This artist fulfills big dreams by creating small things

Her first brush with miniature figures happened innocently.

"Nagsimula iyan nung maliit pa kami ng kapatid ko. Tatlo kaming babae. Nangongolekta kami ng mga Barbie dolls, eh. Hanggang sa dumami iyong collection namin, ‘no? Talagang tinatago namin," she said.

It was a hobby she picked up again with the arrival of her child.

"After getting married and then being at home with my child, I thought of starting my collection again. Sabi ko, 'Makamusta nga ulit iyong mga toys namin.' Tapos habang kinokolekta ko iyon at naghahanap ng other pieces for the collection ng mga doll accessories, may mga objects na hindi kami mahanap o hindi makita, so I decided to just make them myself," Lodriga said.

She started posting her pieces on social media, and it was there where she met people who were also into miniatures.

"Nag-start iyong PM (personal message) tapos padadalhan ako ng picture. So in exchange for pictures, ideas and some questions, I advise kung bagay nga iyong gusto nilang kulay kasi tatanungin ko, 'Para saan? Anong setup? Anong manika? Anong style ang hinahanap nung kliyente?' Minsan sasabihin nila, minsan hindi kasi medyo secretive sila, ano? Kasi ‘di nga kami nagkikita so I just produce it the way they want it, the way they like it," she said.

According to Lodriga, making miniatures is about the details.

"It's about the elements, the mood, more lines. More lines better, more details better, more colors also better. Kasi ang miniaturizing dapat iyong malaking object na totoo paliliitin mo so lahat ng detalye na makikita mo, dapat nandun sa miniature. So that's what makes it look real and that's what makes it miniature."

"Wala namang limitations kasi pwede naman nating gamitin ang kahit na anong material — tela, powder, sand, pwede naman iyon. But the challenge is the painting, the actual putting together of the colors, also the size. So dapat scaled everything," she added.

Lodriga's talent in crafts-making was honed when she took up architecture in college. Her background helped her fulfill her childhood longing to create, although it wasn’t exactly the way she imagined it.

"I had wanted to be an artist pero niri-rear ako mag-architecture. I took up architecture, which is a good course. I loved it. I loved the design process. Merong strict process, merong study, bukod doon, mayroon din creativity iyong architecture but I think mas nagustuhan ko iyong pag-create ng hindi lang structure o linya, gusto ko rin iyong organic shapes. Mga sculptural figures, mga halaman, mga toys," she said.

It didn’t take long before Lodriga found a better outlet to express her creativity.

Soon, she was convinced there was no use finishing her course.

"Isang taon na lang nga thesis na ako, pero nasilaw ako sa excitement. I said I'll start working already. Hindi na ako makapag-antay na magwork na sa college — sa isang firm and then build from there. I want to build already," she said.

Besides working on miniatures, Lodriga also teaches in three schools as a part-time art teacher. Her husband, Wed, is also an educator.

"Gusto ko talaga maging art teacher at magturo. At gusto ko nga ma-satisfy iyong hunger ng students for this kind of learning for art. I managed to study in the Philippine High School for the Arts where I learned more about the arts and I said I want to teach this," she said.

On weekends, Lodriga and her husband continue working on their respective passion projects.

It is no wonder that their 7-year-old, Wish, has picked up on her parents’ artistic interests.

"Kadalasan nanonood lang siya. From there naaalala niya na paano gawin. So nakakatuwa na makita na instead na panay siya nagti-TV o nagga-gadgets mas marami siyang oras na ginagamit with her hands — gumagawa at naglalaro," Lodriga said.

"So papabayaan muna namin siya gawin her way. Pagka-nagkaproblema siya, nagtanong, sasagutin namin agad tapos papakita namin kung paano."

This encouraging environment enables Lodriga to grow as an artist along with her family.

"Sabi nga ng professor namin noon, 'Art is a lifestyle, it's something you do.' It's not a compromise. So if you have to work on a project, work on it because it has to get done. And it's not for you to finish, it's for the whole world to see. Your art is for an audience, not just a personal thing. So gusto namin ipakita na kaming artists, may disiplina in doing this," Lodriga said.

In the last seven years, she has been able to make her clients’ wishes come to life through miniature art.

Lodriga ’s life has been a play on scales. She proves that there are no small or big aspirations. It’s all about one’s perspective and the effort you put in to make your dreams come to life.