'WHISPERS IN WATERCOLOR'

The cake maker is also a painter. In both ventures, she is prolific and excellent.

- BÜM D. TENORIO, JR.

'Elk - A New Day,' watercolor, 16" x 21" Penk Ching with her 'teacher in life' Rachy Cuna

Penk Ching, whose famous Pastry Bin cakes (a collaboration with her sister Shen Ratilla) have become part of many a celebration in high society and the corridors of power, formally launched her one-woman watercolor exhibit titled “Whispers in Watercolor” last Monday at Chef Jessie’s in Rockwell, Makati. The exhibit of 27 exquisite watercolor artworks will run until the end of December.

On the walls of Chef Jessie’s can be found a number of ballerina paintings, perhaps Penk’s ode to her unrealized childhood dream of becoming one even if the dance studio was just a stone’s throw away from her house. Ballet classes then started at 2:30 p.m. Penk’s classes ended at 4 p.m. And her parents didn't want her to miss classes.

Somehow, somewhere, the ballerina that she wanted to be did a grand plié, an arabesque and a pirouette all at the same time on the many canvases of Penk. She may be a frustrated ballerina but her pure love for the dance is evident in Little Ballerina in Blue (10” x 7”) where a child daintily does a pirouette.