The Artistic Rise of Bryan Teves from Henna to Heirlooms

In a quiet studio in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur, a former UP Baguio Fine Arts scholar is painting stories—bold, emotional, and rooted in Filipino experience. His name is Bryan Teves, and his journey from henna tattoos to high art is nothing short of inspiring.

Early in his life, Bryan made ends meet by doing henna tattoos at town festivals in Baguio. Art was always in his hands—whether temporary ink or oil on canvas. Despite having to pause his formal education due to financial struggles, he remained committed to his craft.

That perseverance bore fruit. In 2012, he won the Sining PSE Grand Prize, and by 2015, he clinched the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence Grand Award—two of the country’s most prestigious art competitions. But Bryan's art isn't driven by awards. It's grounded in emotion, often portraying familial relationships, social realism, and the inner life of ordinary Filipinos.

One of his most moving works, Sakbibi ng Galak at Tagumpay, is a double-sided painting—on one side, a mother lovingly cradles her child; on the other, the child, now grown, returns the same embrace. It captures the cyclical tenderness of family, evoking both nostalgia and hope.

Though his paintings now command high prices in auctions—some valued between ₱60,000 and ₱390,000—Bryan remains rooted. He paints from sunrise until inspiration fades, living a simple life close to home.

His advice to dreamers?“Tuloy lang.” Keep going—even in silence, even when no one’s watching.

source: Philippine Star