Perspectives is a series by Fineline on the impact of meaningful art in the home. In this piece, Nurse Hailee Manosca shares her love of sentimental artwork and her support for close friend Jewel Pavao. Hailee speaks about how the pieces she's purchased from Jewel have brought a sense of fun in her living space, as well as prominent messages of empowerment.

Interview with Hailee Manosca

The Beauty in Chaos

I would describe my home decor style as an organized mess. A lot of the furniture/fixtures I have around my room are compromised of things that I have either found, been given, or bought myself. There is no rhyme or reason for the things that I collect other than the fact that I either like the piece in the moment or they hold sentimental value. This eventually made my room more of a mosaic of things rather than a cohesive space.

Preserving Memories: Sentimental Art Collection

For me to have any art in my home, they must hold some sentimental value. I like to view art as a visual representation of the times - meaning that when looking at an art piece, I like to have that piece remind me of a place, time, or event that I value. By having art pieces that are sentimental to me in my home, they allow me to reflect onto the memories/messages that the piece holds whenever I need it most.

Representation and Resilience

There are two main reasons as to why I collected these pieces from Jewel – for her and her message. I like to support Jewel and her work whenever I can. She and I met in freshman year of high school, and we grew to be close friends through many shared hardships and supporting each other in our individual troubles. It is during these troubling times together that I have seen her personality evolve from unchecked ambition into strong avidity and devotion to uphold her values. And from these hardships, she developed such a zeal to empower women of colour who struggle from the cultural and societal disadvantages from their communities and their home lives by representing them through her own works. Her story and her messages of empowerment affect me personally as I, too, am a Filipina woman who struggles from the same cultural and societal disadvantages – simply for being who I am. Overall, seeing how Jewel has grown as an artist and entrepreneur makes me even prouder knowing that this came as a product of how much she has grown as an individual. I cannot help but support a good friend that represents a good cause.

Investing in Friendship

I used to study art back in high school (with Jewel) but since entering College, I have veered off into Nursing instead. I also often participate in art events that she or her friends invite me to. With this background in art, I've been able to come to appreciate Jewel's art practice even more. Jewel’s artworks are both visually and connotatively powerful in message and feeling. Superficially, her works are visually pleasing with a strong aesthetics in cards and chess. However, looking deeper into her work this aesthetic works to explain and empower the position of women (specifically women of colour) in society and see the intricate story of how Jewel relates to these struggles.

View Jewel Pavao's Fineline Collection