SOCIAL SET

Coloring lives with the Sunshine Place at the Podium Atrium

DT · Aug 3, 2026, 2:46 AM

Renowned sculptor and glass artist Impy Pilapil with her sister Bella, who takes dance lessons at the Sunshine Place with Sunshine Place president Lizanne Uychaco. — PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy of sm

The elegant Victoria Lopez beside her Study in Crimson acrylic artwork.

Sunshine Place Porcelain instructor Tomoko Sumi and Decoupage leader Tess Colayco with guests Delfin, director of Ayala Corp., Ayala Land, Globe and Manila Water and wife broadcast journalist Cheche Lazaro.

The rains have come, but Sunshine Place Senior Recreation Center brought — yes — lots of sunshine in with its recent 9th Coloring Lives fundraising art exhibit on at the 2F Atrium of The Podium.

The annual exhibit brought together student-artists from across all seven of Sunshine Place’s art classes — seniors, adults and children. It was a treasure trove of original artworks starting with 55 pieces of framed artwork from its Intermediate & Advance Art, Beginners and Children’s Painting and Watercolor paintings.

There were also 26 pieces of Porcelain Painting, 15 Ikebana-Sogetsu flower arrangements and 24 pieces of Decoupage works.

More than that, it was a celebration of creativity, self-discovery, family and community.

Guest of honor, renowned sculptor and glass artist Impy Pilapil, was there with her sister Bella, who attends the center’s dance classes. The family of Elena Fernandez led by her husband, renowned dermatologist and cosmetic/restorative surgeon Dr. Manuel Fernandez of the Makati Medical Center, were also on hand to support her.

Erlinda ‘Leni’ Araullo, 85, who has been attending Sunshine Place Art Class since 2018, was recognized as one of the Top 50 finalists and an Honorable Mention awardee in the recent 21st GSIS National Art Competition.

A bird’s eye view of the Coloring Life exhibit at the Podium.

Art likewise runs in the family as SM Foundation’s Linda Atayde takes ikebana classes, while her granddaughter Mandy is a painting enthusiast. So does the desire to excel. Dolly Borlongan, an active member of the Decoupage Club, has apparently passed this on to her daughter Kat, who recently received the National Order of Merit, a distinction awarded by the French government to individuals who have rendered outstanding service. It is the second highest award in France.

It’s also never too early or too late to discover one’s passion for art. Regina Lim, granddaughter of Ambassador Francis Chua, joined the Kids Art Class when she was 14 years old. Now 16 and enrolled in the beginners Art Class, she has discovered that “landscape painting allows me to express my emotions through various hues.”

At 85, Erlinda “Leni” Araullo, on the other hand, was recognized as one of the Top 50 finalists and an Honorable Mention Award recipient at the prestigious 21st GSIS National Art competition. “Sunshine Place has given us a beautiful place to continuously grow, express ourselves, and creativity knows no boundaries,” she says.

Elena Fernandez beside her Peaceful Garden artwork with her family led by her husband Dr. Manuel Fernandez Jr.

Art runs in the family. SM Foundation Linda Atayde, who takes Ikebana classes with her granddaughter Mandy beside Mandy’s work ‘Ang Guro.’

Being part of the Sunshine Place has also been beneficial to both students and instructors. James Empeño has drawn watercolor painting during the pandemic and has recognized its therapeutic benefits. The Sunshine Place has been part of Mee Lee Casey’s teaching journey since she joined the center in 2017. She has been teaching porcelain art for more than 25 years, beginning in Taiwan and onto the UK, Australia, Brazil, Thailand, and now the Philippines. It brings her “great joy” to watch her students develop new skills, gain confidence and build friendships.

Now in its ninth consecutive year, Coloring Lives is the culminating exhibit of Sunshine Place’s art programs — a public showcase of what its students produce when given consistent mentorship, a structured creative practice and a community that takes their work seriously. What started in 2018 as a fundraising exhibit inside the Sunshine Place center in Bel-Air, Makati has grown into a program with a track record of nine beneficiaries and a following that returns year after year.

SM Supermalls EVP Jonjon San Agustin and SAVP Ian Mathay.

This year, the exhibit returned to The Podium Atrium, where it was first held during the 8th edition in 2025.

Proceeds from artwork sales will go to Nazareth Bahay ng Pag-ibig, a home for abandoned elderly women, upon the close of the exhibit on 26 July. Past beneficiaries of Coloring Lives include the San Lorenzo Ruiz Home for the Elderly, Kanlungan ni Maria Home for the Aged in Antipolo, the National Center for Mental Health and the Josefheim Elderly Care Community in Rizal.

“Every work in this exhibit began with a student who was not sure what they were capable of. Sunshine Place gave them a space to find out,” says Sunshine Place president Lizanne Uychaco. “Nine years of Coloring Lives is proof of what happens when people are given a community that believes in them — they grow, create and give back. We welcome anyone who sees themselves in these works to come and be part of what we are building here.”

Sunshine Place is at No. 56 Jupiter Street, Barangay Bel-Air, Makati City.