Lydia Velasco

Lydia Velasco




Lydia Velasco was born on December 27, 1942 in Navotas, Philippines. She is regarded as one of the top women artists in the Philippines.




Lydia Velasco’s love for the arts is an innate calling she traces back to her childhood. She took her early influence and encouragement from parents, who also appreciated the arts. Her father was a set designer for LVN studios while her mother was a typical homemaker who took care of the children, performed regular house chores, and occasionally painted still life works. Since her father earned a meager living, she had to help support the family as fish vendor in Malabon.

She enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas and pursued Fine Arts Major in Advertising. She worked shortly after as an artist for the advertising agency called Philprom where she stayed for over 10 years. Rising from the ranks, she became Art Director for several multinational advertising companies such as DYR, J.Walter Thompson, Pacifica, Ace Compton, Basic, and McCann-Erickson. It was in 1988, when she finally left advertising and ventured in entrepreneurship as co-owner of Lightmoves Photo/Design, Inc. She also became the company’s Art Consultant.

When the company was about settled, she went back to painting and became core member of Malang’s Saturday Group. She devoted her time fully in painting and went way to discover her art, medium, and style. She focused her subjects on women, liberating them on her canvases and asserting their glory, identity, and freedom amid a mainly patriarchal society. She describes her depictions of women as elongated, massive, heavily set, and invigorated with almost masculine assertiveness.


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Lydia Velasco

Lydia Velasco’s love for the arts is an innate calling she traces back to her childhood. She took her early influence and encouragement from parents, who also appreciated the arts. Her father was a set designer for LVN studios while her mother was a typical homemaker who took care of the children, performed regular house chores, and occasionally painted still life works. Since her father earned a meager living, she had to help support the family as fish vendor in Malabon.

She enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas and pursued Fine Arts Major in Advertising. She worked shortly after as an artist for the advertising agency called Philprom where she stayed for over 10 years. Rising from the ranks, she became Art Director for several multinational advertising companies such as DYR, J.Walter Thompson, Pacifica, Ace Compton, Basic, and McCann-Erickson. It was in 1988, when she finally left advertising and ventured in entrepreneurship as co-owner of Lightmoves Photo/Design, Inc. She also became the company’s Art Consultant.

When the company was about settled, she went back to painting and became core member of Malang’s Saturday Group. She devoted her time fully in painting and went way to discover her art, medium, and style. She focused her subjects on women, liberating them on her canvases and asserting their glory, identity, and freedom amid a mainly patriarchal society. She describes her depictions of women as elongated, massive, heavily set, and invigorated with almost masculine assertiveness.

To date, she has already majored in nine exhibitions including "La Danse" and has worked with a number of artists for various group shows.

Lydia also commits her time with other organizations such Art Association of the Philippines. She concurrently chairs a group called Kulay Marikina, composed of 30 artists in support of the young art enthusiasts of the city.

There is a book written about her by Galerie Joaquin Managing Director Jack Teotico titled Allure. Velasco’s main interest is to explore the subject of women in her unique and highly personal style depicting them as strong and sensual, exuding inner beauty and confidence. Her works free the Asian women from age-old societal conventions by her highly contemporary style of rendition.

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