Pinoy castle maker credits a higher power for his work
If there are two things that distinguish Jaime Ibañez from other artists who have been featured at ARTablado, the popular exhibit space located at Robinsons Galleria, it’s his innate talent and dexterity with his fingers.
The artist has been building miniature castles since he was 5 years old. Using only his imagination and child-like wonder, he was able to create castles with no scaling or sketching involved. By carefully cutting pieces of cardboard and gluing them together, he managed to come up with fantastic creations.
People who saw the pieces offered to buy them, but the young Ibañez couldn’t imagine putting a price on his work.
Ibañez’s interest would continue into adulthood. He trained under Hollywood art director Bob Dennis from Paramount Parks. This led him to work in the country’s first and only world-class theme park, Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
“I worked there for 15 years as a scenic artist, and was responsible for the theme and hand-painted designs for the entire park,” he recounted.
Even as he worked for a living, Ibañez continued to feed his passion for creating with his hands, making paintings in a range of styles and on different subjects.
Flowers in a blue vase have a dreamy abstract vibe, while a landscape of farmers planting rice crouch over their work in stark, psychedelic relief. His facades of bahay na bato and other structures highlight a remarkable attention to detail. He also makes historical churches of the Iglesia ni Cristo in the Philippines and in other countries.
Still, he is best known as the Castle Maker of the Philippines and at his ongoing exhibit at ARTablado that runs until Jan. 15, 2025, visitors can take a closer look at his miniatures. It’s his fifth solo exhibit, and his second at Robinsons Galleria. He likened it to a “homecoming” because in 2002, he exhibited some of his pieces at Dreamscape.
He chose the title “The Masterpiece of Jaime Ibañez” for his ongoing exhibit because he said it’s his chance to show the public the different themes and styles he has experimented on. He said he admires the works of Filipino masters Malang, Amorsolo and Joya, but it is important that his work be “always unique.”
Ibañez is hopeful that visitors to the exhibit will be inspired by his masterpieces, adding that his talent is a gift. “I was able to make everything on display with God’s help. I am only a vessel to inspire others so that they will realize that nothing is impossible with God’s grace.”
