My daughter, Holly, loves making art. She’s shown interest since she was a toddler and has improved over the years since the day she learned to hold a pencil.
She’s seven now and loves spending her free time making all kinds of colored sketches. I want to continue exposing her to what the art world has to offer, so I promised to bring her to the Art Bar once we visit Manila. ✈️
Located in Serendra, the Art Bar has pretty much everything an artist needs to do their best work. Canvases, easels, high-quality pencils, brush pens, and the like fill the glass shelves of this 2-storey shop. They carry art supplies and writing tools made in Germany, Japan, and the USA. They also host workshops for up-and-coming artists wanting to learn to improve their skills.
Holly and I made a beeline for this place as soon as we arrived last Friday, August 4th. We flew in to attend Jayson’s friend’s wedding as part of the entourage—Jayson as the cord bearer, Holly as a flower girl. ?
Once we’re settled in at the hotel, we took a taxi and headed for Global City for lunch. Holly wouldn’t stop asking if we could leave the restaurant and check the place out. As soon as we paid the bill, she and I stepped into the store while her dad went looking for his tux for the wedding.
Art Bar: the storefront
As someone with 0% knowledge about art, I was awestruck at how much this place stocked art supplies. There were fountain pens, pencils, colored pencils, brush pens, calligraphy pens, and all kinds of tools for just about any kind of medium.
Holly darted left and right like a bee to honey. She kept asking what this tube of paint is for or what this pen is used for. As much as I wanted to help her choose, I didn’t know what any of these things were for or for what skill level.
Holly at the Art Bar
The store sections the majority of its stock of art/writing tools and materials by brand. I was surrounded by Tombow, Palomino Blackwing, Caran d’Ache, Sakura Koi, and Faber-Castell, most of which I knew very little of. They even have a stand chock full of Lamy fountain and ballpoint pens near the entrance.
If you’re looking for canvases, watercolor and sketching paper, and tubes of watercolor paint to replenish your own stock, the second floor carries all that + art books and manuals for art enthusiasts.
First floor of the Art Bar
Despite my lack of knowledge, I enjoyed being surrounded by so much color and creativity. It’s truly a haven for painters, calligraphers, and illustrators of different backgrounds and skill levels.
The staff were also nice enough to answer my questions and make recommendations so we wouldn’t spend for something that was beyond Holly’s current set of skills and knowledge.
Holly’s first purchase
She eventually chose the Sakura Koi 30-color watercolor field set, which comes with its own pan and refillable water brush. I also picked out a set of Canson Montval® paper so she’d have paper to use if she decides to paint while at the hotel.
I hope that she enjoys this place and that she’ll be just as inspired to improve her skills and make artwork that’s just as beautiful as what hung on the Art Bar’s walls. And if Cyrus or Noah ever shows interest in art in the future, I’d be more than happy to take them to the Art Bar as well.
The Art Bar by Powerbooks Serendra is located at 1/F Serendra Piazza, McKinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio, Bonifacio Global City. If it helps, it’s to the right of the Japanese katsu restaurant Saboten BGC, which was where we had our lunch. ?
Resources:
- Art Bar Facebook and Instagram feeds
- “Art Bar in Serendra is the newest haven for painters and crafters” feature on Spot.ph
- Check out this free watercolor basics class by Canada-based illustrator Sandra Bowers on Skillshare
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