John Asilo
John Asilo, otherwise known as @artsiloh on social media, is an illustrator and designer based in Calgary, AB (Mohkinstis). He is currently a second year student at Alberta University of the Arts, pursuing a degree in Visual Communication Design with a concentration in Illustration. Beyond school, they remain active within their local art community, sitting as the co-director of AUArts’ first Filipino Artist Collective, Hawak Kamay Collective, working as a curator and designer for the collective’s university exhibitions and collaborations with other local Filipin/o/a/x creatives. They are a first-generation Filipino Canadian immigrant whose heritage continuously remains a source of pride and inspiration for their practice, sourcing from their own cultural narratives to explore themes of identity and belonging. Digital tools (Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate) and gouache paint remain their main tools for expression.
Pasko Asilo
Media: Digital Illustration and Layout
Pasko Asilo is an illustrated recipe book that demonstrates my family’s favourite dishes for Pasko, otherwise known as Christmas, our favourite holiday. These illustrations were taken from my recipe booklet, also titled “Pasko Asilo” with accompanying recipes. This project was in collaboration with my parents who offered their stories and fond memories, as we all revisited feelings of shared nostalgia for these dishes: Relyenong Bangus, Marikina City Everlasting, Kare Kare, Pancit Palabok, Buko Pandan, and Puto Bungbong. All illustrations were done in Adobe Illustrator, inspired by the style of risograph printing to give a vintage effect. This booklet is a love letter to Filipino food and gatherings within every aspect, from the fonts chosen for the recipe (Cubao Free, designed by Filipino type designer Aaron Amar), the plaid patterns found in the booklet (my mama’s favourite tablecloth for Pasko), and even the title being my family name, a signifier of my heritage.
