THE FISH SYMBOL, THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES AND MY FISH SERIES HOME FURNISHINGS

Posted on July 6, 2011 by jojo vito

REPOSTED FROM   WWW.THEHAPPYTRIP.COM

“Vito’s Panong #8 Fish Series. A seven pieces “Tilapia Fishes” made of fiber glass and mounted on a rustic Molave base.”

Fish symbol.  You see them on the back of automobiles everywhere. Occasionally, you see them worn on necklaces or bracelets. I used t have a fish symbol as key chain and pins .
Those little fish symbols. Just what are they? What do they mean? What are they suppose to symbolize?
FISH SYMBOL TO THE CHRISTIANS
Ichthus (ikh-thoos) or ichthys is the Greek word simply meaning “fish”.
The Greek spelling for ichthus is — Iota, Chi, Theta, Upsilon, and Sigma.  The English translation is IXOYE.  The five Greek letters stand for the words meaning, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” The Greek rendering is, “Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter”.
This symbol was used primarily amongst Christians of the early church years (1st and 2nd century A.D.) The symbol was introduced from Alexandria, Egypt; which at the time, was a very heavily populated seaport. It was the port in which many goods were brought over from the European continent. Because of this, it was first used by the peoples of the sea as a symbol of a familiar deity, in this case, Jesus Christ.  The symbol was later used as a means of identifying or acknowledging a fellow believer in Christ without the need for any verbal communication being exchanged.


” Vito’s Golden Carp, also available in silver”
FISH SYMBOL TO THE CHINESE
To the chinese a fish represents wealth and prosperity . Twin golden carp swimming atop a golden yuanbao/ ingot/ coin is an even better sign. Not only wealth, abundance, but love, domestic felicity, partnership, tenacity, hence fertility, hence renewal is symbolised. Koi fish   either black or red, also symbolizes wealth and success. As with most Chinese symbols, the carp has a legend attached to it. According to legend, the carp is noted for its strength and bravery because it swims against the current, upwards, ‘mastering’ falls and ending up at a gate on the Yellow River called Dragon Gate. The carp turns into the revered Celestial Dragon when it makes a final leap over the last rapids.
FISHING INDUSTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Fishing is a PhP50 billion industry in the Philippines, contributing about 4% of the country’s GNP. With an annual production volume of 2.4 million metric tons of fish, it directly provides livelihood and employment to over one million Filipinos. Tuna is among the 200 or so species of fish found in the country that have high commercial value. The Philippines ranks 7th among the top tuna producing countries in the world, both in terms of fresh/frozen tuna and canned tuna.

“Vito’s Panong #1, a school of tuna fishes. Available in silver, and in red & gold combination.”

GENERAL SANTOS CITY: TUNA INDUSTRY
As early as 1970, General Santos City has been tagged as the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”. The total daily catch of adult and juvenile tuna unloaded in the city can surpass that of any other fishport or even the entire unloadings of all other fish ports in the country combined (Aprieto, 1995). The daily catch is easily disposed for foreign and local buyers. The city, being the sanctuary of seven (7) tuna canning factories with an average daily capacity of 750 MT per day and employs around 7,800 plant workers (GEM) the volume of catch on a per day basis is even insignificant as to the distribution of the market.
As of September of the previous year alone, the total catch has reached a voluminous 5,031, 866 kilos where ‘sashimi” grade adult tuna comprises 35 % or about 1,774,922 kilos. The locally distributed adult tuna for local consumption ate the largely 65% chunk and distributed to neighboring cities of Davao, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Surigao, South Cotabato and as far Japan and the U.S., skipjack for canned markets in Europe and North America.
“Vito’s Panong #3. A 3-panel wall decor, also available in green & silver combination and antique silver and gold.”
MY “FISH” SERIES HOME FRNISHINGS
Inspired by the fish, I designed a series of Fish inspired home furnishings which comes in the form of wall décor and table top home accessory. I called the collection, “Panong”. “Panong” is a vernacular term for the word “school or group”. The collection is basically a scholl of fish which comes in many forms.
These collection is available at the Negros Showroom in Bacolod and Sofamore in Davao. I have also made several version of these collections having the specs of the buyers.

“Vito’s Panong #4. Available in silver and blue combination and antique gold and silver combination”
VITO can be reached at (034) 433-5965. We do  custom made home furnishings.

VITO’S OTHER DESIGNS:

http://www.thehappytrip.com/2011/07/philippines-palay-rice-inspired-home-furnishings-by-vito/

References:
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/gold_fish.htm
http://askville.amazon.com/significance-fish-symbol-cars-Christian-religion/
http://www.gensantos.gov.ph/tuna-industry/

MIRRORS by VITO

MIRRORS (Preparing for the 26TH NEGROS TRADE FAIR-Part 1)

Posted on July 25, 2011 by jojo vito

 

RESPOSTED FROM WWW.THEHAPPYTRIP.COM 

The i Negros 26th Negros Trade Fair (NTF), the longest running provincial fair in the country is set on September 28-October 2 at Rockwell Tent, Makati City.
Being a member of the Association of Negros Producers and as the Chair for this year’s Negros Trade Fair ,I have been preparing a lot for this important event. I have to do two preparations: first being the chair, which gives me so much stress as this is my first and; second being a producer.
Being a producer, joining a show outside your own province is quite challenging. Challenge in terms of financial requirement and  product development among others. I have to give my best each time I join a show  such as Negros Trade Fair— I have to recover my investment and I must meet good buyers booth wholesalers and individual consumers.
Part of the ensemble I will be bringing this year are my collections of decorative mirrors. I love mirrors. To me  it symbolizes truth …a mirror hanging on the wall reflects exactly what it sees.  A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror.  The most familiar type of mirror is the plane mirror, which has a flat surface. Curved mirrors are also used, to produce magnified or diminished images or focus light or simply distort the reflected image usually this is used in stores.

Mirrors are commonly used for personal grooming or admiring oneself  , its is used as decorations, and for architecture.
I designed my mirrors booth for decorations and functions.
Vito mirrors are now available at the Negros Showroom-Lacson and soon in Negros Showroom -Robinsons which will be opened in September 2011. Vito mirrors are also exclusively distributed in Davao by The Sofamore.

PEARL JEWELRIES @ iNEGROS- THE 26TH NEGROS TRADE FAIR

Posted on August 6, 2011 by jojo vito

 

REPOSTED FROM WWW.THEHAPPYTRIP.COMTHE HAPPY TRIP.COM

FRESH WATER PEARLS COMBINED WITH AGATE

In preparation for the 26th NEGROS TRADE FAIR on September 28-October 2, 2011 (Rockwell Tent, Makati City) of the ASSOCIATION OF NEGROS PRODUCERS . I’ve decided to share with you some products which we intend to bring to the fair. I have already shared with you some mirrors which we will bringing, and now I thought of featuring fresh water pearls accessories which many women loved.
Pearl is the official birthstone for the month of June as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is also the birthstone for the Sun Signs of Gemini and Cancer.
An organic gem, pearls are formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. They are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk’s shell. A lustrous substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk. As layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is formed. Light that is reflected from these overlapping layers produces a characteristic iridescent luster. This process of building a solid pearl can take up to seven or eight years.

BIWA PEARLS FROM JAPAN WITH CRYSTALS

The most valuable pearls are perfectly symmetrical, relatively large and naturally produced. They have a shimmering iridescence which is called orient luster. The principal oyster beds lay in the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India and Sri Lanka, and in the Red Sea. Chinese pearls come mainly from freshwater rivers and ponds, whereas Japanese pearls are found near the coast in salt water.
There are many types of pearls:
natural pearls(made without human interference),                                                                                     
cultured pearls (made when a foreign substance is intentionally inserted into a living oyster. This method was first used in 1893),
baroque pearls (pearls that have irregular shapes),
Biwa pearls (an irregular shaped pearl which forms in the freshwater of Lake Biwa, Japan), blister pearls (pearls which grow attached to the inside of the shell),
black pearls (gray to black pearls),
freshwater pearls (pearls which form in fresh water mollusks and resemble puffed rice),
Mabe pearls (cultivated blister pearls ),
seed pearls (small, tiny pearls used in Victorian jewelry and sewn on clothing).

FRESH WATER PEARLS WITH CRYSTAL EARRINGS

Pearls vary in color from white to those with a hint of color, often pink, to brown or black. Each coloration will depend on the type of mollusk and the water where the mollusk lived. Because the nacre is organic, pearls are very sensitive to extreme heat, acids, dryness, and humidity. Care should be taken when storing them.
Peals are extremely versatile. Its is easy to pair it with other materials in jewelry making. In my designs of pearl jewelries, I would normally combine pearls with other materials such as crystals and other semi-precious stones. Aside from having an all  stranded   pearl jewelry, I am sure that most women nowadays would love to  experiment wearing pearls with other components.


References: www.bernardine.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl

BLACK ONYX @ iNEGROS-THE 26TH NEGROS TRADE FAIR

Posted on August 7, 2011 by jojo vito

Reposted from www.thehappytrip.com 

ONYX WITH SMOKEY QUARTS

Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz.
The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (not
including shades such as purple, blue, or black). Commonly, specimens of
onyx contain colors of white, tan, and brown. Sardonyx is a
variant in which the colored bands are sard (shades of red) rather than
black. (www.sobrietystones.com)
I love to design fashion accessories using onyx as a material. When combine with other material such as crystals and pearls you can create a truly outstanding piece. One of my favorite combination when working with onyx is pearl. Black and white combination is very elegant.  Of course considering that onyx is black it can easily be combined with almost any materials and colors. Another outstanding pair for Onyx is the Red Corral. The combination of a rustic corral mixed with a shinny Onyx creates a dramatic piece.

ONYX NECKALACE BY VITO

In my readings onyx was popular during the Victorian era.   Rich women who are mourning would use onyx. They were made popular by Queen Victoria who used them to mourn the death of her husband for forty years. Because colors other than black were prohibited by the law at that time, it became very popular.

ONYX WITH CRYSTALS

Since black is a manly color, men usually prefer this stone for their jewelry.I remember to have one before but a very close friend told me to sell it since black brings bad omen. Huh! With my ignorance I sold it at a very low cost. A lot of superstitions revolve around black onyx. Today,  black onyx is a mainstay in men’s jewelry. These are simple pieces of jewelry that can make a difference in your everyday look. Because it is black, most men prefer this stone. Its solid color creates  a very manly vibe.

ONYX WITH RED CORRALS

The blackness of the onyx makes it extremely unique. However, they may be prone to scratches. I even notice that onyx scratch one another when stored together unwrapped. If this is the case, you simply have to buff out the stone. You will need some jewelry polish and some cloth. Just apply the polish to the onyx jewelry using a soft cloth, you can clean it with some water and let dry. Use a magnifying glass to examine the stone closely. Olive oil will help seal the stone and protect it from any more scratches.
Onyx I guess is a must have jewelry for women. Everybody can take advantages of the properties of black onyx jewelry as it is easy to match any outfit and colors. You will also find that it fits well with most tastes and never goes out of style, looks like black onyx is here to

ONYX NECKLACE BY VITO

stay.That’s why in the upcoming Negros Trade Fair, I will show lovely pieces that me and my sister designed to make your day a real Happy Trip.

CLICK TO SEE THE WHOLE BLACK ONYX

2007 MASSKARA FESTIVAL

The 2007 Masskara Festival was proven to be very successful. Thousands of tourists flock to the city to witness the world renowned festival. Of course our masks were on center stage once again. The Association of Negros Producers Showroom featured our art works in the central display. While the SM City also requested us to make a focal display of a wide array of Masskara icons. Practically our masks graced all major malls in the city.

It was an exciting experience thinking that our art works which were started to be just a hobby now become a favorite items for the tourist. In fact we have already received a lot of inquiries from from different buyers all over the world. Thanks to the festival!

VITO

VITO

Established in July 2005 when the company joined the Association of Negros Producers' (ANP) Expo. The company started with a single product – the paper bags.

Paper bag making was very good at the start, yet it cannot feed the company’s four regular staff. Taking the hint from Bacolod’s Masskara Festival the company evolved into mask making which turned out to be a favorite item among interior designers, foreign and local tourist as souvenirs. From paper mache Vito is now producing mask made of fiber glass, wood and clay. From wearable masks, to decorative pieces, to mask on frames, lamps, candle holders, fashion accessories…the company exploited all possibilities of producing products with masks.
With now 12 artists Vito product is made available at the Negros Showroom, various hotels and Pasalubong centers in and out of the province.