There are artists who started from a simple pencil and paper until they come to a stage where they use the mediums they love the most.

Many artists started to paint and draw at a very young age and developed their talents and gain skills as they grew older. Some artists just discovered their hidden talent during adolescence, and more at their adulthood. Many artists make their craft as their primary source of income, others make it as their side line jobs, and some are just for fun, retreat and leisure time.

Some succeeded, others give up. But what really inspires me is to see any artist who strive so hard to reach their dreams. One of these artist is Mr. Edgardo Lam, a 65 year old street artist who sell his paintings at the streets of Ermita, Manila. He just started to paint at his mid 40s, but only has limited supplies of art material.

I have read a viral facebook post about him and it captured my interest and heart.

I am proud of him, because he still finds a decent and legal way to live. He do not ask for alms or anything, he just sells his paintings.

More to that, his artworks are authentic and brings positive feelings upon looking on each piece. He uses nature's patterns and scenes. He also uses flowers and birds as an inspiration. His bright and bold usage of colors make you want to dive more into his artworks. According to Matthew Gan, Mr. Edgardo's ideas for some of the artworks comes to him when his eyes are closed and sometimes he notices shapes and colors in his surroundings which inspire him to create a new artwork. NOW THAT'S EVEN MORE FASCINATING.

I and @immarojas have decided to do a fundraising activity for him through this Steemit blog.

The rewards to be collected after the payout of this post and future blogs will be 100% for him. If your heart happened to be captured by his story and especially paintings, you can also help by buying an artwork from him. His mini gallery is located at a small pavement on the street of Padre Faura St. in Ermita

Anyone can also help by sending him in-kinds such as the following:

• Art Materials, paint brushes, paints and minerals
• Canvas Boards
• Canned Goods
• Vitamins and Supplements
• A few clothing.

I plan to visit him at the end of February.

From a facebook post by Matthew Gan :

Edgardo Lam, a 65 year-old homeless painter. Kuya Edgardo’s gallery/home is situated upon a small pavement on the street of Padre Faura St. in Ermita. Kuya Edgardo has been painting for roughly 20 years, it was just his way to kill time and distract himself from the outside world. Eventually, he decided to create a humble street gallery for everyone to see and hopefully make a living out of. Kuya Edgardo’s materials are very limited, some of his materials are either gifts from students who visits him or spare paints or ply-wood which he collects from construction sites. He said that his ideas for some of the artworks comes to him when his eyes are closed and sometimes he notices shapes and colors in his surroundings which inspire him to create a new artwork. Kuya Edgardo has personified the idea that art can come from anywhere and that art can be anything.

If anyone wants to help, buy his artworks and give support to Kuya Edgardo, he stays at Padre Faura St. corner M.H Del Pilar. He would appreciate spare paints, brushes and even small donations! He also enjoys talking about his artworks so if you want to drop by and just chat he’d appreciate it as well.