My name is Manolito Mariano Agustin, aka Gaspadin Mamarag. I was born on August 16, 1965, in Malolos Bulacan. I’ve been exposed to comics illustration at the young age of 7. Most of my early childhood days I spent in Barangay Palagay, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija. I came from a poor family of farmers without land. After finishing high school in 1982. I started working as a comics artist at the young age of 16 until 1985, I was one of the lucky recipients of a state scholarship in the former Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation). I studied at Stroganov Art Academy in Moscow, USSR from 1985-1992. I finished my Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design in 1990, and 2 yrs as a Master of Arts Criticism from 1990-1992. I came back to the Philippines in January of 1993 where I started working as a storyboard artist in television post-production. The last 29 years I spent working here and abroad to name a few, in Singapore, Malaysia, and Dubai UAE. When I came back in 2009 I started facilitating knowledge and skills..thus. I decided to become a university lecturer in the field of traditional and digital animation arts. When I reached the age of 50 in 2015. I simultaneously decided to develop my own artistic skills and came up with my own style. I wish to have my own one-man show when I reach old age in 2025. The reason why I’m still struggling to showcase my artwork
To be able to impart the knowledge and skills and inspire the younger generation in this creative journey is one of my visions as an artist.
