ARTISAN AND GUILDS

OBJECTIVES OUTCOMES
• Recognize the artisan and • Recognized the artisan and
guilds; guilds;
• Identify the importance of • Identified importance of artists
artists guilds; and guilds; and
• Make an art of which reflects • Made an art of which reflects
the nature using watercolor. the nature using watercolor.

Art Appreciation • ABONG | 37

 INTRODUCTION
Have you ever wondered why some examples of artistic and creative production have
survived to this day? In this Lesson, it discusses how the artists survived their artworks
towards history and civilization throughout centuries. Museum is one of the examples
of hub that represents the numerous artifacts and interesting objects from the past.
Also presented some established artists guilds in the Philippines.

DISCUSSION

Artisan and Guilds

A guild is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of

their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guilds formed as
confraternities of tradesmen, normally operating in a single city and covering a single
trade. They were organized in a manner something between a professional association,
a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society. They sometimes depended on grants of
letters patent from a monarch or other ruler to enforce the flow of trade to their self-
employed members, and to retain ownership of tools and the supply of materials, but
were generally regulated by the city government. A lasting legacy of traditional guilds
are the guildhalls constructed and used as guild meeting-places. Guild members found
guilty of cheating on the public would be fined or banned from the guild (“Guild”, n.d.).

Consider the Gothic cathedrals and other megastructures that were built all over
Europe during the Middle Ages. Craftsmen and builders in the past did not have
sophisticated technologies and principles that architects and engineers abide by today.
Yet, they fulfilled overlapping roles such as the draftsman, architect, engineer and even
as the builder. What they had was a
sense on how materials behaved,
how the environment, light, and
weather patterns affected structures,
and other more intuitive principles of
creation Experimentation and luck
must not also be forgotten. Gothic
cathedrals along with other structures
inspired by its architectural tenets
have survived through time, not only
by their sheer durability. but more so
through the articulation of the
processes that they followed.
PWD Artworks Exhibit at SM Marikina's Art for Everyone
2018

38 | ABONG • Art Appreciation

 What is meant here is a kind of formalization of craft education in which
regulation was set in place. Here, skills qualification was needed for an apprentice to
register under a particular craft guild. These guilds were prevalent during the Middle
Ages particularly during the thirteenth to fifteenth century, where towns had formalized
groups of artisans or craftsmen who took on a particular specialization or trade:
shoemakers, textile and glass workers, carpenters, carvers, masons, armorers, and
weapon-makers, among others. Here, the practice of artists was not grounded on the
idea of individual capacities or success; rather, in the commitment to work together as
a collective. Guilds were a type of social fellowship, an association structured with rules,
customs, rights, and responsibilities. With a lifetime commitment to a particular trade,
an artisan develops immense skill and expertise in his craft.

Groups or guilds provide a setting to

exchange information and socialize. They
can also sponsor workshops, organize group
activities, or operate group facilities as well
as studios, and galleries (O’Dell, 2014).

There are at least 66 recognized

Artists in the Philippines awarded in different
category, most popular of them was
Fernando Amorsolo known for his Paintings
(Official Gazette, n.d.). Amorsolo was a
The official title "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art" portraitist and painter of rural Philippine
was bestowed on Amorsolo when the Manila
Hilton inaugurated its art center on January 23,
landscapes. He is popularly known for his
1969 with an exhibit of a selection of his works. craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light
(NCCA, 2008).

Established Artists Guilds in the Philippines

Today, most of the Filipino artists in different field established group to

recognized their works through participating in various gallery events, training-
workshops to aspiring artists, private sector awards and competition, and even
competing to national and international awards. Here is some list of the guilds known
in the Philippines:

The Guild. Renato Habulan established The Guild in the late ‘90s. The renowned social
realist envisioned a group with diverse artists from watercolorists to oil painters, and a
sculptor and a photographer. Habulan, or Mang Ato to members, instilled the passion
for art, never imposing his personal style.

Art Appreciation • ABONG | 39

Association of Pinoyprintmakers Inc. The Association of
Pinoyprintmakers (formerly known as Philippine Association of
Printmakers) was established in 1968 with the pioneering
efforts of Manuel Rodriguez Sr. along with avid practitioners of
printmaking in the country. In 2002, the association received the
Alab ng Haraya Lifetime Achievement Award for its significant
contribution to the visual arts in the country. To this day, the AP
is dedicated to its mission of bringing art to the people through
printmaking workshops.

Banta Artist Initiative is a loose artist collective founded to build a bridge between art
and society, with contemporary art serving humanitarian purposes. It is inspired by
Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to take
part freely in the cultural life of the community, [and] to enjoy the arts.” The collective
also works to address current political issues by means of showcasing socio-political
themed artworks in a traveling road show where we can reach the widest and most
diverse range of people.

Himbon. Inspired by the power of community in sparking

change, Himbon was established in September 2017. Its aim is
to establishing a collective of Ilonggo contemporary artists
connected through organized exhibitions, meaningful exchanges
and community projects.

AgawXena. Founded in 2008, AgawXena is the brainchild of a group of artists who

were bonded by friendship, passion and love for the arts, all hailing from the
Technological University of the Philippines. Artists from the Philippine Women’s
University, the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas later
joined. The diversified backgrounds solidified the group’s zeal to make an impact in the
art world.

Hilaga Sculptors Collective. Founded in 2018, Hilaga Sculptors is a collective of

sculptors based in Muntinlupa, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Batangas. The collective
was established in response to the need for sculptor representation in art shows and
festivals within Metro Manila. It bridges the gap between galleries and artists, as well
as pairs artists to projects suited for their specific practices.

Biskeg (which means “strong” in Pangasinan) asserts their presence in the art world
with works that depict, investigate, and put into question the social conditions that
shape individual and collective narratives. All figurative artists, Biskeg members
approach these concerns through a variety of styles and techniques, ranging from pop
surrealism to hyperrealism to Gothic realism.

40 | ABONG • Art Appreciation

AgosKulay is a group of watercolor
enthusiasts who banded together in
February 1992 to raise funds for the
Philippine High School for the Arts and to
popularize the most challenging art medium,
the watercolor. Artist members interpret
nature through vividly traditional and
modern styles watercolor. Despite the
distinction in their approaches, they are all
ordained to have one vision for their group—
give reverence to the different colors of
nature which give them perpetual
inspiration.

SUMMARY

A guild is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of

their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guilds formed as
confraternities of tradesmen, normally operating in a single city and covering a single
trade. What is meant here is a kind of formalization of craft education in which regulation
was set in place. Here, skills qualification was needed for an apprentice to register
under a particular craft guild. Some of the Filipino artists established guilds to
recognized their artworks through competing in various events and gallery display in
malls and other places in both national and international.

REFERENCES

Caslib, B.N., Garing, D.C., & Casaul, J.A.R. (2018). Art appreciation first edition. Rex
Book Store, Inc. Sampaloc, Manila. ISBN: 978-971-23-8669-5. pp. 37-53.
Guild. (2020, October 23). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild.
NCCA. (2008). Fernando Amorsolo. National Commission for Culture and the Arts
Archived. Retrieved from
https://web.archive.org/web/20080315060010/http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about_cult
arts/cultprofile/natarts/visual/amorsolo.php
O’Dell, V. (2014). Setting Up an Artist Guild. Creative Income. Retrieved from
https://www.creativeincomeblog.com/art-guild/

Art Appreciation • ABONG | 41

Official Gazette. (n.d.). List of National Artists of the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/lists/national-artists-of-the-philippines/
Valdez, E. (2019). All the artists and groups to watch out for at Estancia’s Ortigas Art
Festival 2019 [article]. PhilStar Global. Retrieved from
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/on-the-radar/2019/02/07/1891364/list-all-
artists-and-groups-watch-out-estancias-ortigas-art-festival-2019

--- End of Module 2 Lesson 1 ---

42 | ABONG • Art Appreciation

 ACTIVITY
Using the standard drawing paper template do the following:

Activity 3: WATERCOLOR

Introduction:
Watercolor or watercolour, also aquarelle, is a painting method in which the
paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers
to both the medium and the resulting artwork.

Objectives Outcomes
- Make a watercolor art of nature. - Made a watercolor art of nature.
- Explain the description of the Art. - Discussed the description,
details, and other information
about Art.

Samples of Watercolor Art:

44 | ABONG • Art Appreciation