Sunshine Plata, Coffee Painter

USTedyante

If you think you’re a coffee addict, then what can you possibly think of 28-year-old Sunshine Plata?

She uses instant coffee to create a masterpiece, and the above painting is her first with the style. She approaches art with a relatively unique medium, and this has proven that innovation, as well as taking chances, is the key to success.

It all started one fateful day when she saw a 19th century artifact with a signature done in coffee by the artist. And to think that it survived all these years was an exceptional thing on its own. Then, an idea. It was perfect, and it was ingenious.

Why not use coffee to paint?

El Hada Encantada

Who needs expensive painting materials when you can probably afford a watercolor brush and a sachet of 3-in-1 (much preferably black though, heh) stacked away somewhere in your cupboard?

I know I don’t.

If you can create something so big out of something so small and cheap, why not take the chance and allow your creative juices to flow freely, instead of making your meager budget a hindrance to your dreams?

Sunshine’s artworks are incredible and impressive in their details. I’m immediately taken in by their aesthetic value and success. Who wouldn’t? Even Ripley’s Believe It or Not thinks hers is a noteworthy talent and method, and is impressed enough to buy 2 paintings for $2,500. One of her works has been featured on The Martha Stewart Show.

My favorite of her works?

Fairy of Sorrows

The Fairy of Sorrows. In fact, it has inspired me enough to plan to write a short story in the near future, although, of course, it would be a fanfiction by nature. And oddly enough, it’s the one featured on The Martha Stewart Show.

When asked what her message is to inspiring artists, Sunshine has this to say (or write, ’cause, well, we’ve never met personally…yet :)):

Message to artists/non artists, to pinoys, to everyone: If your intentions are good and noble, u should never let whatever circumstance u have in life to hinder u from expressing ur creative self in whatever form. If people without limbs can use their feet or their mouth to paint how much more ourselves who are not put in that kid of a dilemma? all we need is that passion, perseverance and that spark of creativity flowing in our veins in order to be another creator of beauty and pure honesty.

Theres a book entitled “dream and ur dreams will fall short” and i can see the truth in that now! i dreamed but not this gigantic and all the things i am getting now are bizarrely beyond my wildest dreams! i encourage everyone to pray, only God can help u attain the utterly unexpected! filipinos are known to be pious and i say ur not born a filipino for nothing, there is absolutely a purpose! remember bamboo’s song ‘pinoy ako”: “sabi nila may anting anting ako pero di nila alam na diyos ang dahilan ko”

Maraming pang magagaling na pinoy talents na undiscovered at naniniwala akong kayang-kaya pa nila higitan yung mga natamo ko! kailangan lang sila mabigyan ng pagkakataon, suportahan at paniwalaan! Hiling ko po sa mga kapwa ko pinoy: ‘ipagdasal niyo po ako kailangan ko yun araw-araw, salamat po”

YUN TINAMO KO PONG KARANGALAN AY HANDOG KO SA BAWAT ISANG MAMAMAYANG PILIPINO, MATAPANG KA, KAYA MO….PARA SAYO TOH!

And I think to myself, if I truly was a coffee addict, I would have thought of something to do with coffee other than drink it.

To you, Sunshine Plata, I send all the good luck and thanks. For your cunning, your creativity, and your love for the art AND the Filipinos. Keep on painting. I know our kababayans support you all the way.

(Wonder if, despite my apparent disdain for Nestle products, we can invite her for a talk session in Bloggers’ Kapihan? He he.)