Val Villanueva

Visual Artist

Valente P. Villanueva, also known as Val, is a pioneering force in Visual Art in Samar and Leyte, co-founding the Leyte Samar Art Association (LEYSARTA) in 1979. Hailing from Calbayog City, he advises and actively participates in the Calbayog City Visual Art Association (CCVAA) and the newly formed Samar Visual Art Association (SVAA).

Val’s expertise lies in realistic landscapes, seascapes, and figurative art, displayed through mediums like watercolor, acrylic, and oil. His dedication to artistic principles has led to a unique free-form abstraction style resembling harmonious rock formations and intricate figures. These brushstrokes, both solid and soft, magnify microscopic details into macro-level illumination, creating subjects of unparalleled shapes, hues, and beauty.

With a Doctor of Philosophy from the Technological University of the Philippines, Val’s teaching career spans Northwest Samar State University. He boasts four solo exhibitions, numerous group shows, and a trove of awards, including the 1996 Honorable Mention in the Philippine Art Award, 1998’s Third Placer in the 5th Litras Figuras contest, and finalist distinctions in events like the 2006 Nature in Abstraction exhibit and the 2021 National Quincentennial Art Competition.