Jose V. Blanco

Jose V. Blanco is a National Artist Nominee renowned for his exuberant paintings that captures what it is to be a Filipino.

Humble Beginnings

Born on March 19, 1932 in Angono, Rizal his father was that of a humble fisherman and mother, a friendly sari sari store owner. Jose V. Blanco nicknamed "Pitok Bunggan" from a young age showed an unusual excellence in drawing with crayons and painting with watercolor. His father, however, did not acknowledge this, and preferred that his son to help him in his livelihood of fishing.

College of Fine Arts

Jose "Pitok" Blanco, now with the support of both his parents, had his studies in the University of Santo Tomas to pursue his passion in art. Blanco's Family however, lacked the finance to support an artistic career, so Pitok frequently went fishing with his father at night just to earn his bus fare and necessities for the following day.

Graduated in 1955 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Advertising at UST and awarded First prize Graduation Thesis, Jose V. Blanco fresh with his degree, for three years went through uncertain employment.

Creative Prerequisite

In 1969, Jose V. Blanco from art director then supervisor, would be further promoted at the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson and then realized that in order to devote more time to his own art must move forward, but with a sacrifice of resigning from his advertising job.

In 1971, Blanco had his first one-man show at the Manila Hilton Art Gallery, and with the initial success of the exhibit had him brave to leave his job in the advertising agency, to leave stability and venture an uncertain future. Then the two following years had two one-man shows in succession at the Galerie Blue.

The following years then paved way for the success: various awards, notably the "Sanggunian Bayan", travel opportunities abroad and a family of "tour de force" in art.

reference

• Alice Guillermo (1987). Blanco. M.R. Jimenez and F.Y Liao, 1987.