Mami Love is a primary teacher in Cagayan Valley. 
She also taught me as if I was her own daughter. 
She let me sleep with her until I was 13. To this day 
she's still the mother of many children to come- that's 
where her nickname came from-
she literally is made of Love <3.
'Sharing' is one of the things that I grew up learning.
We grew up in this spanish collonial style house where 
there'd be sliding doors - delicately made along with
it's metal decor that resembles a stem that's about to
grow, wooden floors from Narra Trees- overall it was a
pretty solid house that was shared amongst my 
grandparents, uncles, aunts,cousins and later generations.
The layout is changed now but nostalgia kicks in pretty 
good. Mami Love's chores for me was to wax and
clean the wooden floors with coconut shells - 
I genuinely loved it- making the floor shine and she'd
be happy.
She taught me manners and how to fold the mosquito
net. She'd take me to church on Sundays, she'd let 
me sit on her lap and she's prepared motion sickness
bags because I was always 'ullaw' (Ilokano') or
'Nahihilo' (Tagalog) - basically I was sensitive to
movement as a child- luckily with time it has improved!
We'd nap, have meriendas (Snack) , and she'd remind 
me to be a good person.
Every time I return to the Philippines she ask nothing
more than my wellbeing and my heart leaps with joy. 
I love seeing her laugh and tell the story that I would 
wake up early morning before school and buy freshly 
homemade 'putok' bread, make her maggi for
breakfast and coffee.
 
 
About Digital Portrait Series
My recent family visit in the Philippines in August
2019 has got me thinking, reflecting and very much
in a limbo of being born from the east and most of
my adulthood in the west. 
 
Dedicated these digital drawings to my family as a
form of celebration in unity and love.