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Jose “Pitok” Villonez Blanco
Jose “Pitok” Villonez Blanco, a famous and renowned muralist from Angono Rizal, Philippines was born on March 19, 1932. His father, Ismael Blanco and mother, Manuela practiced fishing at Laguna de Bay as their primary source of livelihood.

He studied at University of Santo Tomas CAFA- College of Architecture and Fine Arts in 1951. He graduated 1955 with honors having the best thesis award. After graduating in college, he worked for as an advertising director. He married Loreto “Loring” Perez on June 22, 1961 and was very blessed with seven children. And  after some years of working, in 1971, he decided to be a full-time artist-painter. August 14, 2008, he experienced heart failure at the age of 76 that made it as the cause of his death.

Folk Realism
Pitok is known for his distinct style- folk realism. It is expressing the earthly colors and reality usually depicting his personal thought, experience and emotion portraying his own town’s culture, tradition and festivities that made him truly an Angono’s pride. He has that distinct approach in painting huge canvases, and oil paint as his medium.

He had his one-man show/ exhibit of paintings in cities of United States specifically New York, Washington, Asia and also in Europe.

All of his children namely, Glenn as their first, then Noel as second, Michael- third, Joy, Jan, Gay and Peter Paul as their “bunso” and as well as their mother who was the last who handled a paint brush also knew how to paint. They do not have professional training lessons but they do photorealistic paintings. They also all adapted their father’s painting style. Each child has their own unique style and theme that made them difference from all.

Pitok Blanco together with his family had their first exhibition in 1978 at National Museum. “Bunggan”, an inverted fish, is what the family’s personal symbol. It is named after their great grandfather Juan who was at that time a fisherman. The symbol was like a bloated dead fish that was eventually called a bunggan.

For those long years they enjoyed painting, they established their own museum in Angono, the Art Capital of the Philippines. Each of the members of the family has his/ her painting/s displayed on walls. They are showing their collections of paintings, drawings, sketches, etc in public viewing.

Blanco Family Members
Glenn Blanco, the eldest of the children started very young in painting. His subject painting is usually concerning the society in the Philippines. Noel Blanco, inspired for his still, and undisturbed characteristic of water. The third son was Michael Blanco, known for his paintings of human-animal relation and interaction. Joy Blanco was the eldest daughter of Pitok. She’s funned of painting Peter Paul, their “bunso”, as her subject. Cultural environment is also her forte in painting, giving her most intricate detailed. Jan Blanco, his common themes are birds and portraits. Gay Blanco, started when she was 3 years old. Peter Paul was the youngest of all. He started painting at 11 months old. Loring, the wife, the last family member that ever hold a paint brush. Her motherly love was always shown in her paintings depicting the mother-child bonding times. Everyone has their own and distinct taste in painting and this is what made them unique out of all.

Blanco Museum
Blanco Family Museum locates at 312 Ibanez Street Angono Rizal opens everyday, 9:00 up until 11:00 am and 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm. This is where every Blanco family member displayed his or her masterpieces for more than 3 decades. Unfortunately, there were paintings that were stolen and have not yet retrieved.

Blanco Family, not only one of Angono’s finest but also a pride of Philippine Arts being the perfect example of a “ classic Filipino Value”.

Sources:

 * http://www.geni.com/people/Jose-Pitok-Blanco/6000000002372706485
 * http://angonorizal.weebly.com/blanco-family-museum.html
 * http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20080815-154739/Jose-Blanco-Angono-folk-muralist-dies-76
 * http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/2419-A-sentimental-journey.html
 * http://trooperssearch.wordpress.com/blanco-arts-museum/
 * http://biyaherongbarat.com/2012/10/26/rizal-province-maestro-pitok-blanco-his-family-their-craft-and-museum-in-angono/