Honorably Mentioned!

It's been some time since I featured something here, but this one surely tops all the backlogged blogs I have yet to write (new logos and Body Pump!). I was so excited when I opened this letter and my friends from work were there to witness it, a fine way of ending a day of an exhaustive all-day presentation in an Aquatherapy seminar. Here is what I received last night:

April 24, 2009

CHRISTIAN OLIVER ANG CRUZ

Artist

Dear Mr. Cruz,

We are happy to inform you that you won Honorable Mention at the 2009 PBBY-Alcala Prize.

The awarding ceremonies shall be on July 21, 2009. We shall be contacting you about the said ceremonies details a few weeks before.

Our heartfelt congratulations!

Sincerely,

ANI ROSA ALMARIO

Secretary-General

I've been working on sketches before based on the PBBY-Salenga Prize winning piece "Ang Higante Sa Loob Ng Aming Bahay" by Raymund Garlitos, and I featured some of it here. I actually worked on the final artwork based on these sketches and submitted them as entries to the 2009 PBBY-Alcala Prize. Here is a description of the prize (from the PBBY website):

Larry Alcala (Lauro Z. Alcala), after whom the PBBY Illustrators' Prize is named, was one of the founding members of this organization. More than this, however, he shone joy and and rained laughter into the hearts of millions of Filipinos with his comic strips and illustrations. The fact that he chose the popular medium of newspapers and Filipino komiks means that he reached adults and children alike, many of whom could not afford more expensive forms of entertainment. The characters he created capture the whole spectrum of the Filipino's smile: from the bandana-wearing Mang Ambo to the intrepid Siopawman, from the profligate Asiong Aksaya to the hilarious duo of Kalabog en Bosyo, he sustained our souls even during the darkest moments of recent history. His single-page Slice of Life which included his own profile hidden--and at home--among the daily doings of his countrymen had most of the nation spending a few minutes of their busy lives searching for the likeness of the man who made them laugh.

Besides these accomplishments, Larry also broke new ground as a teacher of young artists. He introduced the first college degree course on Commercial Design in 1953 and the first 8mm film production of animated cartoons for the Dept of Visual Communications in UP Diliman in 1972. His awards are many but his gifts to us are more and so we remember him every year the competition for the Illustrators' Prize is held. Let all who compete and all who win remember not only his talent but his service to our souls.

First time I joined such a contest so this news really came in as a huge surprise. I won't get the chance to illustrate the book (that privilege goes to the sole Grand Winner), but I'm definitely ecstatic enough to get an Honorable Mention! Thank you Lord for another answered prayer!

I didn't get to scan properly my entries (they were huge!) but here are a few snapshots: