Baguio City—Five women have made self-expression a badge of honor.
Brenda Subido Dacpano, Bets BL, Sharla Macli-ing Ngayodan, Tina GN, and Regina Roxanne Rivero-Caoili have taken the frivolous into a power play of self-expression in an exhibit dubbed as “Arjud,” in a celebration of the feminine identity.
Arjud is an Ilocano term describing the joyful, confident process of women grooming, dressing up, and presenting their best selves. This concept is translated into an art form at Luisa’s Café in Baguio City, bringing together diverse work by women artists.
Bets BL, a Baguio-based visual artist and writer, began painting during the pandemic and has since gained national and international recognition, with works deeply rooted in Cordilleran and Filipino culture. She was recently a finalist in the 2025 Sining Filipina National Art Competition.
“My art is onspired by Baguio’s landscape, I am a folk art artist. My pieces are very colorful because I am a very positive person.”
BrenSubido (Brenda Subido Dacpano) is a multidisciplinary artist with five decades of creative work, known for her mastery in social realism, surrealism, and assemblage art. Also a journalist and poet, BrenSubido uses her art as a platform for social awareness, empathy, and empowerment, with her works exhibited from Los Angeles to Paris.
“I create assemblage art to honor the traditional pinoy jeepney, which maybe phased out soon because of the modernization program of the government, so that yeh next generation may know that jeepneys existed.”
Regina Roxanne Rivero-Caoili, a licensed interior designer, creates warm, thoughtful impressionist paintings that explore themes of women, children, and cultural heritage. Drawing inspiration from everyday life and nature, her work highlights sustainability, reflection, and connection.
Sharla Macli-ing Ngayodan, for whom art is a form of worship, creates pieces that express faith, wonder, and joy with a spirit of freedom. With a background in interior design, her understanding of structure, space, and color is seen in her pieces, which are nostalgic, playful, and emotional. Her path to art is a testament to how divine inspiration can flow through everyday life.
Tina GN, a contemporary visual artist recognized for her customized denim paintings and hand-painted chopping board art, creates whimsical pieces that radiate joy and light. Tina GN merges functionality with imagination through her whimsical portraits and everyday art pieces on food, scenery, and icons.
The exhibit runs from October 19 to November 20, 2025. Maria Elena Catajan
