6 Rising Filipino-American Creatives to Watch Right Now

We live in a wonderful world full of art just waiting to be admired and explored. Filipinos are known, on a global level, to be creative and artistic in so many ways. Each of these artists’ work incorporate a wide spectrum of cultural influence and heritage and we were awestruck by the Fil-Am storytelling woven into each of their respective mediums.  From murals to photography, illustration to embroidery, they’re making names for themselves and all the while reminding us that each of our histories, and futures, are so deeply interconnected and how we show up really matters. 

1. Cesar Cueva

Photo courtesy of Cesar Cueva

Cesar Cueva is an artist, animator, and illustrator. His journey started in Seattle, Washington, where he took up American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington and Animation at Animation Mentor. His art aims to ignite a flame in all of its viewers, covering issues like social justice and equity, while diving deep into the unique aspects of Filipino American history and the rich culture that comes with it. With the many admirable works he creates, he finds joy in being a catalyst for change with a fun and entertaining way of presenting complex issues and themes.

Photo courtesy of Cesar Cueva

2. Agnes Lopez 

Photo courtesy of Agnes Lopez 

Agnes Lopez is an editorial and commercial photographer, known for shooting spectacular images of people, places and things for companies, magazines and agencies. Her beautifully captured photos have landed on the pages of The New York Times, The Local Palate, Harvard Business Review, HGTV Magazine and MIT Technology. One of her most recent projects, The Faces to Remember, a black and white series of Filipino World War II veterans and survivors of the Bataan Death March, has garnered recognition by many for its impactful stories and heartfelt images. Agnes set forth on a journey to give a voice to the voiceless through her work, while shedding light on the eventful history of the Philippines. 

Photo and Artwork Courtesy of Agnes Lopez

3. Amanda Farrell 

Photo courtesy of Amanda Farrell 

Amanda Farrell is an artist who specializes in modern hand embroidery with a Filipino twist. Some of her works include hand-embroidered projects including baby onesies, baptism gowns, wedding handkerchiefs, and pet portraits. She also lets her Filipina roots show in beautiful pieces like her lola portraits - which feature 3-dimensional embroidery, Whang-od embroidery kits, and lumpia money pouches - that contain hand-woven fabric by the Indigenous Cordilleran women of the Easter Weaving Room. In addition to this, Amanda makes it a point to tie in Filipino culture by sourcing fabric from indigeneous weavers in the Philippines, as well as from recyclers who keep excess fabric waste out of landfills. Embroidery is no easy form of art, but her beautiful and sustainable work speaks volumes for the passion that goes into doing what she loves.

Photos courtesy of Amanda Farrell 

See more of Amanda Farrell’s work: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embroideredpanda/ 

https://www.filamartistdirectory.com/amanda-farrell 

https://www.embroideredpanda.com/about 

4. Jeff Huntington aka JAHRU

Photos from @jahru on Instagram

Jeff Huntington is a painter and a street artist with a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Corcoran School of Art. His eye-catching works bring life to any canvas it’s on. Within his vast portfolio are amazing pieces that showcase Filipino culture in interesting places, such as his colorful carabao piece and his portrait of José Rizal at the Athenaeum in the Parallel Lives exhibition. In 2016, he and his wife, Julia Gibb, co-founded Future History Now, a game changing nonprofit organization that creates collaborative murals with youth in underserved communities all over the world. Jeff’s work has appeared in over 90 galleries and museum exhibitions, and has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Time Magazine, to name a few. 

Photos from @jahru on Instagram

See more of Jeff Huntington’s work: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jahru/ 

https://www.filamartistdirectory.com/jeff-huntington-jahru 

http://jahru.com/ 

5. Kia Duras-Carter 

Photo courtesy of Kia Duras-Carter 

Kia Duras-Carter is a professional mural artist with a major in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. Her passion for painting murals landed her a full-time job with a company that flew her all over the U.S. to paint in places like the first ever Disney Cruise Ship, MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and so much more. After gaining confidence in her craft, she went on to pursue a career as an independent contractor. One of her most recent projects was an exhibit called Art of the People: The Earth, which was showcased in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, running for a span of 6 months. She has also been tapped by the Filipino American National Historical Society to paint a mural that depicts the rich Filipino American History in Stockton, CA. Whether she’s leading a team of 80 volunteers to paint a “Black Lives Matter” street project or painting the beautiful scenery of the exclusive island of Balesin in the Philippines, on her own, she wishes for her art to send a message of togetherness, teamwork and community. 

Photos courtesy of Kia Duras-Carter 

See more of Kia Duras-Carter’s work

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorfulkia/ 

6. Jake Russell Gavino

Photo courtesy of Jake Russell Gavino

Jake Russell Gavino is a graphic designer specializing in illustrations. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from UC Irvine and received his MFA in Graphic Design from CSU Long Beach. The majority of his work touches on unique aspects of Philippine culture, such as his intricately detailed illustrations of women in Terno and Patadyong dresses, men in barongs, children on tricycles, and Filipino food. Through his Instagram posts, he educates his followers on the many Filipino staples that he finds inspiration in for his art, going deeper into all of the things that make the Philippines the beautiful country that it is today.

Photos courtesy of Jake Russell Gavino

See more of Jake’s work:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakergavino/ 

Website:https://jakegavino.com/ 

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Written By Nico Belasco

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