Jose C. Yap Jr. but better known as “Kimsoy” was born on March 7,
1944 in Bindoy,
Negros Occidental, Philippines. He graduated from Cebu
Institute of Technology
with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Architecture, he
then later studied painting
at the National Academy of Design School of Fine Arts in
New York. As of the moment
he teaches at the University of San Carlos and Cebu
Academy of Arts. When I was
about 13 I vaguely remember Kimsoy being one of my
mentors since the Cebu
Academy of Arts I have a different teacher most of time or every
session I
have. When he critiques my work he usually stares at my
painting for 5 minutes
then goes around it and looks at it again until he gives
you the pros and cons of
your work. But I honestly thank him for the support and
help he gave me for the past
years I had him as
a mentor, teacher and friend. Kimsoy shows a hint of western
influence, yet the Filipino roots are always shown in his
art pieces. The striking thing
about his work is the conscious use of line, color and
texture. As an painter, you have to
at least try having the one man show. From what I heard
it isn’t easy at all, mainly it’s
hard being on your own, secondly you have to look for
sponsors to cover up most of
the expenses, thirdly you have look for a place to set up
all your work and lastly, you
need the people to get the word out that you have a
little show coming up. Yet for
Kimsoy was able to go through all of that and succeeded
all the way. Being one
of his students was an honor, he would tell me to never
give up on what I want.
He taught that when using colors, don’t be afraid to mix
the dark and light with
bold and bright. Us artists have a massive mind of
imagination, some of us end
up in a mental institute.
For example Vincent Van Gogh but it didn’t stop him from
making such beautiful masterpieces which costs thousands
at the moment. Most
people don’t really understand us sometimes. They call us
weird or just plain
crazy, but little do they know that in our paintings, we
all have a story to tell.
Through the years, Kimsoy gained a number of prestigious
awards, such as
The James Suydam Bronze Medal in 1974, The Louis La
Beaume Prize in 1976 and the
Mary Hinman Carter Prize in 1978 to name a few. He has
also been part of the
American Watercolor Society of New York where he joined a
group exhibition.
Kimsoy always had that ragged down look every time I saw
him during some of
my classes, I would hear of the younger children’s
parents whisper to one another
on why he doesn’t clean up or something. We are artists
we usually don’t care how
we look most of the time. Expression is very evident in
most of us. We either have
tattoos and super long hair. Crazy hair color, or some
with the long bushy beard. But
who are they to judge us. We were all taught to never
judge a book by it’s cover and
to give everyone a chance. Sometimes hearing these people
gossip on how a person
looks or dresses the way they don’t want them too. “Don’t
be afraid to express yourself”
Kimsoy would say. I held on to that saying in my mind
ever since. In most of Kimsoy’s
paintings, he loves to show mostly dramatic sides of his
mind. He would like the viewers
to really see more than just the painting. He wants them
to look at it like as if it were a
motion picture on canvas or wood. It shows that he wants
the viewers to really
understand the painting and not just criticize it with
the right words of critique.
His dramatic use of line, space and color makes his works
look very beautiful.
The use of light and dark and the mixture and texture
hold the painting together
and just makes you want to look at it for ages and ages.
It just makes you want to
know what goes through his mind while painting his
artworks. On how whether it
was just imagination, or based on experience. I am sure
most of his artworks were
from what he saw or from what he felt. Some artists don’t
really base their works on
imagination, yet from what they saw or encountered in the
past or the present. They
say when you paint from a memory it usually turns out
great, since it’s something you
remember deeply. It’s something that either hurt you so
or something you loved and
treasured. With what I have noticed, Kimsoy does more on
portraits and living things
rather than landscapes and sceneries. In most of Kimsoy’s
paintings of portraits the
models usually have a serious face on but yet have a very
striking look. He is hailed as
a multi-awarded painter, he has actually done one man
shows in New York and
Germany. For him, his greatest accomplishment was having
the opportunity to be
able to go abroad. He was able to discover and learn more
about painting and himself.
He also stated that “ Most people look up to cebuanos
because of their hardwork and
determination”. Whenever I hear this, it just makes me
want to work hard even more
and show that even Filipinos can be at the same level as
the other countries. I guess
since us Filipinos
are very industrious workers, we easily succeed and get recognized
in our respected fields. We tend to keep trying and
trying and not to give up that easily
which is a good thing even of some people on the way tell
you that you can’t do it. Life
is always going to be challenging but God puts us through
this because he knows we
can get by it. Kimsoy loves to read art books, science
fiction and horror novels, but over
all painting is his number one passion. He sees himself
doing painting for the rest of his
life. KImsoy really helps his students sharpen and shape
their talents to help make their
works look beautiful and presentable but definitely not sloppy
and mediocre. Painting is
something you have to learn for years with all your heart.
You will have to learn it all
the way back to the stone ages and really study the
history of how art really came to be.
Kimsoy truly has mastered the art of watercolour, and let
me tell you it isn’t that easy.
Especially when the color runs down on to the drawing
while your table is slanted. Yet
who am I to complain, he has been studying this art for
twenty long years and he
teaches me very well. So I am hoping that I really do
make him a proud mentor and
teacher. He has contributed a lot to the art community of
Cebu. When he corrects my
drawing I am still intrigued by him taking several looks
at the subject he is able to draw
the curves and lines in the same manner as the model. He
would always tell me to
never be stubborn and just keep drawing even though you
feel like giving up, don’t stop.
Unlike most people who have known him for years, I still
don’t consider myself yet part
Of the inner circle of Cebu artists. I do not know him
best, or know him long enough I
Just know him. What I know is that he is a man of very
few words but of many
Laughters. He hears and listens as much as he understands
and accepts. He speaks
As he sees it and understands as he lives through
everyday. I honestly have a lot of
Appreciation for this man. He is the number one artist I
look up to when it comes to
Painting. He is the person I aspire to become in the
future. At the moment, I am working
On my final plates for Visual Arts, it wasn’t easy
thinking on what to put on the canvas
On how I could inspire the viewers and let a lot of
questions just flow through their
Minds by just looking at it. At the academy in New York,
he opted to walk the hills of
the campus then taking the shuttle, he wanted to admire
the beauty around him.
Sadly by 2010, Sir Kimsoy suffered a stroke but with
sheer will power enabled him
To do what he loved to do. With the his left hand helping
his right hand when needed.
Even if he has limited use of his painting hand he still
has done very wonderful artworks.
He prefers using watercolour because it is lighter on his
hand he still paints using acrylic
And pastel. With our economy crisis at the moment, people
don’t really prioritize his art
Since it would be better to put food on the table everyday
rather than buy a painting
Which costs thousands of pesos. Local artists see that
more of their works gets
Recognized in places in Asia like in Singapore. Which is
a pity since it feels like
We have lost part
of our cultural heritage to other places. Though he has sold
Some artsworks back in New York, he knew it wouldn’t be
enough to live on. Art
In New York is very known to be a place of thirsty
artists and it is very competitive.
He was afraid that the US immigration would catch up with
him so he decided to
Go home. Back in 1992, when he came back to Cebu he would
only be rarely be
Painting nudes, the culture of the place isn’t really
conductive to that art form. Instead
He painted seascapes and landscapes, all usually in watercolour.
He likes to capture
The atmosphere , the mood of nature may it be sunny,
rainy or stormy. He paints
Portraits and nudes too, but only rarely , when he is
commissioned to do so.
My grandfather gave me a one painting done Kimsoy when I
was about 7 yrs. Old
I didn’t understand what it was, but I looked closely and
it showed a young girl on
A farm, behind a wired fence with a face that showed a
slight smile. Her hair was short
And a color of brownish black. Her skin was a brownish
color and the left side is a tiny
Hill with a gray colored farm house. I kept that painting
in my room hanging on the wall
For as long as I could remember. You see, my grandfather
is an art collector and just
Loves Kimsoy’s work. He would tell me that if I worked
hard enough I would surely end
Up like KImsoy and all other great local artists. He
still kept the suckish drawings I did
When I was about 3. Whenever he’d show me I’d slightly
laugh and tell him what was
Up with my hand back then. As I see it it was an abstract
work of a 3 yr.old girl
With dreams of becoming known one day. My family has been
very supportive
With my choice on becoming a visual artist just like
Kimsoy. They would tell me
That in any choice I would make in my ,life they would be
behind me a hundred and
One percent. I was relieved that they didn’t push me to
do medicine or business
Since that is where they succeeded in. My siblings are
either in medicine, business
Management, or psychology but me I choose to be different.
A good different, I was
The artistic child and I am proud to call myself a Fine
Arts Student. Fine arts is a lot
Of work and no sleep. It isn’t just drawing and painting,
it’s really understanding
What you are really trying to show. All in all, Jose C.
“Kimsoy” Yap Jr. has truly
Inspired me to keep going and to never give up.
Here are some of his works
