Emmanuel “Emman” Silva, renowned watercolor painter known for his exceptional command of brushstrokes and realism, unveiled a one-man exhibition at Gallery Genesis in Estancia Mall, Pasig City, last June 6, 2026, offering collectors and art enthusiasts a glimpse into his latest collection.

“Songs of Land and Sea”, the exhibition features works inspired by the Philippine flowers and captures the essence of rural fisherfolk life.

“The florals are one of my earliest works, so that's the part where I really painted a lot. 
I have more experience. And the new series I have is the waterscape, the human interest, the fisherman series. They are mostly from Pangasinan. I actually have to live in Pangasinan for quite some time to experience the people there. I want to present a story, not just from taking photographs and going on them so that I can describe the feeling. I have enjoyed it,” said Silva detailing the story of his creative process.

The exhibition features a total of 40 works, showcasing vibrant interpretations of blooming flowers and strikingly realistic depictions of fisherfolk life, including coastal landscapes dotted with fishing boats and ships.

“There are a lot of uncertainties regarding being a full time artist, and I wouldn't prefer to become a businessman or to be someone else that practices my profession as an engineer, but probably  it was that put me in here, despite all the mistakes that happened in my life to be presenting to you the masterpieces that I have prepared for this exhibition,” Silva expressed in his opening speech marking his 10th year into being a full time artist.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was led by Gallery Genesis President Patrice Salas, The Manila Times President and COO Blanca Mercado, Actress Gwen Zamora and musical theater actress Carla Guevara Laforteza. 

Marveling at the stroke of his journey

Though he has spent more than two decades as a painter, Silva did not begin with watercolor. He initially worked in oil and acrylic, but the demanding process of painting on canvas and the long drying time of oils eventually led him to discover the unique appeal of watercolor.

“I was intrigued by watercolor. Because one time I joined a competition and I saw watercolor paintings. 
So I said to myself, oh okay, that can be done in watercolor. And it was not easy. So it became a challenge for me to understand watercolor and to paint in watercolor. 
And I realized there's not a lot of people doing watercolor painting. So that actually became interesting to me,” the artist uttered. 

Silva is a two-time winner of the 31st and 35th Kulay sa Tubig Watercolor Competition, the Philippines’ longest-running and one of its most prestigious watercolor competitions organized by Gallery Genesis. He has also represented the country internationally at the Universal Watercolor Exposition in China.

Imparting an important lesson in his career so far, Silva says that an artist’s goal is not to sell but to share the joy in what you do. 

“You have to be fulfilled with your work first, because the reason why you're painting is not for anyone else, but for you as an artist and you can only give back when you're full of it to the world. Try to focus first on what makes you happy. 
That's everything that matters. If you're content and you're happy with your work, that's the only thing that's the most important. You have already succeeded in your work,” he concluded. 

The exhibition will run until June 30, 2026, at Gallery Genesis, located on the 2nd Floor, North Wing Estancia Mall, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.