{"id":404338,"date":"2024-01-30T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=404338"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Newman-Painting-beauty-encouraging-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Newman-Painting-beauty-encouraging-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Newman: Painting beauty, encouraging art"},"content":{"rendered":"

While encouraging other artists to pursue their passions, former Saipan resident Olivia Malit Newman continues to share Saipan\u2019s scenic beauty with art lovers and patrons.<\/p>\n

Newman, one of 23 artists to display their work at the Organized Brotherhood Relating to Arts Exhibition at Guam\u2019s Micronesian Mall, showcased her piece on Managaha Island. The exhibition ended last Dec. 10.<\/p>\n

Aligning with the exhibition\u2019s theme, \u201cWaves and Strokes,\u201d Newman displayed the 24\u201d x 36\u201d acrylic work featuring Saipan\u2019s Managaha Island at the exhibition as she considers it one of her favorite pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to live on Saipan for 11 years and I love Managaha, so I was so inspired to do a big painting this time,\u201d Newman said.<\/p>\n

But Managaha was not the first or last of Newman\u2019s take on Saipan. Having already completed two versions of Suicide Cliff, and her piece on Forbidden Island, which have already been sold, she is excited about her most recent piece on Saipan, which features Bird Island.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m actually in the process of making Bird Island\u2019s view. I can\u2019t wait for this to finish\u2026\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Newman plans to submit it to one of Guam\u2019s exhibitions, and hopefully display it in Hawaii.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is always a call for artists here in Guam. Sometimes they\u2019ll feature [the work submitted] in Hawaii, Taiwan, or Fiji. This time, after we submit it and if it gets accepted, then they will bring it to Hawaii,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Since landscapes are her favorite pieces, Newman take hikes and observe nature, and later put her observations on a canvas. She said she hopes to convey the beauty of the islands to other art enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to portray the beauty of the islands of Guam and Saipan,\u201d she said. \u201cI was born and raised in the Philippines, but it was when I stayed on Saipan and Guam that I learned to appreciate the island sights, appreciate nature, meditate, relax and take care of yourself,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Shortly after college, Newman moved to Saipan, and it became her home for 11 years. It was here where her buried passion for art resurfaced. \u201c[Art] has been my passion since I was in high school. My parents didn\u2019t want me to take Fine Arts because they kept saying there\u2019s no money in art…I became a dentist [and] moved to Saipan, and then, all of a sudden, I just felt like, why don\u2019t I go back to painting? That\u2019s my passion anyway and I did it.\u201d<\/p>\n

After her time on Saipan, and after the loss of her husband, she relocated to Guam in 2008.<\/p>\n

Newman has now become a full-time artist and has assumed the lead role in the art group OBRA, or Organized Brotherhood Relating to Arts, since 2014.<\/p>\n

With OBRA, she tries to create a platform for other artists to unleash their creativity. \u201cSince the exhibit at the Micronesia Mall, there\u2019s a lot of new artists that want to join us. It\u2019s going to be more of a time investment for me… [but] I want this group to enjoy what they are doing and I want them to have fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Since becoming OBRA\u2019s president, Newmam said her goal is shorter meetings, less talk and more paintings. \u201cSo we did it. And most artists like that because they cannot paint at home or at school, and they want to see other artists\u2019 work so they can learn from them, and share, so it\u2019s really a good inspiration and exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from Newman, other artists featured at the OBRA exhibit were Maila Pujol, Marcial Pontillas, Richelle Canto, Maria Fitzpatrck, Grace Gueco, Andrew Gulac, Yeon Sook Park, Paul Mendiola, Marcus Villaverde, Novem Gimoto, Sharon Cardona, Gisela Guile, Ehrian Marquez, Lolit Poblete, Rachael Nussbaum, Renee Veksler, Karen De Waal, Stephanie Quitugua, Viola Roces, Angel Piper, Maggie Clark, and Zamie Zamora. Their art combined gave the exhibit an impressive 50 pieces.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Artist and former Saipan resident Olivia Malit-Newman.<\/p>\n

-CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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