Join us as we explore the stories of two talented Filipino American creatives on the Andrews University campus, Chloee de Leon and Franky Paypa!
Chloee de Leon (sophomore, graphic design)
“My mom was very much aware that I was an artistic child.”
Chloee has loved art since she was young. An only child until she was seven years of age, Chloee had the opportunity to explore her interests and express them in a creative manner. She had a passion for music, dance, and art from the very beginning.
Born in the Philippines, Chloee moved to Canada when she was just two years old. It was during those early years in Canada that she developed her love for the arts. When she is creating, shapes and colors evolve in a way that makes each design unique. Organization, cleverness, and intricacy define Chloee's work. She is able to match the vibe, energy, and theme that she is trying to portray.
During her high school years, Chloee had the chance to attend art school, which further provided a gateway into the arts. Being immersed in this creative and vibrant aura led her to choose graphic design as her major. Chloee loves color and playing around with texture, which are two big assets in Filipino culture. Her culture has also played a part in showcasing her artistic talent. Her mom, her role model and inspiration, has always supported her creative side. She saw how much Chloee loved the arts, so she made sure to provide ways for Chloee to immerse herself in them.
“My mom would frequently put on the Filipino dances and plays at church, so at home I would be her dance partner and also help her make all the props and crafts.”
It was through this that she learned that Filipinos loved color, especially bright and vibrant hues, which exemplifies ‘Pinoy’ pride. Textures, like rocks and anything else in nature, are often integrated into art, compelling Chloee to incorporate some of these textures and beautiful colors into her own work. It is through the arts that Chloee is able to illustrate the beauty of Filipino culture.
Franky Paypa (senior, physical therapy)
Megan Batoon, a Filipino creative, has played an important role in Franky’s life. Franky has been following Megan since she was a little girl. Megan broke away from the stereotype of the ‘Filipino nurse’ and decided to abandon a higher education in order to pursue what she loved most. She has explored so many areas of interest, discovered her own niche, and become a very successful individual. Franky looks up to Megan, inspired to not be so hung up on what her Filipino community and parents expect of her. Franky, a first year grad student in the PT graduate program, expects to accomplish more than just her major.
“PT will not be the end all, be all—especially creatively.”
Franky will continue to do a lot of her creative art after school, whether she be playing music at church or performing in a play. But this all stems from Franky's background in the arts. Franky has been heavily involved in the arts since she was a young girl. Growing up, her house was filled with original Pinoy music. Surrounded by her classic, cultural music as a young child, she developed a love for her culture art.
Her talent and Filipino pride has been expressed through a variation of dance, instruments, theater, and directing, which included directing PCN last year. PCN stands for Pilipino Cultural Night and essentially is a production that celebrates and showcases Filipino history and culture. As the director, she was able to re-use a script written by an Andrews alum, but she added some of her own flair to it and used the music and script to dive deeper into each character. This involved immersing herself in their world by using ‘what’ questions and using this as a guide to help portray the characters’ drives and motivations.
“This is how I approach a lot of things.”
Ranging from concertmaster, to choral director, to the acapella music director, to jazz band musician, Franky has engaged in a wide variety of genres and positions. It is through these different experiences that she has had the opportunity to engross herself into each one and incorporate some of that ambiance into her own work.
You can often hear Chloee's rich vocals on various praise sets around campus, and you can see Franky—who is also AUSA's Executive Secretary—playing her violin expertly and expressively at campus events.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.