Bea Policarpio: Improving her well-being in vibrant colors

Colors excite me. So, like moth to a flame, I found myself staring with a smile at a very colorful ocean-scape. I wasn't even aware that I knew its talented painter until she was in between me and the painting. Last I saw her was when she graduated from Ateneo with my daughter Alexandra, 10 years ago.

- MYLENE MENDOZA-DAYRIT

Colors excite me. So, like moth to a flame, I found myself staring with a smile at a very colorful ocean-scape. I wasn't even aware that I knew its talented painter until she was in between me and the painting. Last I saw her was when she graduated from Ateneo with my daughter Alexandra, 10 years ago. The glow of her art reflects in the sparkle of her eyes, it's like she and art found each other, prompting me to ask if painting improved her well-being. "Absolutely—100 percent. Painting has proven to me, time and again, that I can trust my own intuition and that it will always lead me to somewhere beautiful," said the young and talented Bea Policarpio.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: How did painting improve your well-being?

BEA POLICARPIO: Most of the time, I don't meticulously plan my pieces—unless it's for a themed series. I prefer to paint spontaneously, from the heart, as a collaboration with the present moment. This openness allows me to embrace the now—whether it holds joy, grief, or any of the shades of emotion in between.

Over time, I've realized that this mirrors how I move through life. Even in uncertainty, I've learned to trust that things have a way of unfolding—often in ways better than expected. Painting has helped me become more comfortable with uncertainty, and to see it as a feature, not a flaw, of a full life. Art has taught me that there's no singular way to make sense of the world—only layers. Some are vibrant and nuanced, others quiet and deep—and all are worth exploring. To me, beauty is a kind of resilience. And as an optimist, I choose to see it everywhere—with curiosity and a palette that's entirely my own.

Is there a reason why your paintings are in vibrant colors?