At an age when many are expected to slow down, four remarkable women are doing the opposite.
Every week at Sunshine Place in Makati, they gather around easels and canvases to paint, learn, laugh, and plan their next creative adventure. One recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday. Another is a former fashion model, diplomat’s wife, civic leader and vice mayor. A third is a three-time cancer survivor whose religious artworks now hang in churches abroad. The fourth has painted portraits of all 16 Philippine presidents.
Together, they form what fellow artists affectionately call the “awesome foursome” of the Sunshine Place Studio. Far from winding down, they continue to reinvent themselves through art.
Under the guidance of Maestro Fidel Sarmiento and artist Robert Fernandez, these women have spent the past decade producing works that have earned recognition in competitions, filled exhibition halls, and inspired fellow seniors to discover new possibilities later in life.
Their stories are different, but their message is the same: creativity has no expiration date. Taken together, they offer four distinct portraits of aging not as a retreat from life, but as a continuing act of discovery.
At the heart of the group is Erlinda “Lin” Flores, who recently marked her ninetieth birthday surrounded by fellow artists who have become part of her creative family. A two-time Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature recipient, Flores spent decades nurturing young imaginations through more than 20 children’s books. Today, she continues her storytelling through paint.
Sarmiento describes her as one of the studio’s most diligent students, always arriving with her “homework” meticulously completed.
Beside her is Conchitina Sevilla-Bernardo, 82, a woman who seems to embody several eras of Philippine society at once. Her life has moved through fashion, philanthropy, publishing, public service, diplomacy and now painting.
When Bernardo discovered Sunshine Place through a prayer group mate, Gilda Reyes, she found both healing and artistic rebirth. Her sold-out solo exhibition introduced audiences to what have become her signature subjects: vulnerable fawns and endangered deer resting quietly in nature, inspired by Psalm 42: “As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for You, O God.”
“I see myself in the fawn,” she reflects. “Vulnerable, waiting on the Lord who comes to me through nature in gentleness and significant moments.”
On her canvas, those moments become luminous meditations on faith, grace, and surrender.
Then there is Erlinda “Leni” Reynoso Araullo — nurse, musician, culinary instructor, and three-time breast cancer survivor. After a stage three cancer diagnosis in 1981, Araullo was told she might not survive beyond her forties. She endured that battle and later overcame two more localized diagnoses.
Today, at 85, she creates radiant, Byzantine-inspired icons. Using raised, piped acrylic textures, she gives her sacred figures a striking sculptural dimension. Many of these works have been donated to churches in Los Angeles as offerings of gratitude and faith.
Her artistic journey reached a national milestone when her unique technique earned her a coveted place among the finalists in the 2026 GSIS National Art Competition.
Completing the quartet is Carolina “Carol” Ocampo-Llanillo, 82, whose elegance is matched only by her energy. A law graduate, accomplished portraitist, classical Chinese brush painter, civic leader, and Dame of Magistral Grace of the Order of Malta, Llanillo moves effortlessly across disciplines, countries, and creative worlds.
Her first foray into art was through the Lingnan style of Chinese brush painting under Master Hau Chiok. At Sunshine Place, she continues to hone her portraiture skills under Maestro Fidel Sarmiento.
A prolific artist, Llanillo’s life extends far beyond the canvas. A former president of the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs, she has long been a pillar of charitable work. Most recently, she played a pivotal role in the successful Order of Malta art exhibit fundraiser, seamlessly bringing together art and philanthropy.
Among her most remarkable accomplishments is a portrait series of all 16 Philippine presidents, a visual record of leadership across generations.
True to her nature as a catalyst for meaningful projects, she is already rallying her creative circle for what comes next. Llanillo is currently completing a series of 20 Marian paintings for an art exhibit in early September and has invited her Wednesday group of Sunshine Artists to participate.
Together, these four women possess sharp minds, quick wit, and vibrant spirits that belie their years.
“As the doctor said,” Bernardo says with a laugh, “keep on painting.”
And so they do.
Week after week, they return to Sunshine Place, not merely to master new techniques, but to share encouragement, friendship, and the joy of continued discovery.
A project of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation, Sunshine Place was established to promote lifelong learning and purposeful aging. Today, under the leadership of Reyes and the stewardship of her team, it continues to provide seniors with a vibrant community where creativity, friendship, and learning flourish.
Inside its art studio, landscapes, flowers, portraits, icons, and memories emerge from canvas after canvas. Yet perhaps its most enduring creation is something less visible: a friendship built on mutual admiration, shared laughter, and the unwavering belief that there is always something new to learn.
The four women exchange stories, critique one another’s work, celebrate every accomplishment, and eagerly anticipate the next project. At Sunshine Place, life does not wind down. It keeps unfolding, one brushstroke at a time.
