Living Her Greatest Purpose by Geraldine Zialcita
For Wencyl Zyl, art has served to inspire her soul, heal her wounds, and restore her well-being. Art is and will always be her greatest blessing.
Wencyl was born and raised in Tarlac, Philippines. Her childhood dream was to become a doctor and she loved reading the encyclopedia and books about general science relating to the human body and nature. “I was very curious about life forms, but as I grew older, I became drawn to art and unleashed my creativity. To hone my craft, I engaged in activities relating to art,” she shares.
When Wencyl was nine years, her father who is an artist was teaching her cousins and uncle how to draw and paint and this sparked her curiosity and interest. “I was an inquisitive child who studied the drawings and tried to copy them. Then one day, I told my Tatay that I’m eager to learn, so he gave me a sketchpad, a pencil, and a photo reference and mentored me. I spent my summer vacations practicing charcoal painting and in high school, I used acrylic paints for my drawings. After graduating high school, I spent a year before going to college to study painting using oil on canvas painting different subjects from still life, landscape, figurative, and portrait painting. I also joined group exhibits sponsored by DTI. I won several art competitions in college,” she informs.
In 2018, Wencyl transitioned her childhood hobby into a full-fledged career. “This was not an easy decision for me. I was suffering from anxiety and depression and making a living through art proved to be challenging. The life of an artist is not a steady profession that entails risks in sustaining yourself. As a single parent, the struggles are real, but thanks to the people who gave me a chance and believed in my potential. I also thank God for blessing me with this talent and for the opportunities to join art exhibits here and abroad. I believe that God blessed me with this gift for a greater purpose. I get to inspire people and make them happy. I appreciate how they find connections in my artwork. I love what I’m doing and am excited about what I’m becoming. And like any other job, with hard work, persistence, and talent, it is possible to earn a good living as an artist,” she relays.
Wencyl was a victim of domestic violence. Panic-stricken and suicidal, Wencyl endured the abuse and manipulation of her husband for many years. She suffered in silence and didn’t reach out to her family and friends due to her fear of upsetting her husband. Wencyl was scared to find a job and didn’t have the means to sustain herself. After realizing that her kids were not living in a healthy environment, Wencyl gathered her courage to stand up for herself and escape and seek shelter at her parents house. While her husband continued to harass her, Wencyl found refuge in her childhood hobby which provided comfort and a silver lining to her life. A few years later, Wencyl’s husband passed away. In as much as it proved to be difficult to forgive him, Wencyl has made peace and chosen forgiveness to obtain her freedom.
Reaching rock bottom became the solid foundation for Wencyl who picked up the pieces to rebuild her life. Wencyl sought comfort through her artwork creating phenomenal pieces that proved to be her inspiration. Her artworks are rooted from her painful experiences and life lessons. “Whatever I am today and how I evolve lies on the strength and perseverance I gained from setbacks and tragedy which I demonstrate in my artworks revealing its socio-psychological state. Since I learned to overcome my adversities, my concepts have transitioned from misery to depicting a woman’s worth and essence. Art has saved me from depression, balancing and relieving my stress and enabling me to express my deepest emotions. It is the transformation from trauma to therapy to produce magic,” she discloses.
Wencyl believes that art is the language of the soul and an expression that is not logically conveyed. “Art is the gateway to communication, a connection, and visual expression to emotions. It paints a story without revealing any words which emphasizes the importance of art. Art heals an individual and creates a rippling effect to restore others and ignite powerful emotions and inspiration. Art bears a map of inner responses delivering happy or melancholic moments. Art is history, a story, and an aspiration” she describes.
While her fans and supporters categorize Wencyl’s work as contemporary art, she acknowledges her artwork to be alternative hyperrealism. “Although I’m still working on my skills in hyperrealism, I reformulated contemporary art using nature or any elements to build my concept. Using a traditional style, I focus on my subject of the dual mystic of nature and feminism. I label this as alternative because it’s a combination style of traditional realism and contemporary art. My artworks are dominantly female subjects tapped on dual mystic nature and feminism. The passive realistic figures and portrait with lush nature’s elements aim to show women’s worth and essential. I want to reveal how strong, proud, and elegant women are,” she defines.
Artists possess their signature approach and Wencyl’s work has been recognized for her style of using elements to cover half of a woman’s face. “I believe the whole concept needs not to be revealed because an effective painting keeps you interested, will trigger you to ponder, will attract, and will activate a sense of curiosity. I want my viewers to see realizations depending on how they relate themselves to my artworks. There is always that other side, behind a peeking mystery, a story of overcoming chaos which became a source of strength and reason why the courageous and graceful self has been revealed,” she expresses.
Each time Wencyl immerses herself in crafting a painting, she feels deeply blessed with the love of God flowing through her hands. Oblivious to her surroundings, Wencyl recalls her trauma and transfers the pain into her canvas to produce spellbinding paintings which people can draw inspiration from and feel a profound connection. “Everything starts with an idea, followed by studying the process before applying it to canvas. After painting the base color on the canvas I let it dry. Since I am using oil paint that takes longer to dry, I spend my time painting other pieces. The whole process can take weeks, months, and even a year depending on the size, needs, and of course my mood as the artist. When I’m ready to paint the fine details again, using an open mind, I communicate with my canvas, allowing the artwork to reveal the direction. This process enables me to elaborate and poetically express and immerse the emotions to let the story unfold,” she outlines.
Wencyl loves how one simple idea can manifest into an artwork. Although completing a painting involves different stages, the outcome always amazes Wencyl. “It’s a fulfilling and rewarding experience that I can’t fully describe. Witnessing how I’ve struck a chord with my viewers is powerful. I’m grateful to be living my passion, sustaining our family’s needs, and being present full-time to take care of my children. Most importantly, what I love about my profession is the ability to give and help people. I donated some of my artworks to help the victims of typhoon Yolanda and our front liners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she conveys.
Wencyl has won several art competitions in the National category, including Grand Prize at Vision Petron National Art Competition in 2015. She has her first solo exhibit at the MANILA Art 2021 @ SM Convention Centre. She believes that there is more to art than awards and recognition. “As an individual, I’ve learned to find beauty in even the darkest moments of my past. My imperfect self has been my greatest achievement to date and is a constant inspiration for my paintings. Behind my past struggles and frustrations, I can shine and bring the best version of myself to share and inspire others.
After all these years of being an artist have made Wencyl realize the growth and learning are endless. Practicing her craft, creating ideas, and learning new techniques have empowered Wencyl to evolve as an artist. Despite her success, Wencyl has also encountered challenges in her career. “The biggest roadblock I’ve faced is appearing in public and talking to people. As an introvert, I find it difficult at times to communicate with others. Last year when I launched my solo exhibit was the first time I stepped out of my comfort zone and learned to somehow expose myself,” she reveals.
This talented woman is currently working on her upcoming solo exhibition this October, and in January next 2023. She hopes to showcase her artwork internationally and plans to venture into sculpture next year. To conclude this story, Wencyl advises young women who wish to pursue their dreams and follow in her footsteps. “There are some people who will put you down, mock your dreams, and challenge your personality, yet don’t allow them to drag you down. Believe and accept yourself and hold on to your faith. Just keep going and enjoy the process.”
Looking back, Wencyl Zyl affirms that art has built a solid foundation for her to create, grow, and transform into a profound and meaningful artist living her greatest purpose.