In a simple story-telling with a teacher while eating lunch at Ifugao during the art workshop which I was one of the facilitator in Oct 2014. Our meal was tilapia and vegetable. She said that in the fish there is a fish-shaped figure in its fish bone. So i was just like amazed if there was really fish-shaped in its bones? Then I found out that there is! Somewhere part of the head. With a curious imagination I started to wander if I could turn fish bones into art. Through experimentation I started to do it by preserving fish bones from left over in our dish. I really had hard time at first exploring how to preserve it. Then I thought of washing it first then letting in clean by ants. Yeah! It was effective but some times cats ran them away even I put a screen. So sad!
Taking it to the next level, it was really tiring collecting from our dish and it will really take a long time. So I requested my father to help me collect, thankfully he was been supportive from the time he heard that I am making fishbone art, he collected from those fish vendors who sell boneless in Dagupan and just handed them with "pang meryenda" as a payment. I am really thankful to my father that he did it for me (my heart is crying with happiness never expected he will do it, wala na problema sa suplay ng tinik. p.s. I love you Papa)
It was never an easy process. Thanks to a friend, Kevin, for the tips on how to preserve fish bones; washing, boiling, bleaching to make it whiter and drying. It really requires kilometers or miles of patience in creating every single piece. After preserving and when ready to create an art, it will be placed on canvas or plywood slowly according to design or sometimes in random position piece by piece. It is never easy but my goodness I love it and loving it more.
I am making fish bone art 2 years now but my interest for art started in 2000 when I'm in Grade 1 like drawing and coloring. Even if "kasing tinik ang hirap ng pinili kong landas" I stand for my art. I want to travel the road less travelled by. I am happy that with the past two years, I have collected works and this for me is fulfilling - to create.
I, Lady Fishbone, will always be and forever will be FISHBONE ARTIST.
