By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO (jGLi) – Claireyenne Malanyaon-Leuterio does not mind if others will try to claim her mantle as the “official painter” of Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao for as long Manny considers her his “personal” painter.

When other painters try to get Manny’s attention, Ms. Malanyaon-Leuterio believes that it comes with the territory. She likens Manny to a ripe fruit that attracts insects.

In fact, Claireyenne even thanked ABS-CBN online writer, Dennis Gasgonia, for describing one Mr. Jun Aquino as Mr. Pacquiao’s “official painter” but she believes she still has an inside track as far as Manny’s choice of a painter is concerned.

This was not the first time that someone was trying to ease Claireyenne out of “Team Pacquiao.” During the press conference last February announcing the welterweight bout between Manny Pacquiao and Sugar Shane Mosley, someone suggested that Claireyenne should change her “name and signature” in her paintings into “something masculine” so that her paintings will be more acceptable in a sports dominated by men.

But she just dismissed the “sexist” suggestion because she believes many women in history like Georgia O’Keeffe and Yoko Ono also deserve to be recognized for their contributions in the art world.

HAVE MANNY’S AUTHORIZATION LETTER

C laireyenne believes that for as long as Manny has not yet taken back Manny’s signature from a letter authorizing her to “use my (Manny Pacquiao’s) image and signature for limited edition multiples. This authorization extends to her paintings of my previous title fights, whether signed or unsigned by me and to render other paintings or art works using my image and signature, as my personal artist,” she still commands Manny’s full trust and confidence as his official artist.

Claireyenne also thanked Mr. Recah Trinidad, well-known Filipino sports columnist, for supporting her after learning that someone else other than Claireyenne is also representing himself as Mr. Pacquiao’s “official” painter.

Claireyenne now wants to get this issue behind her so she can make plans to hold art exhibits of her Manny’s paintings ahead of the Nov. 12 fight between Manny and Mexican world champion Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

She said she is hopeful that she will be able to hold an arts exhibit of Manny’s paintings at the Philippine Consulate General’s office in San Francisco, California before the Pacquiao-Marquez bout.

In a statement, Claireyenne said that as the People’s Champ opened the sports-art door for her three years ago, “I’ve done the country proud as well in pioneering and establishing this visual art – sports category.

MANNY, MARQUEZ AUTOGRAPH HER PAINTING

“T o have Manny and Mr. Marquez personally signed the title fight painting which I have rendered and had presented recently is another honor for me. The years of chronicling/documenting Manny's title fights on canvas and in mural form would not have been all possible without the blanket authority; copyright documents that Manny himself bestowed on me.”

A physical therapist by profession, Claireyenne held her first art exhibit featuring Manny Pacquiao at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas during Manny’s bout with Miguel Cotto on November of 2009.

She said, “I take pride being the first woman sports-artist who dared to paint the greatest Filipino sports icon breaking the world record in a male dominated art genre.

“For this, the (Philippine) House of Representatives has given me recognition as the First Filipina sports-artist.

”I am proud to hold the honor of being the only woman sports-artist in the world!”
A native of Quezon City in the Philippines, Claireyenne credits her memberships with the Saturday group of artist and Art Association of the Philippines since 1998 as instrumental in showcasing her talent and the series of group and solo shows in the Philippines and overseas that sealed her early years of being a visual artist.

Claireyenne has painted Pacquiao’s famous conquests of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, David Diaz, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at: (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)