His works depict nostalgic Filipino games, courtship, and culture.
In an age of endless scrolling and fleeting content, painter Lawton Ladao does something radical—he slows time down.
Across his canvases, children still play luksong tinik and sungka. A young man still serenades a dalagang Pilipina. A mamang sorbetero still walks down a dusty street. These are not just scenes—they are memories, familiar and unmistakably Filipino.
Collectors call him an “illustrator of memories,” and the title fits. Ladao’s works feel like fragments pulled from a shared past, reassembled through his signature style: slightly distorted figures in traditional attire, frozen mid-gesture.
Painting the filipino childhood
At the heart of Ladao’s work is nostalgia as cultural preservation.
His paintings revisit street games like habulan, saranggola, and luksong baka, alongside songs like “Leron Leron Sinta” and “Ibong Pipit.” Even Filipino values—pagmamano, panliligaw, pakikipagkaibigan—come alive on canvas.
His “Suyuan Series” captures the choreography of old-school courtship: harana, paninilbihan, and even the awkward charm of torpe gestures. These are stories many Filipinos recognize—if not from experience, then from memory passed down.
The classroom as canvas
Beyond galleries, Ladao brings his art into the classroom.
As a public school teacher in Bulacan, he uses his paintings to teach Filipino culture and values, turning lessons into visual stories that students can see—and feel.
In his hands, art becomes both education and preservation.
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When memory meets advocacy
Ladao’s storytelling has also taken on urgency.
Through his “Diwata” series, he reimagines figures like Maria Makiling and Maria Sinukuan as protectors of nature—calling attention to environmental issues.
He has worked with advocacy groups, led workshops, supported reforestation efforts, and mentored children through art programs. For Ladao, paintings are meant to do more than hang on walls—they are meant to create impact.
Beyond the frame
Ladao believes his works can inspire change—whether by preserving culture, shaping values, or supporting communities.
His art doesn’t just look back. It pushes forward.
The journey continues
Now, he turns to a new series: “Biyaheng Lawton.”
This time, he captures life in the streets—jeepney barkers, commuters, everyday encounters—inviting viewers to see the stories unfolding around them.
“Sakay na po,” he calls.
And as always, Lawton Ladao tells a story—one that feels like ours.
Collectors call him an ‘illustrator of memories,’ and the title fits. Lawton Ladao’s works feel like fragments pulled from a shared past, reassembled through his signature style: slightly distorted figures in traditional attire, frozen mid-gesture.
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