By: Aurora E. Rodriguez
Ceaseless. Crafty. Creative. The Cs that come to mind when referring to Colaine Acierto Berte, Cagayan de Oro’s budding artist. Fondly called “Coco”, she was born and bred in Iligan City. After earning her Nursing license and taking various non-medical jobs, she worked as a psychiatric nurse for two years in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and continued her passion for mental health nursing in the Philippines at the JR Borja General Hospital’s Acute Psychiatric Unit in Cagayan de Oro. At present, she is in the city of Iligan serving as an Emergency Officer of the Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB) at the Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital (GTLMH).
Creative Beginnings
“I started painting back in high school at MOGCHS (Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School) where I joined several art contests, then I stopped because I was already busy with my career as a nurse,” Coco quips. Her parents William and Grace have always been supportive of her endeavors, along with her sisters Mary and Liezel, and niece Angela. “I think it’s essential that my family supports my passion because painting is part of me like a security blanket that I would bring wherever I go,” she notes. “Soon I will have more sources of inspiration as I face a new environment in another country,” she excitedly reveals, as she braces for a nursing career in Minnesota, USA.
Colaine’sMeraki -The Brand, The Works
Impressionism is her style. “Just a representation of my impression. It does not try to be accurate in its detail, but rather, it is more like an expression of my heart while doing it,” she explains. What is Colaine’s Meraki? “Meraki (pronunciation: merak-kee) is a Greek adjective that describes doing something with creativity, soul, love, and passion. Modern Greeks describe this as putting yourself into whatever you are doing,” she shares.
As of this writing, Coco has an assortment of multi-canvas paintings to boot. “I have portraits of women on canvas bags inspired by Heart Evangelista, in addition to canvas pouches, which were actually special requests by clients,” she exclaims, aside from the linen and board she typically uses.A Brush In The Future
Turning 39 today, her goal is to hold an exhibition of her creations before she leaves for the US,“It’s really my dream to hold a solo exhibit that’s why I keep on creating more whenever I have something in mind.” Asked if she would use various canvases in her future art pieces, she conveys, “I’m also inspired by SolennHeussafso I want to do big paintings which I haven’t tried yet, but I’m planning to start going big next time.”
Coco also wants to embolden the young and not-so-young aspiring artists in the words of Henry Ward Beecher: “Every artist dips her brush into her own soul, and paints her own truth into her pictures.” She professes that the best artwork is that which comes from the heart; something that speaks of one’s soul. “Go with your own style, don’t be scared to try new art ideas,” she reiterates.
The passion, patience, and potential that Coco possesses are pivotal to leaving an imprint in the industry. Needless to say, she is determined to make it big in the offing, and rightfully so.
