Artist Kristine Soguilon enters her 40s with ‘Velvet & Vines’ art-and-wine exhibit
Artist Kristine Soguilon celebrated her 40th birthday with a unique and meaningful event — the “Velvet & Vines” art and wine exhibit at Shangri-La Plaza, in collaboration with Wine Story. Instead of a traditional grand celebration, Kristine opted for an intimate gathering with her loved ones and her artwork, viewing this milestone as an opportunity for reflection and creative expression. This was made possible by a collaboration with Ayala Land Premier’s Premier Property Specialist Christian Obedoza and URL President and CEO Kevin Matthew Udasco.
Kristine with URL President & CEO Kevin Matthew Udasco and Ayala Land Premier’s Premier Property Specialist Christian Obedoza.
Kristine shared the inspiration behind the project, saying, “I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday in a grand way this year. I opted for a more personal celebration with my nearest, dearest, and my artwork.” She explained that the idea for this collaboration emerged naturally. “It was my, actually his idea, Christian’s idea. I’m celebrating my 40th birthday now and prior to that, like a month ago, we were talking about something that we could work on because I don’t want to celebrate my birthday grandly. So Christian told me, baka hindi tayo mag-collaborate. Like I know this place called Wine Story and they have really good and perfect wines. And maybe you can do something because before you had this exhibit, you had a collaboration with Jonathan Manalo. So it’s art and music. So now something that will collaborate, collaboration between art and something that you can taste,” Kristine recounted.
The idea of merging art and wine was a perfect fit at exactly the right time. She noted, “I’m very happy that we’re doing this now.” Her creative process, despite a tight timeline, was fueled by inspiration. “Like what he said, I only had two months to prepare for everything. Yes, by God’s grace, I was really inspired because I found out through Christian and Kevin the different kinds of wines. I’m not really well-versed with wines, but it’s there. I believe winemaking and the history of wine is art in itself. And it’s not something that is alien to me. When I made it, everything just flowed, everything was just so spontaneous,” she said.
Kristine’s work for the exhibit features 15 pieces inspired by wines from countries such as Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain. Her art is distinguished by vibrant wine hues that she incorporated into her signature weave and leaf combinations. She explained her technique: “For my paintings, I always have, of course, the canvas underneath. And then I have a layer of shimmer stone and different kinds of plaster, especially Venetian plaster. And then I also dye them with metallic pigments. And then for the leaves, walang totoong leaves d’yan. These were all casted from real leaves. I used plaster again, and then I colored them with metallic pigments. And for some, for the leaves depending on what I want to do, I used resin and cobalt. And this one, yung mga gong na nakita niyo, was created by our craftsmen sa aming tribe called the B’laan tribe. Because I want to highlight din yung pagiging indigenous ko,” Kristine explained her artistic process and her commitment to cultural roots.
Although she isn’t a wine drinker and admits to not being well-versed in wine, Kristine sees winemaking as “an art in itself.” She shared, “I believe winemaking and the history of wine is an art in itself, and it’s not something that is alien to me. So when I made it, everything just flowed, everything was just so spontaneous.” During her creative journey, she experienced a wine flight, which helped her appreciate the depth of wine as an art form. “Of course, I’ve had wine from different bars and restaurants before, but this is the only place where I really got to know the history, the culture, and the different tastes of wine, and it’s really a journey. It’s not something you just drink; it’s something you experience,” she said.
Reflecting on her milestone birthday, Kristine acknowledged the challenges of the past months. “I just concluded two other exhibits: ‘Shadows of the Skyline,’ last September 26 at Lobby 385, and ‘this is BETHEL,’ a fundraising mental health awareness month solo exhibit, last October 7-11 at The Groove. Bluntly, she said the past months were tiring and challenging for her, so she couldn’t bring herself to mark her 40th birthday grandly. Despite that, she viewed “Velvet & Vines” as “like a delightful palate cleanser,” emphasizing, “It’s another milestone. It’s another journey for me, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
The exhibit was made possible through the support of Christian Obedoza and Kevin Matthew Udasco. Christian noted, “We love her work. We love her passion when it comes to artistry and building a community,” adding that their previous collaboration with Kristine influenced their decision to pursue this new concept. Kevin Udasco expressed his enthusiasm: “It’s a group effort, but I’m happy everyone’s here, and I think the turnout is pretty great, and it’s a great way for her to celebrate her 40th.”
In terms of her reflections on the milestone, Kristine said, “For my paintings, I always have, of course, the canvas underneath. And then I have a layer of shimmer stone and different kinds of plaster, especially Venetian plaster. And then I also dye them with metallic pigments. And then for the leaves, walang totoong leaves d’yan. These were all casted from real leaves. I used plaster again, and then I colored them with metallic pigments. And for some, for the leaves depending on what I want to do, I used resin and cobalt. And this one, yung mga gong na nakita niyo, was created by our craftsmen sa aming tribe called the B’laan tribe. Because I want to highlight din yung pagiging indigenous ko,” Kristine explained her work to us, emphasizing her focus on cultural heritage and craftsmanship.
Her artistic interpretation of wine is an immersive experience. “I believe winemaking and the history of wine is an art in itself, and it’s not something that is alien to me. So when I made it, everything just flowed, everything was just so spontaneous,” she added. Her journey exploring wine led her to realize her preferences, saying, “Of course, I’ve had wine from different bars and restaurants before, but this is the only place where I really got to know the history, the culture, and the different tastes of wine, and it’s really a journey. It’s not something you just drink. It’s something you experience.”
Despite the challenges, Kristine maintained a positive outlook on her celebration: “I really wanted to celebrate, but we were supposed to have this bigger celebration, but I opted to do this because, you know, I’m kind of tired. And I had a lot of challenges from last year, and as you speak, I’m sure you guys know that it’s another milestone, it’s another journey for me, and yeah, I couldn’t be more thankful.” Her message is one of gratitude and resilience as she steps into her new decade, embracing her journey and the experiences that have shaped her.
Kristine’s “Velvet & Vines” exhibit not only showcases her artistic talents but also reflects her personal growth, cultural pride, and newfound appreciation for the arts of wine and life. It is a symbol of life’s progress for the artist and a reminder that she is beautifully aging like fine wine.
