Michi Calica Art

Michi Calica

Abstract Artist

A fashion designer for 30 years, I lost my voice after thyroid cancer, and found it again with art.

Finalist in national art competition for women, Sining Filipina 2024 non-figurative category 29 out of 350 entries.

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About the Artist

Michi Calica is a Filipino abstract artist with deep roots in the fashion industry. Her well-storied career as a fashion designer spanned over 15 years. She became known for her romantic and ethereal wedding gowns.

Every time she sat down to create a design, her goal was to prompt strangers to stop and ask,

“Where did you get this piece?”

Glowy Gradient Abstract Brush Stroke Blob

In 2021, Michi received a thyroid cancer diagnosis and had to undergo surgery. As a result, she lost her voice, and couldn’t speak for a year. She turned to art, throwing herself into creating intuitive and gestural art. Painting allowed her to express what was in her heart when no one else could hear her.

Now that her voice is back, Michi still doesn’t speak on the days she paints.

“It feels as if the sound of my voice upsets the purity of silence, and I lose my focus,” she says.

Artist’s Statement

Like fashion design, painting requires a unique point of view, an arresting composition, color palettes, and interesting textures. These are the technical elements. But there's a fifth element I infuse into my work, and it’s more personal than technique. It’s the unraveling of my soul.

At times, these are messages that hit me straight from the gut, making their way up to my heart and my hands. Some call it a flash of inspiration, but it’s more like a window of expression. I believe I've found purpose through my pain.

If you’ve ever lost your voice, you know how infuriating and humbling it is. I felt powerless. But it turned out that silence was a gift from God. The practice of showing up to paint was my way to keep it together and paved the way for me to experience joy again.

I would have never discovered the joy of painting without battling cancer. Strange as it sounds, the big C turned out to be one of the best things that happened to me as a creative.

I’m a storyteller by heart, so I embed a secret narrative in every abstract artwork. This is what I enjoy most in my process. My goal is to create art that prompts you to get lost in the piece, that is until you find what you’re looking for.”