They found refuge and meaning in art

PENK Ching, LeaPuzon-Consulta, Marigene Flores Garcia, Peter Ng, Margaret Sy,Imelda Tan, Miriam Gonzaga-Daway, Corinne Juliano-Salazar and TessFenix

This cozy corner of a restaurant in Quezon City is never quiet on Mondays when two lawyers, two homemakers, a high-profile cake designer, a food technologist, a retired interior designer, a teenage student and the businesswoman who owns the joint, hold their weekly art class.

The Green Monday group comes together to learn art from three mentorsLupicino Peter Ng, Roland Santos and Cesar Cheng.

But seeing them in action one afternoon, an observer would note that the art sessions are mostly a cover.

Green Monday (named after the members constant state of mind) is part sorority, part Joy Luck Club (without the mah-jongg), part bull session, part diners club. The members eat and tell stories. Once in a while, they hold a paintbrush and do their thing.

The company is golden. No wonder many stay long after the restaurant has closed for the night.

Cake designer Penk Ching invited Inquirer Lifestyle to see her (mostly) ladies in action. Eight of the members are female. Nineteen-year-old Daniel Ratilla, a Fine Arts student, seems like the odd man out. He insists, however, that were one big happy family. Everyone is very motherly.

Green Monday holds its second exhibit at Chef Jessie at Rockwell Club on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Jewelry designer Wynn Wynn Ong and Ballet Philippines president Margie Moran-Floirendo will cut the ribbon at the opening.

Penk, Miriam Gonzaga-Daway (lawyer), Ma. Theresa Tess Fenix (interior designer), Maria Eugenia Marigene Flores Garcia (stay-at-home mom), Corinne Juliano-Salazar (homemaker), Margaret Sy (businesswoman), Imelda Tan (food technologist), Lea Puzon-Consulta (lawyer) and Ratilla will each show between seven and eight watercolors.

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They found refuge and meaning in art