Oil Paintings

 I like to paint using oil on canvas. This hobby is sporadic. I did my first oil painting in 1972 and I did about three. I then did not do another oil painting until

I painted three canvass for my
first painting in 1972. This is the only one
that survived. 

ten years later. I suppose I was too busy with working and the family. When I retired I picked it up again. I would do half a dozen and then stopped again for years. Today I painted around 60 oil paintings total. I have varied interest in painting. I like to paint animals, Filipino scenes, houses (usually those that we lived in), portraits, nudes, and even abstracts. Favorites is this Tarsier, a very small monkey found in Asia.

Tarsier

When we were doing a medical mission in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines we come across a house that have tarsiers as pets. The little creatures were free to come and go. They usually go out of their cage at night and forage in the forest and then come back to sleep. Tarsiers lives around Asia like the Philippines, Thailand, etc. One of the very first oil painting is this two birds. This was in Reno, Nevada. We heard

Two love birds

this chirping sound throughout the night which we can not figure out what is making that noise. I thought it was a snake that is up in the attic. The next day I saw these two love birds perched on our wooden fence in the backyard. I took a photo. The short fat one must be the female and the tall one the male. 

Our beloved two dogs Waldo and Brunson were joys to us. Brunson II is a comedian. He has antics that made Nicki and I laughed.

Waldo and Brunson

Unfortunately Brunson died very young. Waldo came with us from Sugarland to Reno, Nevada when we relocated. He lived a full life. There were wild horses in Reno where we lived. The Mustangs lived on a large hill. There must be fifty of them roaming around. Sometimes they would come down the mountain and walk around houses. They like to eat the lawn which many people did not like. Waldo would stared at the horses and the horses stared back at him.

I painted our house in the Philippines, address is 1083 Hermosa St., Tondo, Manila, Philippines. We relocated to this house in the 1050's. At that time there were sparse houses. Today you can hardly see our houses from all of the buildings surrounding it. Hermosa was extended to Juan Luna and jeepneys ply the route. You can imagine multitude of people walking, on tricycles, on jeepneys going back and froth from the end of Hermosa in Avenida Rizal and Abad Santos where the LRT public train stop is. From there

Hermosa house in Manila

Hermosa goes all the way to Tondo proper at Juan Luna. I grew up in this house. We moved when I was 6 or 7 and I lived there until I immigrated to the USA at age 25. We eventually sold the house. The house was torn down and a talipapa eatery market place of some sort went up there. I supposed this is a temporary gap before the owner get more capital to build a decent structure. 

We had a house in Sugarland at Field LIne Drive. Then we moved to a bigger house in 1758 Carriage Way. We stayed there for about 35 years. There is where Omar and Ray grow up. The house is spacious, two story about 3,000 sq. feet area. I created a circular garden in front. There is a swimming pool in the back. Its hard to see but in the window were Waldo and Brunson looking out. When we moved to Reno, we rented the house for two years. After that we decided to sell it. Goodbye Sugarland. 

House in Sugarland, Texas

We saw how an almost barren piece of land became a hobbling city with a large mall, thousand of houses, streets, infrastructure built around it such as schools, churches, grocery stores and many more in Sugarland. When I retired we decided to moved closer to our sons. Our sons are living near San Francisco,

House in Reno, Nevada

California so we decided to moved closer there. We moved to Reno, Nevada which is about two hours by car to Omar's place. After a while we got tired of driving from Reno to Pittsburgh, Ca where Omar lived. So we again moved from Reno to Rio Vista, Ca. We lived in an over 55 community in Rio Vista. This is a quiet away from the hustle and bustle of a city. However their are three bridges to pass going to Omar's house. The one in Rio Vista is a drawbridge meaning once in a while a ship will pass by and the bridge will be close to traffic. It's a big headache to be waiting in traffic for more than 30 minutes. On the other east side there is no bridge and we take that route when we visit Ate Cora. 

I do portraits. When I do portraits of friends I give them the original canvas. I retain a photo so I have a record. Here is Jerry and Debbie Kobos. Most of the portraits were painted from a photograph. I prefer this than do live and have them sit for hours. 

Jerry and Debbie Kobos

Here are two friends from college and also friends from Reno, Meny and Rudy Banares. Meny and Rudy relocated from New York to Reno to get closer to their children. Both are chemical engineers from Mapua. Meny like to do volunteer work for free. She declare herself as a minimalist. Rudy is contented in staying at home, drivnig Meny around. We played bowling once a week with other friends. These were Evie, Meny's cousin and Harvey and also Trini and Alice. Trini is the most consistent bowler. They also attend the Sunday dance party for seniors. 

Meny and Rudy Banares

My two beloved grandmothers lola Menay and lola Abe with Nicki in the center. They have an older sister lola Tansing who died many years ago. Lola Tansing is very well to do and when she died she gave lands as inheritance to her relatives. One of the large tract of land we called Pangga. It was given by lola Tansing to her three siblings lola Menay, lola Abe and lolo Ige. 

lola Abe, Nicki, lola Menay

The 21 hectare land is nicely divided into three parts. The land has been retitled to each individuals of their clan. We still own the land but trying to sell it. This is the last parcel of property for us in the Philippines. I don't have much hope in being to sell it in my lifetime. When we are gone, the probability of selling it becomes slimmer.

Here is a portrait of Thelma, my sister and husband Pawan. Pawan is of Indian descent so I gave him a nice robe looking like royalty. 

Thelma and Pawan Madhok

I also did portraits of Nicki, Omar, Omar, Lanie, Ray, Gabe, Zoe. I did two of myself and one of Nicki. Lanie is from Bangar, La Union, Philippines. Her and Omar met when Omar was working in Saipan. They got married in Bangar. Unfortunately we were not able to attend. Later when Omar and his family visited Lani's parents in Bangar, Nicki and I tagged along. I was able to meet Lani's parents and a lot of relatives over there. 

Perhaps we can make another visit in the future. The family made a sumptous meal for us. His father offered me a drink which I later figured is called Basi. It is made from sugarcane juice, fermented and bottled.

Omar Calimbas

A favorite drink of Filipinos in the north. They have a house in Bangar, a large tract of land adjacent to the house because Lani's father is a farmer.  They have an extended family. I know that Lani has an older sister married to an American guy. Unfortunately he passed away. It was a long drive to Banger. We stayed a few days in one of the resorts in San Fernando, La Union. This resort is owned by an expatriate British fellow. it is a nice place to stay and it is by the beach. One day we saw people hawling the net to shore catching fish. We have our own swimming pool and the kids and adults have a good time there. 

Lani Calimbas

Perhaps three years old? Today they are13years and growing taller very day.  

Zoe Calimbas

Gabe Calimbas

Raymond's portrait looked like him very much at that time. 

Today Ray is wearing his hair quite long in a ponytail. How long will that last? Who knows.

Raymond Calimbas

At least 60 years ago we were boy scouts. This was in Manuguit, Tondo Manila. We would meet every weekend and do what boy scouts do e.g. camping, cooking, eating, playing around, parades,

Young boy scouts
Boy Olmedo, Jorge Gonzales, Pol Calimbas, Gil Lagula, Fred Calimbas

yelling, etc. Boy Olmedo is the most senior scout. Jorge Gonzales was my patrol leader. I am the one with the blue uniform because I was still a cub scout back then. Gil Lagula is a friend of my brother Fred. Many years after that we found ourselves living within vicinity here in the Bay area of San Francisco. Olmedo and Laguna were living near Daly City, Jorge's daugher is living in Walnut Creek and we were in Rio Vista. So we meet again and a pleasant reunion of old boy scouts. Behind the photo was the gate of our house in Hermosa at 1083. 

Itay Pedring driving his calesa

Nicki's father had plenty of calesa which he use to take people anywhere like a taxi. They must have 20 horses in their house. Here is Itay driving a calesa. He does not really work on it but have several people to do the work of a kutchero. When I was visiting Nicki in their house I can see rows of horses underneath their house. Her father also do business selling horse manure which is a very good fertilizer.

Evie and Harvey's hourse in
New Jersey

Our friend from Reno, Evie asked me to paint their house in Kayuta, New Jersey. Evie and Harvey relocated from the East coast to Reno. They live kayaking so I show them on the kayak on the lake. Their house is surrounded by many trees and they have a porch down the stairs near the lake.

The King and Queen

The Queen and King of our house. Nicki and Pol looking regal huh? I like the colorful attire we were wearing which came from the playing cards. The King is known as the Suicide King as he is stabbing his head with a sword. 

Two Koi

Two koi fishes one is golden and the other red. Koi can be expensive depending on the pedigree e.g. size, color, provenance, etc. They can cost at much as $10,000 or more. I am contented in painting them. They will keep forever.

Black Bowmore.
A bottle cost $10,000.

This whisky is called the Black Bowmore. Distilled in 1964 this is a very expensive whisky which cost about $20,000 each if you can find one. I can not afford one so the next best thing for me is to paint it. Noticed that it has its own wooden crate. 

Lita Ocampo's Amaryllis

My friend Lita Soliman Ocampo asked me to paint one of her plants. This is a amaryllis flowering. Lita is an avid gardener. I have known her since high school at MLQ. She lived with her late husband Nestor Ocampo in Daly City, Ca.

A group of aspen trees is called Pando. I like pando so much I painted them three times. One painting was donated to the church here in Rio Vista. They auction it off to generate funds.

Pando Grove

The pando has a single root system producint multiple trunks. Essentiallly this is regarded as a single large organism. Pando in latin means "I spread".

The blasted Covid-19 virus

Covid-19 created a pandemic in the US and all over the world in the 2020's. It was first noticed around February of 2020 and quickly spread. Ten of thousands were afflicted and it took a couple of years to create a vaccine and control the disease. This painting is a covid-19 cell. 

Beloved Brunson and Waldo

Our beloved dogs Brunson and Waldo. Brunson II we got in the dog park. This couple were looking to have the puppy adopted as they are leaving town. We took Brunson. He was just small puppy but in three weeks grew to become a big dog. Brunson is so adorable, gentle, protective. One outstanding asset is he is a comedian. Yes he made us laugh with his funny antics. Waldo came from Dallas, Texas with a brother. We called the brother Brunson but he did not survived parvo. Waldo stayed with us and went with us to Reno, Nv. He is very obedient, subservient to Brunson and loyal. 

Christmas Scene

Nicki asked me to paint this Christmas scene. She takes it out every season and hang it on the wall. The photo came from a Christmas card. It is a very simple photo cartoonist but Nicki love it.

60 milliion years ago an asteroid hit the Earth at the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. This event was attributed in wiping out all dinosaurs on Earth. It probably killed more than the dinosaurs. Only the small mammals survived. 

60 millions ago 
the dinosaur got wipe out

We went to Falkland Island. The houses there are colorful so I took some photos and painted it. There were also many penguins roaming around the beaches. 

Falkland Island houses

Penguins on Falkland Island

Angry Tiger

Invasion of the ANTS

I shot a photo of this scene in Tagbilaran, Bohol in the back of the
hospital where we were doing medical mission.

This birds came from a calendar

My attempt at a modern painting

Helen of Troy sunbathing

Jupiter showing the eye of a storm that
has been going around it for 300 years

Two girls playing jump the cow. Behind is
our house in Hermosa.

Boys playing a Filipino game
Luksong Tinik

Moon Eclipse

A meditteraneon scene

The oldest tree in the USA called
Methuselah

A take from Van Gogh's 
Sunflower

A Filipino buko vendor

Painting ala Bob Ross style

Surreal scene

Filipino rattan vendor with his
goods on a truck

Sexy painting

First attemp to paint mountain

Better attempt of a mountain

Fire in a savannah 

Birds in Lodi, California

Filipino Sari manok

Kitchen spices

Van Gogh's Starry Night

Tiyong Entoy selling taho

Tarsier

Filipino veteran of Spanish War

Thelma and Pawan Madhok

Photo of the Universe

Pterodactyl escaping

Wild horse in Reno

Woman bending over

My mother Nelly Calimbas

Simbang Gabi painting. I painted this diptych for Christmas celebration at St. Joseph
church in Rio Vista. It is 72 inches long and 24 inches high. The orignal is donated to the Filipino priest of the church. I got a copy.