be made for those with other disabilities.

9. Our guidelines help protect the national collections and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. Thank you for your consideration.

10. All visitors are required to sign in the visitor's logbook before they are allowed to view the exhibits inside the museum.

11. If you are planning a group tour, you must book the tour in advance. Get in touch with the Museum Education Division for your reservation. Also, group tours are not allowed in the museum on Sundays.

12. Buses carrying groups of visitors should park outside the Museum of the Filipino People.

13. Drop-off point for groups is outside the National Museum gate which is located along Padre Burgos Avenue and Finance Road. Visitors are requested to leave their bags, food, drinks, and other items inside their buses.

14. The coordinator or leader of the group tour should pay the entrance fees as well as fill up the visitor's logbook before the group will be allowed to enter the premises.

Better Call Saul Soundtrack: List Of Songs And Music Used In The AMC Television Series Starring Bob Odenkirk

If you are looking for information about the songs and music used and featured on the television series Better Call Saul on AMC, then you have come to the right place. Below is a compilation of the tracks and pieces of music that had the privilege to grace one of the best television shows of 2015/2016.

Several months before the premiere of the show, a music video teaser was released by the creators of the show. It was simply titled the Better Call Saul song and you can listen to it here. It's performed by the country music singer Junior Brown. The music for it was composed by Dave Porter and Adam Dornblum. And the lyrics were written by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould (the creators and producers of the show.

And here are the songs used in the episodes of the show. The tracks and pieces of music are listed under the episodes they appeared in.

Better Call Saul Music And Soundtrack (Season One)

Episode One (Uno)
1) Address Unknown by The Ink Spots - This is the song playing in the very beginning of the episode.
2) Se Bruciasse La Citta by Massimo Ranieri
3) Milestones by Shook

Episode Two (Mijo)
1) Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Esquivel
2) Concerto for Strings in G 'Alla Rustica' 1. Presto by Vivaldi - This version of the composition was especially created for Better Call Saul.

Episode Three (Nacho)
1) Find Out What's Happening by Bobby Bare

Episode Four (Hero)
1) Unsquare Dance by Dave Brubeck
2) Battle Hymn of the Republic (LP Version) by Herbie Mann

Episode Five (Alpine Shepherd Boy)
1) The Third Man (The Harry Lime Theme) by Malcolm Lockyer

Episode Six (Five-O)
1) It Came Out Of The Sky by Creedence Clearwater Revival - Mike was opening the door of a parked police car in front of a bar.
2) Hold On Loosely by 38 Special - The bar scene with Mike having a drink then talking with the two cops whom he suspected were the killers of his son Matt.

Episode Seven (Bingo)
1) Tune Down by Chris Joss - The scene when Mike stole the money from the home of the Kettlemans.

Episode Eight (Rico)
1) Coffee Cold by Galt MacDermot - As Jimmy puts together the shredded paperwork he took from a dumpster.

Episode Nine (Pimento)
1) Coffee Cold by Galt MacDermot - As Jimmy puts together the shredded paperwork he took from a dumpster.

Episode Ten (Marco)
1) Season of the Witch by Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Stephen Stills - As Jimmy returns to the bar in Chicago and reunites with his old buddy Marco.
2) Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple - As Jimmy drives away at the end of the episode.
3) Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by The Buckinghams - The opening scene at the bar.
4) Polk Salad Annie by Tony Joe White - The opening scene at the bar.
5) Banzai Pipeline by Henry Mancini and his orchestra - The montage of Jimmy and Marco doing their scams.

Image credit: AMC

Better Call Saul Music and Soundtrack (Season Two)

Episode One (Switch)
1) Funny How Time Slips Away by Billy Walker - The opening scene which was shot in black and white at the Cinnabon bread store. Written by Willie Nelson, the song was first recorded and released in 1961 by country singer Billy Walker.
2) Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple - Jimmy was humming the guitar riff inside of his car as he drives away from the court house.
3) Buona Estate by 5 Alarm Music - As Jimmy drinks some of the cucumber water at the nail saloon where Jimmy's office is located.
4) Buena Vista by The Shiffers - At the pool and hotel bar as Jimmy and Kim sit down for a talk and a round of drinks.
5) All That We Perceive by Thievery Corporation - At the bar in the hotel while Jimmy and Kim were seated at a table and then they hear Ken at the bar side talking to his bluetooth headseat.
6) Transatlantic by Quantic - As Jimmy and Kim approach Ken at the bar to ask him more information about investing in stocks.
7) Golddigger by Supreme Beings of Leisure - At a booth inside the hotel bar as Kim, Jimmy, and Ken dine and drink while talking about their stock investment plans.
8) Music and Wine (The Atta Boy Vocal) by Blue Six - At the pool outside of the hotel bar after Jimmy and Kim leave Ken.
9) Wishing Ain't No Sin by Billy Momo - The instrumental music playing in the background during the recap at the beginning of the first episode of season two.

Episode Two (Cobbler)

Episode Three (Amarillo)

Episode Four (Gloves Off)

Filipino Artist Paints Pope Francis Enjoying The Rural Life With Kris Aquino, DongYan, Coco Martin, Etc.

In less than a week, the big man of the Catholic Church will set foot upon the shores of the Philippines for a series of activities that will include paying the President a visit at the Malacanang Palace, a mass at the Manila Cathedral, and lunch with survivors of Typhoon Yolanda.

Being a nation populated mostly by Catholics, the archipelago is in celebratory mood. Trinkets, t-shirts, pendants, posters, books, you name it, featuring the Pope are being peddled in the streets. The country's television stations, radio stations, and print publications have been covering the upcoming event non-stop. In short, when Pope Francis lands in the Philippines come January 15, it's going to be the start of a Big Day, at least for majority of Filipinos here and abroad.

The anticipated visit has also inspired a lot of Filipino artists to incorporate the Pope in their work. Songwriters wrote songs about him. Writers wrote pieces about him. And visual artists created masterpieces featuring him. Among the latter is Dante Hipolito who is stirring a bit of controversy with a recent painting of his.

In the painting, Hipolito had the Pope Francis enjoying the company of celebrities namely Vilma Santos, Gary Valenciano, Grace Poe, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, Coco Martin and Kris Aquino.

Salubong by Dante Hipolito. Photo from the Philippine Star in an article by Edgar O. Cruz.

Looking at the painting, I don't know what to make of it. What is Hipolito trying to imply? There's an article on the Philippine Star related to the painting but it doesn't divulge much with regards to the painting's message. I guess the celebrities are there because they are fans of the Pope. But why? The painting will be displayed at a group show at the Galeria de las Islas from January 25 to February 20. Maybe Hipolito will talk more about the painting there.

The theme of the painting aside, it's a really good looking piece. Hipolito is an amazingly talented artist. Just check out a gallery of his works here. I can't afford buying originals of his works but I wouldn't mind purchasing prints of them.

Son Films His Father Turn A Chunk Of Wood Into A Beautiful Work Of Art

For years, videographer Phil Holland has enjoyed listening to his father Alan talk about his passion - woodturning, a form of woodworking that makes use of a lathe to create wooden objects. Through the years, Phil was a witness to his father's immense fascination with his brand of art.

He saw Alan reclaim pieces of wood that other people have discarded for being imperfect. Alan would then turn these imperfect pieces of wood into perfect pieces of art.

As a professional videographer, Phil has always thought of documenting his father's work process. He got the chance to do so during one of his visits to his father's place. He filmed Alan create a classic wooden bowl from a rough cut of wood. Watch Alan create the piece below.

Alan has been a professional woodworker for most of his life; over 40 years to be exact. Even with a weakening vision due to advancing age, Alan continues to thrive at his craft. His son Phil is a professional videographer and you can see more of his work on his website.

Man Finds A Mirror In A Dumpster. What He Did To It Is Simply Amazing.

One man's garbage is another man's treasure. While throwing out the trash, a man who goes by the username Master-of-None on Reddit saw a huge mirror propped up on the side of a dumpster. Apparently, somebody has decided to throw the mirror away. Not wanting to see the mirror go to waste, Master-of-None picked it up and brought it home.

With the help of his wife, Master-of-None restored the mirror and painted it with bright colors. Needless to say, the restored mirror looked amazing. [Photos by Master-of-None via Imgur]

 The Unrestored Mirror

Repainting The Mirror

Putting The Finishing Touches

Restored and Mounted on a Wall

Artist Creates Drawings That Seem To Jump Out Of The Page. Simply Amazing!

If you want to learn how to draw amazing 3D pieces, there's only place online where you can find the best instructions. And that is the YouTube channel VamosART. The very talented artist behind this channel regularly uploads videos that show exactly how he creates his 3D drawings. As they say, just watch and learn.

The artist's name is Sandor Vamos, an artist and cartoonist from Hungary. He uses various visual tricks that make his drawings look solid. Featured below are his 3D drawings of a crocodile, an apple, and a water dragon. Really great stuff. For more of Vamos's art, just visit his YouTube channel or his DeviantArt page.

A Lesson On The Brief History Of Religion In Art

Jeremiah Dickey has created for TED-Ed this short but interesting lesson about the history of religion in art. Description for the lesson goes "Before we began putting art into museums, art mostly served as the visual counterpart to religious stories. Are these theological paintings, sculptures, textiles and illuminations from centuries ago still relevant to us? Jeremiah Dickey describes the evolution of art in the public eye and explains how the modern viewer can see the history of art as an ongoing global conversation." For discussions and related resources on the lesson, go here to view the whole lesson.

Bill Murray Reading Poems By Emily Dickinson, Lorine Niedecker, And Billy Collins To Construction Workers

When the new home for Poets House, a national poetry library and literary center in New York City, was in the thick of being built in 2009, actor Bill Murray dropped by to read poems to the construction workers. The builders seemed uninterested at first but they warmed up a bit when Murray read a piece relevant to the construction profession. The piece even received an enthusiastic applause.

Murray read three poems, one each from Billy Collins, Lorine Niedecker, and Emily Dickinson. He only read the fourth paragraph from Collins' poem Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House.

When the record finally ends he is still barking,

sitting there in the oboe section barking,

his eyes fixed on the conductor who is

entreating him with his baton

The second poem is by Lorine Niedecker called Poet's Work.

Grandfather advised me: Learn a trade

I learned to sit at desk and condense

No layoffs from this condensery

And last but not the least, Murray got closer to bringing the house down with a reading of Emily Dickinson's I Dwell In Possibility:

I dwell in Possibility--

A fairer House than Prose--

More numerous of Windows--

Superior--for Doors--

Of Chambers as the Cedars--

Impregnable of Eye--

And for an Everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky--

Of Visitors--the fairest--

For Occupation--This--

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise--

Real Life And Odd Characters Collide In Storyboard Artist's Short Animated Works

A giant crab eating in a dumpster. A heavily-bearded man running over hotdogs like a lumberjack running over logs. A crazy penguin dancing inside of a refrigerator. A creature spitting out a black cat. A Spongebob-like character jumping up and down on top of a stack of pancakes. These are just some of the darkly humorous scenes you'll see in Marty Cooper's series of animated work.

Using an animation technique that involves traditional animation cels and an iPhone, Cooper creates short clips which combine real scenes with characters he draw and animated on the cels. The visual effect is nothing short of amazing. For more of Cooper's work, find him on Tumblr or Instagram.

Creepy Monkey Brains Bowl Inspired By A Scene From 'Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom'

One of the most unforgettable scenes in the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is the banquet where exotic food like live snakes, beetles, and chilled monkey brains were served. Now, here's you chance to recreate that scene at your own banquet.

Firebox has released what it calls a Monkey Brains Bowl which was inspired by the Indiana Jones scene. The creepy severed simian storage bowl would make for a great receptacle in serving dessert. The only con of getting the bowl is that it doesn't come with "delicious chilled monkey brains".

Firebox

Firebox

The Dinner of Doom

Artist Paints Exploding Sharks And Skydivers Dropping Out Of Planes

In his website, artist Caleb Brown says "My paintings are cultural allegories that aim to reflect my view of the modern world." An allegorical picture is something that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning. Brown's works feature exploding sharks and skydivers jumping out of planes. It's hard to think what could be the hidden meaning behind these but the artist says they are allegories so it's something the viewer may or may not want to figure out.

About his paintings, Brown adds "My conceptual process begins by selecting themes and elements of contemporary life (such as media culture, genetic engineering, globalization, etc.) which seem important and interesting to me. I then combine and expand those components into completely ridiculous scenes that depict a fictitious near-future or alternate reality. "

Here are some of his paintings:

Caleb Brown

Caleb Brown

Caleb Brown

Brown's other paintings also feature characters like giant bees, otters, tigers, and bugs. For more about the artist, visit his website or his Facebook page.

8 Amazingly Beautiful And Unique Sand Sculptures, Some Of Which Seem To Defy Gravity

This guy who goes by the name Sandcastlematt on Flickr takes sand sculpture and castle building to a whole new level. Using a building method wherein he slowly drips wet sand to create often abstract structures, Matt has come up with unconventional sand castles that seem to have come from another world.

In a simple tutorial detailing the process, Matt stated that his "style sort of emerged over the summer of 2004, and I've made maybe 30 "castles" since." To build his unique castles, Matt makes use of materials that he finds in the beach like sticks, plywood, fishing lines, and other junk.

Here's 8 of some of his best work. All photos by Matt. You can view more of them here.

Watch A Brazilian Circus Performer Show His Skills With The Buugeng

Gustavo Ollitta, a Brazilian juggler shows off his skills in this amazingly choreographed routine wherein he creates visual illusions by manipulating a pair of buugengs. A buugeng (also called an S-Staff) is an S-shaped object which jugglers and other performers manipulate and spin to create visual and optical illusions. It was created by Dai Zaobab with inspiration from Michael Moschen.

Girl Asks A Friend To Draw Something For Her...The Result Wasn't What She Expected

A person who goes by the username of Abelabliss on Reddit asked a friend of hers to draw something for her. She gave her friend a rough sketch of what she wanted. The piece that her friend came up with was much more than she expected.

Here's the rough sketch of what Abelabliss wanted her friend to draw.

Imgur

And here's the finished artwork that Abelabliss' friend came up with. Needless to say, it's fantastic. It's called "The Troubled Girl".

Natahan Studios

For more information about the artist, you can check out his DeviantArt page here or his Tumblr page here.

Wow, This Is Simply Amazing...The Skills Of This French Juggler Is Almost Unreal

Who would've imagined that juggling can look this beautiful. Lindzee Poi, a juggler and illusionist from France filmed himself performing what he calls an Amelymeloptical illusion. He juggles four white rings with such skill that they appear as if they're moving on their own. An with a classical piano piece thrown in, the video is just perfect.

In case you are wondering, the tune used in the short film is Comptine d'un Autre Été, a track from the 2011 romantic comedy movie Amelie which starred Audrey Tautou and Mathieu Kassovitz.

Dad Films His Daughter's Transformation For 14 Years...The Result Is An Amazing 4-Minute Video

Frans Hofmeester, a filmmaker from the Netherlands has created an amazing time-lapse portrait of his daughter Lotte. The captivating video shows the transformation of Lotte from newborn baby to teenager. This wasn't the first time that Hofmeester did this. He also did a time-lapse video for his son Vince.

Artist Creates A Portrait Of Jackie Chan Using 64,000 Chopsticks

It's amazing what you can create if you have creative juices running in your veins. Malaysian artist Hong Yi, who goes by the nickname Red, has created what might be the greatest Jackie Chan portrait ever. Red spent a month collecting 64,000 chopsticks which she then used to create a huge portrait of the action star. The final artwork is absolutely amazing.

Red said that she used chopsticks as the material for the piece because Jackie Chan has used them in many of his movies and that it's a Chinese invention. And because Chan is an environmentalist, Red used disposable chopsticks. Watch the process on how she created the portrait below:


For more information about Red and her art, you can visit her blog, website, or on Facebook.

These Digital Art Paintings Will Blow You Away (PHOTOS)

A digital artist who goes by the username Icheban online creates some of the coolest-looking digital paintings I've ever seen. His works can be funny, playful, weird, and scary. Here's just a few of his works. He created them using just an iPad. Don't tell me you're not impressed by them.

If you want to see more of Icheban's work, you can check them out through his Instagram profile here.Or find his albums on Imgur here.

Watch This Talented Artist Create A Photorealistic Drawing Of the Greatest Selfie Ever

Heather Rooney, a 20-year-old art student drew a photorealistic version of the famous selfie taken by actor Bradley Cooper at the 2014 Oscar Awards. Rooney filmed her drawing process which you can watch below. It's amazing. For more of Rooney's work, you can check her out on YouTube or Facebook.