Stepping through the glass doors of Sunshine Place’s atelier feels like crossing into a world where color, light, and imagination converge. After years away, it was like coming home to my happy place.
Nestled on the second floor of a five-story wellness center along Jupiter Street, Makati, this creative sanctuary hums with energy, dedicated to enriching body, mind, and soul. Canvases lean against the walls, their colors in various stages of blending and becoming—some bold and striking, others delicate and unfinished. Each tells a quiet story of the artist’s mood, patience, or struggle that day.
The familiar energy reminds me of why I fell in love with painting. It offers a welcome break from golfing—my first love—under the hot sun, yet both follow the same rhythm: one stroke at a time.
Sunshine Place maestro Fidel Sarmiento and an ‘original’ artist, Meliza Gonzales
Maestro Fidel Sarmiento with Lini Dinopol
To the left, in a cozy nook, 10 Sunshine Angels, led by Gilda Reyes and Cheryl de Vega, keep the atelier running seamlessly, handling logistics and ensuring the creative flow remains uninterrupted. At the heart of this vibrant space is Fidel Sarmiento, president of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP). Invited by Sunshine Place president Lizanne Uychaco, Sarmiento has helped transform the studio into a haven of rediscovery.
Mariquit Reventar, a retired architect, now a dedicated painter
Uychaco, a feng shui artist, infuses her boldly textured works with auspicious symbols of fortune and abundance, mirroring Sunshine Place’s very essence: the flow of positive energy, transformation, and creative renewal. Twice, sometimes three times a week, the atelier comes alive with familiar faces—both newcomers and originals who have been here since the center’s opening a decade ago. Among them are accomplished Sunshine Artists such as Conchitina Bernardo, Eduardo Ramos, Meliza Gonzales, Erlinda Flores, Miriam Jalandoni, Lita Gelano, Neriz Burce, Grace Agbayani, Vicky Lopez, Connie Cadelina, Mariquit Reventar, Dr. Teresita Sy Giok Liong, and Angela Yu—each adding depth to this creative community.
Loida Tan always has an extra sweet smile on her face when she’s painting.
Loida Tan calls her journey a “discovery…a rebirth.” What began as casual art sessions became a deeply personal awakening. “Painting is no longer just a pastime; it’s a rekindling of purpose.”
Carol Llanillo, always coiffed and dressed, even when doing oil painting
Similarly, Carolina Llanillo, past president of the Zonta Club of Makati and current president of the Order of Malta Foundation, found her creative renaissance here. “My father told me to study law, discouraging me from pursuing fine arts—then seen as a low-income career.” Dr. Florangel Braid, one of the country’s most esteemed educators and a framer of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, was a frequent presence in the studio until recent mobility issues slowed her visits. Meanwhile, Rica Rosario Ong balances business with her passion for painting, “I’m amazed by how life offers unexpected creative detours.”
FangFang Li, Erlinda Flores, Joyce Ashworth
Their stories resonate with new Sunshine talents like Irene Ibañez, a finalist in the 2023 GSIS National Art Competition for watercolor. Last year, Joyce Ashworth placed top five, and Atty. Vicky Pollisco reached the top 10 among thousands of contestants. Len Torres Fernandez, Leni Reynoso Araullo, and Fang Fang Li—all breast cancer survivors—are among the most inspiring resident artists of Sunshine Place. With each brushstroke, they embody grit, transforming their pain into powerful art.
Atty. Vicky Pollisco has an unbeatable attendance record—a Sunshine Place artist from day one.
Perhaps the most remarkable is Vicky Zubiri, who paints with one eye and endures chronic headaches. Over two decades ago, she underwent two critical surgeries in Stanford, California, to remove a 2.5-cm brain tumor that affected her eye and ear nerves. Despite these challenges, she remains the epitome of elegant tenacity, sometimes painting from memory with artistic skills honed since the 1970s.
Laiyan Balubayan, Sunshine Place art teacher of super seniors and juniors
“Art has no age,” Sarmiento often says. “The hands may tremble, but the heart never forgets how to dream.” Alongside hyperrealist painter Robert Fernandez, he moves from easel to easel, his discerning eye catching what others might miss—a subtle shift in color here, a gentler brushstroke there. At the center of the studio, art teacher Loida Balubayan leads super seniors with their caregivers and young teens in warm, intergenerational sessions. By day’s end, small masterpieces on canvas or jute bags transform fleeting moments into forever treasures.
Laiyan has been teaching Timothy Rain Tang Damian for two years.
By the sunlit windows, another artistic pursuit quietly blooms. Whenever she’s in town, Mee Lee Casey, a Malaysian ceramic artist based in Australia, shares her 33 years of expertise. With a nurturing spirit, she teaches students to paint delicate florals on porcelain plates, later fired in the kiln by the balcony.
This creative sanctuary began with the vision of Felicidad Sy, SM matriarch, who dreamed of a “home away from home” for seniors. Her daughter, Tessie Sy-Coson, brought that dream to life, creating something that transcends business—an offering that cannot be monetized.
And now, another chapter begins. Sunshine Place center head Gilda Reyes confirms that plans are underway to establish a new banner—Sunshine Place Artists—with exhibitions set for select SM malls this year. It’s a natural progression for a space brimming with creative energy.
Even caregivers get into the picture
Who would have thought that a palette, a brush, or a porcelain plate—things so simple—could awaken something so profound? Here, creativity has no expiration date.
Birthday lunch (from left): Carol Llanillo, art teacher Robert Fernandez, Lini Dinopol, art teacher Laiyan Balubayan, Atty. Vicky Pollisco, Ed Ramos, Meliza Gonzales, Loida Tan, FangFang Li, and maestro Fidel Sarmiento
