Why Should Women Never Hesitate to Take Up Space in the Art World?
On our Women in Arts Network, we’re excited to share an interview with Filipino-born, California-based painter Airies Bagalawis-Olaes. This conversation takes us through her journey and philosophy, how her figurative oil portraits and symbolic details open up discussions around resilience, the layered nature of womanhood, and the quiet strength carried in everyday stories. She recounts how painting shifted from a refuge in times of change to a career that has taken her work to exhibitions in the Philippines, the USA, Monaco, and Italy.
Airies discusses the moment when a painting begins to “work,” her approach to balancing studio discipline with daily responsibilities, and the layered methods she employs with oils on canvas. She also shares her hopes for the future: taking her work to new audiences, sparking dialogue across borders, and helping women feel seen through her paintings.
What we take away is a grounded perspective. Airies trusts consistency over spectacle, measures progress through the authenticity of her images, and encourages artists to hold on to their vision even in uncertain times. Her parting advice to readers and aspiring creators is striking yet straightforward: allow yourself to be visible, stay true to yourself, and never hesitate to take up space.
I am Airies Bagalawis-Olaes, a Filipino-born artist now based in California. My work explores the resilience, complexity, and beauty of womanhood through figurative oil paintings. Through symbolic portraits, I intertwine strength, vulnerability, and the hidden narratives women carry within themselves. I have exhibited in the Philippines, the USA, Monaco, and Italy, allowing my art to connect with diverse audiences across cultures. My creative philosophy is to portray womanhood as both fragile and robust, capturing the courage to rise through struggles and the quiet strength that defines our stories. Each painting becomes a dialogue of resilience, inviting viewers to see fragments of their own journey reflected in it.
1. How did you get started in your art career?
I began painting as a personal refuge during moments of change. What started as a way to ground myself grew into a body of work that resonated with others. Over time, I began sharing my art in exhibitions, first in the Philippines, then internationally in the USA, Monaco, and Italy. The response encouraged me to embrace art not just as a passion but as a career.
I know it’s working when the piece begins to feel alive on its own. It’s that moment when the balance between form and emotion comes together and the painting starts telling its own story.
Airies Bagalawis-Olaes
2. When you’re creating something new, what makes you pause and say, This is working?
I know it’s working when the piece begins to feel alive on its own. It’s that moment when the balance between form and emotion comes together, and the painting begins to tell its own story, rather than me forcing one onto it. That’s when I pause and recognise its truth.
3. How do you balance your personal life with your art career?
Art has become an integral part of my rhythm, rather than something separate from life. I balance it by treating painting as both a discipline and a therapy. While managing work and personal responsibilities, I view my studio time as a grounding experience. Even short, consistent moments with the canvas allow me to keep creating without losing touch with my personal life. Instead of competing, art enriches and sustains it.
4. How do you envision the future of your art and its impact on the world?
I envision my art as a continuing conversation about strength, identity, and resilience, especially for women. I hope that my work will inspire people to embrace their own struggles as part of their beauty and power. In the future, I see my art travelling further, sparking dialogue in more international spaces, and becoming a voice for women who often go unheard. If my work can make even one person feel seen or empowered, then it has served its purpose.
Stay true to your vision, even when it feels uncertain. The more you allow yourself to be vulnerable and authentic in your work, the stronger your connection with others will be.
Airies Bagalawis-Olaes
5. What mediums and techniques do you primarily work with?
I primarily work with oil on canvas, as I love the depth, richness, and timeless quality it brings to a piece. I often build my paintings in layers, combining figurative forms with symbolic details like florals and statuesque elements. This layering creates both visual and emotional depth, inviting viewers to see new meanings the longer they look.
6. Do you have any parting words of wisdom for our readers or aspiring artists?
Stay true to your vision, even when it feels uncertain. Art is not about perfection; it’s about honesty. The more you allow yourself to be vulnerable and authentic in your work, the stronger your connection with others will be. And never be afraid to take up space with your art, your voice matters.
Airies Bagalawis-Olaes paints stories of womanhood that hold both fragility and resilience. Through her layered oil portraits, she captures the quiet strength that women carry, inviting viewers to see fragments of their journeys mirrored in her work.
From her beginnings as a painter, using art as a form of grounding, to her international exhibitions, her path demonstrates how art can evolve into a conversation across cultures. What we learn from her journey is the value of consistency, the courage to take up space, and the belief that even in moments of struggle, beauty and strength continue to emerge.
To learn more about Airies, visit the links below.
