'The Colors Of My Life Celia Diaz Laurel - Painter' Coffee Table Book To Be Launched June 18

Celia Diaz Laurel is a name synonymous to world of arts.

By virtue of imagination, talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the field of fine arts, Celia Diaz Laurel has gained the reputation for being a prolific stage actress, painter, writer, poetess, set and costume designer for more than six decades.

Now at 86 years of age, Celia Diaz Laurel has a record feat of chalking up hundreds of stage plays and musicals, painting a treasure trove of artworks on different subjects, and writing / publishing books.

And yet, Celia Diaz-Laurel is still up and about to launch her latest project which is a coffee table book aptly titled ‘The Colors of My Life Celia Diaz Laurel – Painter’ on June 18 – Wednesday 4 p.m. at the Executive House located at Maramag St. corner Tavera St., Area 14, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City.

The book will be launched by the UP College of Fine Arts Alumni Foundation Inc. (UPCFAAFI) headed by its President, Romeo Carlos.

UP President Alfredo Pascual will be the guest speaker and his wife Menchu Pascual, who happens to be the Vice Pres of the UPCFAAFI, will cut the ribbon of the exhibit of some of Mrs. Laurel’s paintings.

The first part of the book which contains five chapters is the author’s personal memoirs of her early childhood in Talisay, Negros Occidental up until she moved to Manila for secondary education at Assumption Convent. The author also shares her anecdotes as a budding artist, and her college years at the University of the Philippines - College of Fine Arts located in Padre Faura. Her intrinsic talents in painting, poetry, acting were honed and brought to the forefront. Even her extra-curricular activities were worth remembering. The author also pays tribute to the different men and women that helped shape the life she has lived. The vignettes were written

unabashedly with wit and humor which all the more makes the book easier to read. This also served as the background of the courtship of her ardent admirer Salvador Laurel Jr. Another interesting chapter was the author’s tutelage from the Masters Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino --- her professors who helped mold the brand of artistry that she now carries. The final chapter dealt on her life at the U.P. Diliman campus.

Part Two aptly titled “My Works in Art” chronicles the evolution of the author’s creative artistry and prolific mastery in painting as vividly executed in a variety of subjects: Portraits – from the Diaz and Laurel clan; Personalities that continue to inspire her – like Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and her mentor Fr. James B. Reuter S.J.; foreign dignitaries; friends, figures, still life, flowers and Mother Nature.

The creative and production team of ‘The Colors of My Life Celia Diaz Laurel – Painter’ is composed of the following: Efren M. Yambot (Editor); Cocoy Laurel (Art Director); Nestor A. Malgapo, Jr. (Book Design & Cover); Annie Jaramillo Gaw (Front cover photo); Miriam R. Castillo (Project Manager), Steve Bascos (Asst. Project Manager), Giant Technologies Automation, Gadgets and Solutions, Edward Go and Gilbert Dimson (Photography); and Raffy Sanz (Technical Support).

‘The Colors of My Life Celia Diaz Laurel – Painter’ is the first of three books which Celia Diaz Laurel hopes to finish by the time when she is 86. The second book shall focus on her work in the theater as actress and production designer. The third book will share the colors of the eight decades of a truly blessed life she has lived.

Celia Diaz Laurel has also written ‘Days of Our Years: The Laurel Legacy - A Compilation of Selected Writings of Jose P. Laurel (First edition in English launched in the Philippines (1989); ‘Days of Our Years : The Laurel Legacy - Second edition in Japanese Translation launched at National Diet in Tokyo, Japan; ‘Quotes of Jose P. Laurel’ - Selected and compiled by Celia Diaz Laurel from Articles and Speeches of President Jose P. Laurel (1934- 1957) - First Edition (1991); ‘Quotes of Jose P. Laurel’

Reprinted by the Lyceum of the Philippines University - Second Edition

(2006); ‘Siniping Gintong Kaisipan ni Jose P. Laurel’ - Third Edition with Tagalog translation (2012); ‘Laurel Family Tree’ - Seven-Generation Genealogy of Laurel Family by Celia Diaz Laurel and Gloria Carandang (1991); ‘Domingo Franco’ – A mini-biography written for the 100th Anniversary of the Execution of the 13 Martyrs of Bagumbayan (1997); ‘My Lolo Domingo Franco’ - Biography of Domingo Franco, Patriot and Martyr of the Philippine Revolution (2011); ‘Doy Laurel’ - Coffee-table book about the life of Doy Laurel (2005).

Celia Diaz Laurel is the mother of eight children -- Suzie, Lynnie, Cocoy, David, Larry, Stella, Kris and Iwi – all artists in their own right, and who will be performing in a special program prepared by Cocoy.

For book reservations and inquiries, please contact Corito Melotindos at 869-7298 and 478-0575

Photo Credits

Unless otherwise credited, all photos are from the author’s collection. Every effort has been made to identify copyright-holders; in case of oversight, corrections will be made in the next editions.

Photo of University of the Philippines Padre Faura by National Archives and Records Administration of USA Bert Brandt, ACME Staff Correspondent and John T. Pilot.