A novel concept, painting on leaves has become Ernie David’s passion since the day he found the kind of leaves that would make good canvases.
Before falling in love with leaf painting, Ernie had been into acrylics and watercolors.
He says as early as seven years old, the fourth child in a brood of six began doodling on paper and he found this satisfying.
“I started with just drawing whatever comes to mind. I enjoyed every minute of it,” he says.
As he was growing up, Ernie says he improved with constant practice. “I believed early on that practice makes perfect.”
A native of San Fernando, Pampanga, Ernie says he improved under the tutelage of his brother-in-law Pablo Mendoza.
From monochromatic paintings, Ernie says he graduated to doing color paintings either in acrylic or watercolor.
Then a owning a shop soon became a reality for Ernie. He tells Variety that he put up a shop in the area near the Clark Air Base in Angeles City.
His store sold artwork featuring sea vessels and aircraft which he said were the salable items among military personnel and their families.
In 1989, as his fellow artists would egg on each other to create something new and unique, Ernie says they found it interesting to try using leaves as canvases.
At first, they tried the leaves of the jackfruit tree, then wide leaves of various plants, then they settled with China orchids or locally known in the Philippines as “kulibangbang” or sakura leaves.
The leaves they collect they dip in a solution. It takes about a month, he says, before these leaves can be used.
Soon, his leaf painting began attracting customers. Just as he was reaping the fruits of his labor, Mt. Pinatubo stalled the success that would have been within Ernie’s reach.
The military bases were forced to shut down, towns and cities were swept by lahar, and businesses were laid to waste including Ernie’s shop.
What stood for more than a decade as a reminder of his efforts in furthering his craft had become a memory for Ernie.
But it didn’t dissuade him from continuing to do his passion—painting on leaves.
Close to six years ago, encouraged by his friend Elizabeth Bast to try his luck on Saipan, Ernie says he followed her advice and he has been here ever since.
Here he continued his passion and would draw inspiration from the landscape and seascape as well as the wildlife on island.
He says, “I would be able to finish an artwork in three hours if I were in the mood to do it.”
On Saipan he found his muse as well as the leaves that offer him the opportunity to channel his artistic expressions.
He says he would gather sakura leaves when opportunity beckons. He says, “This is seasonal. You can’t get sakura leaves all the time.”
When he does get the opportunity, he would collect as many leaves as he can and dip them in a solution.
On the average he gathers about 100 leaves.
“Some leaves I collected in 2008 I still get to use these days,” he says.
At the Street Market every Thursday, Ernie displays his opuses that feature Managaha, rare birds, hibiscus and plumeria flowers.
Asked how much each framed artwork would sell, he says each framed work of art fetches $50.
He also says he also does commissioned work.
There was one time, he says, when he was asked to do “The Last Supper”.
“It took me a month to finish it,” says Ernie.
That piece of art, he recalls, sold for $900.
Ernie admits that he can’t rely on his art to put food on the table. He too has a daytime job.
He does carpentry work.
But it is only through painting that he says he finds joy.
The moment he finds himself satisfied, he says, he would look forward to making sure that his customers are equally satisfied.
“Priceless,” he says is the look on the face of a customer enjoying with his or her purchase of Ernie’s work of art.
For the budding artists who would like to follow his footsteps, Ernie says, no matter the obstacles, they should continue on honing their craft.
“Keep doing what you are doing. Enjoy every minute of it. Never give up,” he advises.
For Ernie, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. For all the hardships that you may encounter as you pursue this, you’ll find it’s more satisfying, Ernie shares.
“Although I admit that it’s hard to sell these pieces, I must say that nothing compensates for the joy my art brings me,” he says.
“It’s heaven!” Ernie adds whenever he sees the faces of his customers who find delight in his works of art.
Someday, Ernie dreams of having his one-man exhibit as well as putting up his own art shop where he can share with the people his love for painting.
Every piece of leaf art he sells truly showcases his creativity and how he puts his heart into every undertaking.
Such talent is rare.
It takes more than just inherent talent to finish a leaf painting; it requires patience and enormous amount of passion to make each leaf a work of art.
[Interested parties can contact Ernie David at 235-5474 or 788-4703.]
