Coffee as a Medium of Artistry

“Coffee is life!” “Not a day passes without a cup of coffee.” “Coffee fire starts my day!” “Coffee runs through my veins.” These are but some convictions we cherish as we juggle things up day in and day out with the help of our ever-supportive, completely-loyal ally—coffee.

It keeps us up, cuts sleep inertia, shoots alertness up, shakes off postlunch dip, even provides a palatable taste after meal.

What else?

To some artistic folks out there, there’s one more use of coffee, actually. Something which most of us don’t hear often, if not heard of at all.

Lo and behold, this favorite drink also comes as a wonderful material in showcasing artistry—coffee can be the ink in painting.

On Sunday afternoon, 04 August 2024, I visited Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City after I’d seen a Facebook post about an ongoing painting exhibit and workshop there, featuring coffee as medium. Coffee used as ink in painting was quite intriguing to me and, honestly, it had never come across my senses. I wasn’t surprised that this drink was indeed used as a painting material because art is boundless and a race of creativity, but I had not yet witnessed the daedal characteristics of coffee paintings.

When I got at the venue, I found that the event was the “Coffee Art Brewing” workshop and exhibit organized by the Coffee Artists PH.

I first looked into the workshop. It was a painting tutorial welcoming anyone regardless of age and background. Most students seemed to be shoppers and mall-goers who were fond of painting and thrilled to try coffee in crafting an image. They were all guided side-by-side by professional painters, all of whom were active members of Coffee Artists PH, as the participants executed the details of the artwork. In particular, the mentors enthusiastically led the students in duplicating the subject thoroughly, from the shade of different areas down to the smallest lines all towards generating a vivid, enthralling image. Some subjects which the participants were taught to finish were a cup of coffee and a piece of bread both on a plate; a farm and mountains; and a woman’s face.

Apart from the coffee ink, one interesting painting material that caught my attention was the brown canvas provided to the students to use, which wasn’t typical to me. It looked durable and special. Indeed, that canvas infused a native scenery and true-to-life context to the image. I was right: it wasn’t an ordinary paper. It was one made of abaca directly sourced from Catanduanes province and was marketed by Abaca Finest.

On the flip side of the workshop was the exhibit, where eight walls stood conspicuously and radiantly, each carrying up to 14 paintings. Each artwork here was made of coffee as ink and of either abaca or tree-paper as canvas.

As the images suggested, the paintings orbited around peace, daily life, simplicity, women empowerment, strength, theology, family bond, nature, and Filipino culture, among other themes.

Passers-by couldn’t help but pull over in their leisurely walk and fun chats to turn on their artistic taste as they gazed through 92 captivating paintings all drawn meticulously using coffee as medium.

When I was immersing myself in the details and message of the paintings at one corner of the exhibit, I heard two women consulting each other about which painting to purchase. I didn’t ask about that to the organizers of course, but I was certain that whatever those two ladies picked to bring home with them was a good choice, and they would surely enjoy it. ‘Cause each painting there was attention-grabbing and mesmerizing.

“Coffee Art Brewing” workshop and exhibit was the second pop-up event of Coffee Artists PH. In a one-on-one interview of Grammar Lab with Coffee Artists PH president and founder Anwylen “Anwy” Fua-Gaño, she shared that the organization aims to promote coffee as a viable medium in painting alongside acrylic ink, watercolor, and other inks; help coffee farmers in the Philippines thrive; and help novice painters flourish in the art by getting awareness of, and experience on, the potential of coffee in producing marvelous images.

From what I witnessed at the event, paintings made of coffee as ink exude a native, classic, country perspective of the image portrayed. Their beauty lies on their simplicity, purity, and clarity, all of which bring forth elegance and sudden amazement, even in the eyes of laymen. A person who appreciates paintings as a piece of art gets his mind captivated and his imagination enthralled by just looking at coffee paintings.

Oh, to those who want to encounter the finesse of these works of art, go for it! “Coffee Art Brewing” was initially set to run from 03 to 04 August 2024, but following the affirmative customer reception this event brings, Shangri-La Plaza Mall has extended its roll! Don't miss out! It’s fun and fulfilling. Go check it out!

Click here for more photos.