This Home Buddies member and her child with Down syndrome have made artworks for Sharon Cuneta, Oyo Boy Sotto's homes
There’s no doubt that a mother will do anything for her child, and that’s exactly the case for Marjorie Narvaez Pascua towards her 20-year-old son Heri.
Heri has been diagnosed with Down syndrome, and despite all the trials that come with the condition, Marjorie strives to become his rock and support him in every way she can.
Eventually, they found a silver lining with their passion for the arts, and together, they started a business creating artwork as mother and son.
The solo parent of 20 years now had a heart-to-heart talk with PhilSTAR L!fe on how she manages to juggle being a mother by day and an online seller and painter by night, all while helping Heri share his talent with the brush with the world.
On her own
When Marjorie welcomed her bundle of joy into the world in August 2004, she and her family initially refused to accept that he had Down syndrome.
“At first, my mom was in denial, claiming that his features are maybe associated with having a lil’ Chinese blood kaya daw singkit, and ako naman, I saw baby pictures of Heri's father with so much resemblance,” she said.
“‘Til days and months go by, napansin na namin ang slow development niya. He can’t even lift his own head before. Heri started to walk slowly at the age of two,” she continued.
But it seems like all odds were stacked against them after Heri’s father left them and his grandmother passed away, leaving Marjorie all alone in the responsibility of parenthood.
Not only is she frequently faced with the stigma that comes from having a child with Down syndrome, such as judgmental stares from other people, but she is also working her fingers to the bone to scrape together enough money to afford Heri’s health maintenance, which costs almost P500 a day.
Enter her and her son’s unexpected talent with the paintbrush.
A special child with a special talent
As a means of livelihood, Marjorie took up painting and frequently shares her and Heri’s creations on various social media platforms, including the Facebook community group Home Buddies.
Their works, which encompass paintings, printed art, and even murals, clearly signify their strong bond with each other as they typically depict images of a parent and their child.
“I actually call myself an ‘accidental painter’ kasi nagstart lang akong magpinta (napilitan) after akong madukutan noong 2009 right after I received my 13th month fee and salary from my previous BPO work,” Marjorie said when asked how she and Heri got into making artworks.
While she has been drawing since elementary school, she never really tried her hand at painting until she was gifted a paint set and canvas.
“Still hindi ko pinapansin dahil sabi ko hindi ko kaya... ‘til that day na ni-piso wala nang natira and my only choice is to really try painting. I posted it on Facebook and within 24 hours, may bumili,” Marjorie recounted.
“And now, I think I painted almost 500 paintings na to sustain my Heri's special needs and health maintenance,” she said.
But it turns out that talent runs in the family, as her son also began to foster an interest in art when he reached 13 years old.
“It all started on New Year's Eve of 2018, it's as if a New Year's gift for me. Lagi lang akong may nakaabang na blank canvas at paint waiting for that moment na magsabi siyang ‘Mama, paint,’ though he has been doodling ever since naman na.”
As of now, Heri has already created almost 30 special pieces.
Starting a business
Having been unemployed since 2014, Marjorie decided to make the best out of her and Heri’s knack for painting and start a business selling them.
To say that it’s difficult being a full-time parent and an entrepreneur at the same time is an understatement.
“I am a mom during the day, then once mapatulog ko na si Heri, I will start painting ‘til the following morning then I'll just have at least two to four hours of sleep. Okay na ulit,” Marjorie said.
“Kapag walang order ng painting, I do live selling sa Shopee o posting anything to sell. ‘Yan ang naging bread and butter namin lalo na nung pandemic na ni isang painting walang order. Kahit na mahiyain ako ayun, nag-live selling sa Shopee!” she continued.
Their paintings have since garnered much attention not only from the public, but also from some famous faces in the entertainment industry.
“Naisip ko na mag-alok sa Instagram since lahat pwede mo mamessage. Lahat ng makita ko pati politicians talagang minessage ko po,” Marjorie explained.
The first one to inquire about their work was none other than Judy Ann Santos, who ordered a painting that would represent her family and her new show at the time, Starla.
“Knowing them as public figures, talagang suntok sa buwan if ma-open po nila messages ko sa dami ng fans nila. Talagang si Lord ang nag-orchestrate lahat,” Marjorie said
But the first celebrity that Marjorie and Heri personally met and delivered their paintings to were Oyo Boy Sotto and his family.
“Napakabait po at talagang welcome na welcome kami nina Heri. Sa mismong ancestral house papo nila kami pinatuloy at talagang nakipag-kwentuhan. Tuwang tuwa po siya kay Heri,” she said.
Even though Oyo was supposed to buy only one painting, they were generous enough to buy two more pieces. Because of this, Marjorie was able to afford a second-hand tricycle for their use.
For Heri’s works, his first customer was television personality Christine Babao after she saw one of his paintings depicting Jesus Christ and offered to purchase it for P3,500. Marjorie recalled seeing Heri being “super proud” of himself for being able to make a sale.
But that wasn’t the end of it as the Megastar herself, Sharon Cuneta, also became interested in Heri’s pieces. And it came at such a crucial time too, as Heri was in the middle of a medical emergency.
“Nag-down payment po [si Sharon] nung nalaman niyang nasa intensive care unit si Heri po noon, kaya talagang nairaos po namin ‘yung almost P150,000 na gastos noon. To think na P400 lang po laman ng ATM ko noon, talagang walang wala kami,” Marjorie said.
Ara Mina also bought a painting from the mother-son duo.
Marjorie and Heri have also received much support from their fellow Home Buddies members, which is why they couldn’t be more grateful to the community.
“Marami kaming kapitbahays na naging clients turned into friends and even family,” she highlighted.
When asked for advice for other parents who also have a child with special needs, she underscored to never give up when the going gets rough as “this battle is all worth the fight.”
“Only few were chosen to have that chance to take care of God's angel here on earth. Love these angels unconditionally and it will bounce back a thousand times. seize every priceless moment. Expose and explore because each angel has a real talent just waiting to be discovered and unleashed,” she said.
If you would like to spruce up your home with some of Marjorie and Heri’s artworks, you can reach them through their Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Shopee pages. You can also contact them through their number, 09369774188, and email, [email protected].
For those who want to try making their own decorations, check out DIY Home Improvement Projects You Can Do With Your Family for some fun and useful bonding moments.
