‘Fleeting Moments’ is Julia Lopue’s 1st solo exhibition, an unveiling of a lifelong passion. The collection is composed of 64 works spanning five decades of prolific artistic engagement in a variety of mediums to include watercolor, coffee painting, pen and ink, pastel, and mixed media in sizes spanning 17×25 cm to 35×47 cm.
It covers a lifetime of impressions that is representative of meaningful markers in the journey of a woman who has chosen to document the unfolding of life through images of captured moments.
A visual feast of portraits, flowers and birds, still life, seascapes and landscapes, as well a selection of abstract works speak of a deep appreciation for all the God-given beauty around us that constantly provide inspiration.
Amai, as she is warmly known to family and friends, has found an affinity with the brush early in life. By degree, she is a Management graduate of La Salle College-Bacolod which makes her primarily self-taught in terms of the arts. She, however, found welcome instructions in workshops like the one given by National Artist Jose T. Joya in one of his early visits to Bacolod, as well as with an art community in Manila, the recent workshops given by Dennis Valenciano with the AAB family and Eileen Bondoc Escueta, her present virtual art teacher.
Her love affair with the brush has taken the ebb and flow of a woman’s life… a stint with oil while in school, a pause for marriage and motherhood, a reunion with the pen for portraits of children, a pause for another pregnancy, intermittent capturing of inspiration from nature, preoccupation with grandchildren and real life, and then a passionate return to art right before the pandemic.
Julia Lopue (center) with guests of honor Charlie Co and Ria Montelibano 
Dennis and Irene Coo with Julia and Ben Lopue 
Coffee on paper ‘Love Nest’ and ‘St. Joseph the Worker’ 
Watercolor on paper ‘Coconut Bonsai’ 
Watercolor on paper ‘Reflection’ 
Pen & ink and watercolor on paper ‘Cruising the India Waters’ 
Mixed media ‘Lotus Collage 2’ 
Watercolor on baohong paper ‘3 Boats’
The organic, natural techniques of Julia’s works have been readily noticed by both mentors and art experts. She was recently named as one of the six coveted nominees in the 1st Singapore IWS International Watercolour Exhibition 2021 with her still life in watercolor ‘Herbal Tea Break.’ She was also invited to submit her entry ‘Butter Scallops’ to IWS Pennsylvania USA’s first International Juried Exhibition with the theme ‘Arts in the Time of Covid.’ She presently keeps her membership with the Philippine Guild of Watercolorists (PGW) Bacolod chapter and participates in both local and international exhibitions.
Julia’s art has always had the element of faith and gifting. Initially, it was labor of love done as gifts to loved ones in its earliest forms as bookmarks and stampita, then to portraits for the family, even as support for PWDs through a painting donation to Sunshine Farm Philippines, among others. In search of comfort from this extended pandemic, she was drawn to prayer and reflection.
In a recent 33-day online retreat as devotion to St. Joseph, she painted His image carrying the child Jesus. In true form, she has pledged to offer the proceeds of this first exhibition to the cause of assisting young aspiring artists. She wishes to share what she sees and encourage young artists to find solace and direction in art.
‘Fleeting Moments’ opens on May 13 in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at AAB Gallery + Café and will be open to the public both physically and virtually until June 13.*