Thom Jopson’s Imaginary Friends

There's a profound sense of balance in the works of student artist Thom Jopson, a quality which was readily discernable in "Imaginary Friends," the artist's first one man show.

On exhibit recently at Qube Gallery, at the Henry Hotel in Banilad, "Imaginary Friends" was a collection of 10 mixed media pieces that were indicative of Jopson's prowess as one of Cebu's up-and-coming creative talents - whose compositional goals are evidently driven by an innate love for colors; punctuated by a penchant in combining the de facto with the de jure.

Utilizing a varied set of hues, shades, textures and tones in reaching his aesthetic aims, a paradoxical sense of euphoria and ennui could be felt in Jopson's works, a quality which the artist executed so well.

Using his friends as the models for his show's showcased art pieces, Jopson was consistent in his works' thematic inclinations, and was elementally profound in how he forged his creative style from a careful negotiation of tradition, influence and individuality.

Born in General Santos and raised in Tacloban, Thom Jopson is currently finishing his Fine Arts degree at the University of the Philippines Cebu. As an artist, he has cultivated a fondness in the fantasy art genre, inspired by his love for comic books and animated films.

While the presentation of "Imaginary Friends" was a requirement of his Fine Arts course, the show was easily more than just an academic presentation of what we can expect from the artist. (FREEMAN)