| Elito "Amangpintor" Circa | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Elito Villaflor Circa |
| Born | January 28, 1970 Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Field | Indigenous Painting |
| Training | No formal education in painting |
| Influenced by | Ilongot art |
| Awards | Folk Artist of Pantabangan |
Elito Villaflor Circa (born January 28, 1970), better known as "Amangpintor",[1] is a Filipino painter and was recognized in his hometown as a folk painter. He has been noted as "first blood and hair painter of his generation of Filipino folk artists" and known for his signature subject of Legend of Minggan.
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Amangpintor was born to Juan Circa and Josefina Villaflor in the old town of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines on January 28, 1970. He was the youngest of seven children.
His education was ensured through a scholarship from World Vision under poster parents Cynthia and Leigh Brown from Perth, Australia who supported his studies all the way through secondary school (awarded Artist of the Year) until he graduated at the Central Luzon State University with a degree in Elementary Education.
Amangpintor has no formal training in painting. He started drawing, using charcoals from the stove in their kitchen, on the walls of their house in Pantabangan town while he was six years old. Estimated 600 works of arts since 1980, which he gave to some of his teachers, friends and neighbors during that time. He also painted a series of 15 paintings for the “Legend of Minggan” which depicted the courtship of the giant “Minggan” to “Mariang Sinukuan” who was supposed to be dwelling in Mount Arayat. Amangpintor also made a series of paintings about the place of his birth, depicted about the evacuation of the residents of Pantabangan when their town was about to be submerged by Pantabangan Dam.
In 1978, Amangpintor won a children’s contest sponsored by DZRH radio for his depiction of Simatar and Tagani, widely popular fantasy folk heroes whose adventures were serialized on air at that time.
In 1998, Amangpintor has been seven years Board Chairman of the Samahang Makasining(Artist Club), Inc. National Level a tourism Adviser of Pantabangan local Government Unit, Visual Arts Chairman of Association of Nueva Ecija Artist group project of Provincial Governor's Office.
In 2007, Amangpintor awarded and recognized by his home town as Pantabangan Folk Painter.
Amangpintor's artistic inclination was encouraged by his father, a carpenter who bought him his first painting materials.
In 1992 Amangpintor started to paint "Lukso ng Dugo" (Filipino term) he uses his blood as medium for some of his painting and incorporates his hair in capturing on the canvass images of human persons or nature’s view, one who possesses the characteristics of truth in himself and he who refrains from colonialism in thoughts and materials. Combined with the philosophy of the painter who molded his thoughts and well-being, he is able to build self-confidence and self-esteem since his childhood.
"Lukso ng Dugo" -- when a loved one left a family and have not seen each other for a long time, and an unexplainable feeling of happiness when they see each other again. This is a basis that the blood connects the family and the mutual feelings in this situation.
His works were feature in the different TV station in the Philippines and earlier at Ripley's Believe It or Not.
On December 29, 1998, Amangpintor married Teresita Calara Martin, a teacher and theater art director from Rizal, Nueva Ecija.