
Another view of Art Caravan
What began as a Viber group during the pandemic has turned into an art space where people can visit and paint all day long. “Many people had a hard time sourcing art materials during the pandemic, and we had some, so we sold them in the group chat,” says Francis Lim, the man behind Art Caravan in BGC. “The Viber community was composed of titas, locals, and artists.”

A class in session

Students learn to paint
Art Caravan opened in March and has become a place for both hobbyists and professionals to source materials. The paint and other materials are arranged in a visually pleasing space where thousands of tubes are displayed on walls and center tables. According to the press notes, “The installation overhead is regarded as the piece de resistance that mirrors Art Caravan’s ethos for bringing the art experience to everyone.”

Francis Lim of Art Caravan
“Our materials look intimidating, but they are actually not. We even cater to beginners. We are trying to make it look welcoming and inviting, unlike other places that are very messy, with colors everywhere,” Lim tells TheDiarist. Further inside the store is a painting area where aspiring artists can stay from noon until nine o’clock. Lim says that people can pass time in the store while waiting for the traffic in the area to subside.
Art Caravan sells both student-grade and artist-grade materials. “If you’re a beginner and the teacher tells you to buy the color red, you might just buy any red. But here we try to make you see each shade of red. There should be a connection between you and the paint you are going to use. That’s important to us,” says Lim.

The interiors with ceiling installation at Art Caravan
Lim states that many artists use paint for walls or furniture on their paintings, “but our paints are of archival quality. Ten, 20 years from now, they will still be okay. The paper will not mold, the paint will not crack and bleed. That’s very important.” Some brands in the store include Golden Artist Acrylics, Amsterdam, Gamblin, Rembrandt, Williamsburg, Qor, Daniel Smith, Van Gogh, M Graham, Borciani E Bonassi, Liquitex, Grumbacher, Canson, Fabriano, Frederix, Kelly Art, Hahnemuhle, and Clairefontaine.

Paint on display at Art Caravan
Art Caravan is located in a place perfect for artists—at The Forum, across the street from the Alveo Central Plaza, where local artists and hobbyists put up stalls at the BGC Art Mart. It’s also near food stores and restaurants, so you can take food breaks while your masterpiece-in-progress awaits. The store also holds classes to teach budding artists how to use their products.
“Each artist really has their own story, something to share, something to tell,” says Lim. “Art Caravan is a classroom for everyone to hang out and learn from one another.”
Art Caravan is located at the 2nd Floor, The Forum, 7th Avenue, Federacion Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. IG @artcaravan.ph