Name/Title
Aurora Gamboa-Spikol - Tranquility - The CarlisleDescription
As vibrant as the colors she loves, Aurora was born in Manila in 1937. The youngest of five, she left in 1964 to work with the Philippine Foreign Service, spending six years in Rome -- where she became fluent in Italian, two years in Toronto, and then thirty-four years with the World Bank in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband, Ade.
Aurora began studying art in 1990, and became an active member of the World Bank’s art society. She especially enjoys painting landscapes and still lifes. She also enjoys music and French and Italian film from the '50s and '60s.
“I’m 79. I’m happy at this stage of my life. I had the opportunity to do what I liked to do, to discover life. They say we have no time, but if you want something, you have to give time to it. The more you paint, the more you discover yourself. It’s always a challenge, but at the end, you feel so good. I see the artwork of other people here, and it’s wonderful. Everybody has their own talent. If you’re challenged, try and try. You’ll find that you have the talent; you just have to develop it!”
Aurora started taking art classes in the
evening when she was still working. She was an active member of the Art Society at the World Bank (where she worked in Washington, D.C.) which held
annual art exhibits and she had continued to
participate even after her retirement. She had
participated annually at the Glen Echo Park Labor Day Exhibits in Maryland, and also with other local
community centers while residing in D.C.
When she moved to San Francisco in 2011, Aurora took classes in Drawing and Watercolor painting for two years at the Sharon Art Studio at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. She uses the different media although she prefers oil and watercolor.
“I’m enjoying painting very much. I never knew that art painting would be part of my life. The more I paint, the more I discover myself. I am always challenged but at the end, I feel happy to see my work.”
