Joyce Peñas Pilarsky Daring Creation

The curious case of Joyce Pilarsky

11/20/2009
 

Joyce Pilarsky’s jewelry blooms as unexpected flora: the neck grows delicate vines of crystals; the hand bursts with a sprinkle of pearls; the arm slithers not with a snake about to bite like Cleopatra’s, but with exotic climbers ready to charm; and the torso grows, bursts, or slithers with complementary growths ready for the understated elegance of formal or informal wear.

Joyce is a new woman in the sense of rebirth from the Renaissance period. She would not have made it then as women in those times were not allowed to grow, seek their own identity and bloom. Joyce is the ideal woman in the current context, one who flourishes under her own terms and by her own instincts.

Starting out as a supermodel together with Bessie Badilla and Anna Francisco, Joyce Penas (now Pilarsky, having married a German national) is a Renaissance woman “who can do things at will.” An empowered human, the Renaissance female has limitless capacity to embrace all knowledge and develop it as fully as possible. A gifted human, she has developed skills in the areas of knowledge, physical development, social accomplishments and the arts.

As a diplomat’s wife based in Karlshure, Joyce could be skiing in the Alps at one time or snorkeling in Maldives the next. She’s 55, yet she’s a curious case much like Benjamin Button. As she advances in age, she only seems to get younger. Untouched by science, she has remained slim, sexy and stunning with to-die-for flat abs and oh-so flawless and glowing skin.

As a model, painter, sculptor, ceramic artist, writer, soprano, dancer, chef and host, she uses her multi-talents to promote the Philippines and unite pure and half-breed Filipinos and Germans in her position as president of the Filipino German Club in Karlsruhe. When time permits during travels with her husband, she hosts not only Filipino events but also gala occasions for a German audience. Joyce is tri-lingual. 

As a visual artist, Joyce has been exhibiting her paintings in London and Germany since 1982. Her artworks have a universal theme, but are very Filipino in imagery.                                                                                         

Having taken up classical voice lessons from Italian and German teachers for six years, Joyce joined the Extra Choir of the Badische Theater. She had sung in its productions of two Guiseppi Verdi operas, Nabucco and Aida. This year’s romantic production is Carmen by George Bizet at the ruins of an ancient nuns’ monastery known as Fraun Alb accompanied by the 150-piece Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra under conductor Carl Robert Helg.

Philippine Fashion Week

A recent trip to Manila last October fulfilled Joyce’s long-time dream of participating at the Philippine Fashion Week when she presented her work at the Oct. 24 leg of the seven-day Spring Summer 09 series of shows held at the SMX Convention Center. Collaborating with designer John Guarnes, she combined her modeling experience with the gift of artistry to come up with one-of-a-kind organic jewelry that fuses different semi-precious stones, metals and corals often in surprising contrasts.

From classic to contemporary, that’s Joyce’s range.

At the launching of her collection, she let John’s models wear her jewelry in extraordinary ways. Fashion-forward spectators, including lifestyle journalists from high-end magazines and broadsheets, watched and were wowed by her exquisite collection.

Walking the ramp with young models, one quarter her age, made Joyce so happy as they gushed about her backstage, complimenting her young look with applause. She narrates, “They were asking me what my secret is in staying young. They told me they have problems with dry skin. They were so curious to know how to stay slim and look years younger. So I decided to write about it and will have it published.”

As you can see, Joyce aspires and inspires — and not exclusively to women. Men also seek her for advice regarding their body and how to stay fit.

Joyce and John also participated in the Pond’s Red Dress Collection at the SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium. The tandem also joined Ben Farrales’ Fashion For A Cause holiday wear gala event for Rosa Rosal’s Philippine National Red Cross at the PICC Plenary Hall on Oct. 28. The fundraiser for typhoon victims was also participated in by National Artist Pitoy Moreno plus 100 other designers, stylists and makeup wizards. Promoting volunteerism, Daphne Oseña and Leo Martinez annotated. Joyce and John presented their 30-piece Art For Art’s Sake collection.

More than jewelry

Joyce knows her designs are more accessories than jewelry to John’s wear. She says, “At this moment, consider it as an accessory. But I’m planning to design traditional jewelry using 18-carat gold with diamonds and pearls.”

Her love for trinkets pushed her to design them herself. Her travels all over the world gave her tons of ideas, so her creations are patterned after the fabulous styles in Europe, Middle East, the US and Japan.

Like a true Renaissance woman, it was Joyce who nurtured John’s inclination for haute couture. She taught him how to draw, as well as the principles of art. They had been planning to do a joint show for the longest time, but for some reason were unable to pursue it. The right time came this year. John came up with his collection, while Joyce managed her hectic schedule.

They collaborate electronically since they live in different time zones. Says Joyce, “We have constant communication through e-mails, in web cams, just to plan and discuss projects.” In spite of this, their works blend into a remarkable whole.

Her creations are hand-crafted here and Germany, but Joyce keeps the cost of her collection close to her heart. She plans to reveal the secret before she launches her accessory line in London and Germany. Joyce is scheduled to stay here during the European winter this year, returning in December and staying until about February. She also hopes to join the Philippine Fashion Week next year.

This is the outside Joyce. Inside, she’s even more beautiful with her nurturing heart and agile mind.