Sketching metal
Jonas Pacifico explores the aesthetics of steel
By Deneb Batucan
RIGHT from the start, Jonas Pacifico was more than just an avid fan of the arts: his hands always longed to create something beautiful.
“Design and art has always been second-nature to me. In fact, sketching with crayons, playing with Lego and molding clays are not just my childhood activities. These are things I do even today,” Jonas explained.
Jonas is an architect and an artist. He runs his own design firm, Pont Studio, which he started in 2014.
“As they say, knowing when to start your own firm is just as important as wanting to start one,” Jonas said. It has always been his dream to open up his own design firm since his college days at the University of San Carlos. He gave himself a timeline: 10 years upon completing the architecture licensure exam, he will open his own firm.
After several years of freelance work in Cebu and then some seven years of work in Singapore, Jonas deemed himself ready and opened his own design company.
“Pont Studio is still very young! And this scares and excites me to an equal measure. We anticipate facing several unexpected challenges over the next few years, and revel in the knowledge we gain from each of these experiences,” he said.
On a personal front, running a business for Jonas means working around the clock. Finding effective time management is of utmost importance. “I find it extremely fulfilling when all the various tasks I juggle materialize into reality. This is a feeling that never gets old!” he quipped.
Around art
From buildings to furniture to artworks, Jonas’ life revolves around art. But the most riveting of his works has to be his metal artworks.
A byproduct of his curious-inquisitive-artistic nature combined with his technical knowledge from architecture and construction — his family also owns a construction business — Jonas’ metal art speaks beyond its medium.
Metal and steel are both elements in the architectural world, and Jonas’ metal artworks marry two of his most significant passions: architecture and art. His first collection, the Metal Sketches series, was principally an experimentation on how to convert his pencil sketches into 3D creation.
His timeless pieces are attention grabbing. Even in its simplicity, the metal art has a certain depth and substance to it that speaks volumes of how the artist conveys his thoughts and emotions into his art form of choice.
More collections ahead
This year is going to be a particularly exciting one for Jonas. In terms of architecture, he will be working soon on a collaboration with other local creatives for a number of bigger scale projects.
On the art front, Jonas is commissioned for several new works both locally and around Asia, including an upcoming group exhibit later this year. He’s eager on starting a new take for his metal artworks and going into bigger and more 3D sculptures. Jonas is also trying his hand on furniture design and is currently working on a pioneering collection.
With a lot on his plate, Jonas is more than inspired to take on every challenge his work takes him. “Cebu is still considered young in the art and architecture scene. It is very exciting to see all the talent and creativity brimming in the city. It gives me more reason to do what I’m doing,” he said.
Photographer: Alfred Gregory E. Bartolome
Grooming: Carlo Damolo and Jerwin Bastatas
Locale: PONT Studio and Café Capriccio
