Christmas Card?

Ages ago, when I was still a member of Ilustrador Ng Kabataan (an organization of illustrators for children) we were asked by Museo Pambata for design proposals for their annual christmas cards. I sent this one. The girl was a recurring character in my drawings back then. I "distressed" the original drawing by creasing the paper and dipping it in tea. Then I added gold dust when it dried. I was very fond of this piece. The museum sent it back though, saying it wasn't "Filipino" enough. I recall that the cards they did end up producing that year were every square inch crammed with jeepneys, parols and simbang gabi. Very festive and colorful. I guess they sold well.

We were asked to send designs to Hallmark as well and so off this went again. "It looks sad," they told me when they sent it back. Un-Filipino and unhappy. Hmm.

My girl with potted plant finally saw print when a friend decided she wanted to produce her own greeting cards one Christmas. I think I still have a couple of pieces left.

I suppose it has always bothered me that there is in general a rather narrow perception of what "Pinoy" ought to look. I don't know...I'm Filipino and I drew the picture. I don't think it looks decidedly un-Filipino, and if it does it definitely wasn't my intention. What would have made it look more Filipino? If there was a nipa hut and a coconut tree in the background? Come on. And while we're at it, I don't think it looks sad. A little moody maybe, but not sad. But then again maybe that's why I don't work for Hallmark.