The Alvin P. Acuñas Story By: Joseph L. Padullon There he was again; scrawling something on a paper pad and geared with set of crayons as he slouched on the floor. He was let alone by his mother, grandmother and grandaunt, who were all busy sewing clothes from the fabric materials that their patrons had confidently entrusted them to do. But this lad of 3 years was not just scrawling. He’s creating arts! He’s making images he had in mind or tracing shapes that interest his attention. The elders, of course, were not surprised to see this bespectacled boy and a scion of artists to have a proclivity in arts, at an early age. His name is Alvin Padullon Acuña or “ Vino” to his friends. And nobody was amazed anymore, seeing Alvin showing interest in craftmanship. Consider these. His father, Rollie Acuña - a known great artist in Cavite, is noted for his craft in painting still-images and human portraits, as among his creations. And, Rollie has continually receives acclamation until today, as the creator who put to life the images painted on the roof of St. Francis Church in Gen. Trias, Cavite. Well, if it is easy for an ordinary artist to paint facing upward at the top of the scale for hours, days & weeks, then nobody could then be called a “Great Artist”, anymore, isn’t it? Let’s cite other persons where Alvin inherited his fondness to arts. There’s Juan Acuña, Alvin’s paternal grandfather, who is not be ignored. It was his talent in painting where Rollie inherited his artistic skill, you know; and so was the latter’s siblings. There’s also Albino Asercion - his maternal great grandfather and to whom his name Alvin was adopted on, was himself a famous local painter and photographer. There could have been more, but, well, it’s understandable that Alvin could not remember all of his kin anymore, who had inclinations to artistry. Still, the residents in the community where he grew up in Gen. Trias, Cavite, could easily recall that his family is also a clan of great musicians and singers. (Unfortunately, Alvin was not blessed to excel in both of these qualifications.) But of course, this is besides the elder ladies who were regarded as prominent dressmakers, too, in their heydays. Weren’t they deemed artists too, in their own different ways? Alvin’s mother is not to be belittled, either. Ask around where could you find a prominent couturier and wedding-gown maker in town. And if you don’t hear the name “Lucy”, then the person you asked does not live there or might have moved in, just recently. And the “grannies”? They were the authorities calling the shots, when it came to embroidered apparels. From that heritage, Alvin’s bloodline commanded his instinct to express what’s in store in it. Faithful to his calling, he’d easily delivered and got his first acclamation at a tender age of seven that continued through High School. He garnered a number of awards, depicting his artistic talents. But not only that; he earned his first income doing artworks asked by relatives, friends and neighbors or far-reaching residents, alike. Well, it’s not much, though; but the joy of receiving the accolade from the ones who asked for the works, was simply much more than any token he could had ever imagined, considering his age. So it was not startling, of course, that, for want of developing his chosen field, he took a drafting course for a year, and another 2 years in Architecture, until he concluded his degree in Fine Arts at PWU, where he majored in Advertising. Time flew unnoticed then; and how fast. Until Alvin realized that his diploma could not guarantee his stable economic position. He had worked at various places doing odd jobs, catering mostly to his expertise, of course. But his life was still wanting, as if an obvious space has to be filled in. And the adventure has begun. He went to Kuwait in 1992 when he sensed that his future in mother country was not promising. He was hired as a Graphic Designer in an advertising company that lasted him until 1996; at a period when the world was still technologically challenged. And with the advent of computers still forthcoming, Alvin had to be contented transforming his fresh ideas with the limited resources, materials and gears available at that time. Is it exaggerated to tell that colored pencils, water colors and illustration boards were in the fad then? Of course, not. To sum up, finishing his tasks manually was not only the best choice, but the only option that prevailed then. Now that he had already marked his presence in Kuwait, he moved to another company while studying software that complemented his line of interests in arts. 1998 came and remains memorable to this suave artist. Alvin was named as the winner in a painting contest, themed “NEW FREEDOM, NEW HEROES”. KAMAY - a group of Filipino artists, sponsored and organized the event that was opened to all Filipino Artists in Kuwait. Despite the recognitions, still, Alvin has unrelentingly sought for himself out a haven to convey his concepts: for convenience, comfort and stability, altogether, though employed consistently in between periods. So, his search for better opportunities never ceased; not unless his signature was finally marked and recognized, on whatever creations he wished to craft. Until 2003 came. He found temporary refuge and positioned himself at UNIEXPO – a subsidiary of Al Kharafi Group of Companies. Temporary, huh? He’s still there, you know? Imagine that; he’s staying at this firm for 11 years now. Are you surprise or just contented that Alvin has finally found his ideal sanctuary? But hey, think again! Alvin has repositioned himself capturing various objects and interesting sceneries with artistic potentials in Kuwait, via his camera, since November 2012. And from the still images he has exposed and posted so far, his excellence in this field is every bit, at par - if not above, those of the works of professional lensmen. His attention to photography now is understandably jibed with his love for Art, but will other form of craftsmanship be far behind? Sculpture, maybe; or fashionable apparels, perhaps? Let’s see.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:49:48 +0000
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