Ponce’s gardens of painterly delights
Most people know Ponce Veridiano as a landscapist who designs and maintains the gardens in the houses of some of the most prestigious families in Metro Manila: the Zobels, the Floirendos, and the Locsins, to name a few. But during nocturnal hours, when only (according to Ponce himself) the kapres and tikbalangs are awake, the artist is feverishly painting his geishas, nudes and abstracts in his palatial studio in Nagcarlan, Laguna. The muses keep him awake with palette knife in hand, with colors blooming delicately.
“Ginigising nila ako in the middle of the night. ‘O, magpinta ka na.’ My friends say, ‘Ikaw ba talaga nag-paint nyan?”
Transitioning into Ponce the Artist is a story of unconventionality. The man was educated as an electrical engineer and was encouraged by garden-enthusiast work colleagues into giving the horticultural field a go. The self-proclaimed “probinsyanong taga-bukid” started off by selling equipment and fertilizer. Take note of how Ponce’s first participation in a gardening show was an utter disaster. He vowed to do better. Joining the Horticultural Society as well as the Philippine Orchid Show and Fern Society Show was a turning point. No looking back for the self-taught landscapist.
How did he establish himself as the go-to gardening and flower-arranging guy for 38 years with milestone projects in Greenbelt, Kawayan Cove, and the Pearl Farm?
“I listen to my clients kasi mas well-traveled sila and more experienced. (In this field) you need to be flexible, otherwise you get stuck. For example, you have someone like Lizzie Zobel. Kailangan sabayan mo’yung gusto niya or higit pa ’yung maibigay mo.”
Precision is key. ‘Even in landscaping, there is no room for error.’ But at the same time, there’s spontaneity in the art of Ponce Veridiano.
In a past interview with The STAR, Ponce admits to trusting his instincts when it comes to doing his work. “I go to the site, close my eyes and envision what the garden will look like.” Images of “meticulous simplicity” and Zen-like precision promptly ensue. He considers himself a soloist when it comes to landscaping. “I’m the one who does the trimming, pruning and shaping (of the plants). I’m very hands-on. It’s (a source) of personal enjoyment.”
But still, the seeds of another form of creativity had begun sprouting. Finding landscaping as an outlet for creative freedom and the potential of discovery, Ponce was determined to pursue his passion for painting with the same bent. He initiated the first strokes during the pandemic. “Very prolific” is how Suzanne Araneta-Ledesma describes Ponce. Plus, the “by-the-book” approach was just ripe for the man to chop down.
How has gardening work informed Ponce’s approach to the canvas?
“It’s all about the choice of colors as well as the balancing. Look at this (pointing to a diptych titled “Nocturnal,” which was inspired by the river near his place). Laging may balance dapat. Man, heaven and earth, a little Japanese.”
Precision is key for Ponce. “Even in landscaping, there is no room for error.” But at the same time there’s a place for spontaneity in his art. “At the start, mayroon akong image for a painting in my mind, pero sa ending iba ang lalabas.” Creativity’s joyful-glorious mysteries take over. He stresses, “Nadadala ka na.”
It’s providential for Ponce to begin painting now, after establishing a long and fruitful career as a landscapist. “Kung nag-start ako when I was younger when I was struggling, at hindi makabili ng pintura… baka di ako tumuloy.” That’s why he intends to jumpstart the art careers of the deserving ones.
“I want to help the artists in the barrios,” shares Ponce. He set up a gallery-studio in his hometown, inviting young art aspirants for painting sessions. He provides them with art materials as well as food and transportation, even bringing them to exhibits in Manila to immerse them in the art scene. Being present for underprivileged artists is his advocacy.
The patron, in this case, is firstly an artist. Ponce is poised to present his first one-man exhibit, which opens on Feb. 20, Tuesday, 6 p.m., at the W/17 furniture store on Chino Roces Ave.
W/17, founded by Andres Vázquez-Prada and Kaye Tinga, was birthed from an ordinary warehouse and transformed into a space brimming with tasteful and unique artisanal offerings—from bespoke furniture to gorgeous antiques to unique works of art.
“Because art is visceral, it will be a complete show, as the works will be set against the landscape that Ponce is best known for,” explains Kaye.
So far, W/17 has only featured a handful of artists in the store since the founders believe that each artist they showcase should reflect the ethos of the space.
Kaye says, “Jana Benitez, Tata Montilla, and Patrick Coard are just a few of those we have worked with. And now we have Ponce Veridiano, whose work as a landscape artist we have admired for many years. He is now venturing into new territories showing us another facet of his creativity, this time as a painter. And anyone who has ever seen one of his projects as a landscape artist, will see his creative genius and vision —distinct, powerful, and unforgettable. These same elements can be seen in his paintings. And because of his long experience working in nature, this is reflected in his work.”
The lady has impeccable taste. She fell in love with art on her trip to the Vatican as a high school student. Her eureka moment was seeing the Sistine Chapel. Yes, a human being DIY’ed an entire biblical saga—God, man, the angels and the damned in a frozen celestial dance. Kaye amplifies, “It was only then I realized how art can move a person, and there was no turning back since then.”
The same for Ponce, who spent the past three years creating paintings without any theme set in stone but were born out of an intense drive to paint—even in the wee, small hours. A spirit bigger than himself has taken hold.
“One observer told me, ‘Ang bilis ng iyong transition. Baka ikaw ay maubusan.’ I told him, ‘No. Ang dami pang naka-reserve.’”
What grows in Ponce’s painterly garden is boundless, constantly stretches out, always in transformation. And where nature ends, to paraphrase Marc Chagall, is where great art germinates.
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Ponce’s exhibit is on view for a month at W/17, Warehouse 17, La Fuerza Compound, 2241 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City.