ALICIA SA MUNDONG KAGILAGILALAS (Alice in Wonderland)) Collage

An Environmental Science major, Bettina now takes her experimentation over to her studio where she plays with materials and techniques, creating pieces that straddle painting, woodworking and metal sculpture. She is largely self-taught, and over the years her works have evolved from traditional 2D paintings into art pieces that infuse painting with sculptural 3D elements. Embracing sustainable art in 2019, she recycles materials to create her pieces, combining traditional materials such as paint, wood and metal with less orthodox elements like plastics and discarded objects. It is her hope that her works will call attention to the environmental crises and offer an optimistic view that the problems created in the past can be addressed. To rise to the challenge one needs to employ creative thinking, redefine the concept of beauty, and have the audacity to mix tradition and technology. She hopes her pieces will encourage others to adopt sustainable living and become part of the solution. She is an intuitive artist and often wears her heart and mind on her artistic sleeve. Years of struggle with her bipolar condition enhanced this and she has since learned to harness and draw from her experiences to create her artworks. In 2013 she was a finalist in the GLOBE Imaginart nationwide art competition. In 2020, she was selected by a jury for the UN75 Global Conversation 2020 2nd Round exhibit and in 2021 one of her works was selected by a jury to be featured in The Social Art Award 2021 Book, launched by the Institute for Art and Innovation, Berlin. She has exhibited internationally, most recently in Belgium and Madrid.