From death came beauty: Artist finds joy in carving animal skulls

Tebs Gomez was already 31 years old when she saw a carved skull and thought: “Hey, maybe I can make my own.”

The Pinay artist had access to a lot of skulls: She grew up in a farm in Laguna where her family raised big, beautiful animals with wide horns called Brahman cattle.

Skull-carving isn’t as popular as portraiture or photography, but her father was enthusiastic about what she wanted to do.

“He was thrilled that the Brahman cattle he raises with so much care and passion, can go beyond the plate,” Tebs said.

“It was a chance to use something that would have just been thrown away.”

The bulk of her Tebs’ works was inspired by Filipiniana fabric and embroidery, as well as cement lattices found in old houses.

She eventually learned to etch a hand-drawn pattern onto the skull, carve it out, and give it the illusion of a Solihiya weave pattern seen on traditional rattan chairs and baskets.

On top of carving, sanding, and detailing, Tebs also did the skull prepping herself. Cleaning them helped her think of what beautiful pieces the cattle’s remains could turn into.

“I love the idea of making something hard and ragged, soft and smooth but still true to its form. More than color at the moment, I am enjoying exploring textures,” Tebs said.

“I’ve learned a little bit more with each piece,” she added.

“Many of the things I’ve figured out about the actual crafting have inadvertently been useful for other aspects of my life.”

Tebs’ pieces had been featured in exhibits such as ManilArt under the Arte Pintura gallery. She spent the past few months holed up to finish three pieces that would go to Art Moments Jakarta.

These sculptures are now on display at Power Plant Mall until July 11.

Many people might not get the chance to see her work in person due to the lockdown, but Tebs is still proud to share it and create more pieces.

“I don’t know when the next show will be yet so in the meantime, I am keeping on skulling (yes, totally made that word up) at home as a means to keep sane, keep busy and then hopefully, when the (bone) dust has settled, we can plan again,” she said.

Those who are interested in Tebs Gomez’s pieces can send her an email at kumusta@tebsgomez.com.

They can also visit her website and her Facebook and Instagram accounts. – RC, GMA News