Executive coach blooms as an art teacher

ESCUETA is currently working on her “Squarcle” (Square paper and circle objects) Series for her upcoming exhibit at Ayala Museum scheduled for mid 2014. She is aiming to finish 30 to 40 artworks that will showcase her still life renditions. Ma. Esther Salcedo–Posadas, Contributor

Eileen Escueta has been a Master Trainer with Development Dimensions International (DDI) over the last 23 years.  Her job is to educate the trainers and it also includes getting involved in the company’s offerings such as Service Plus (customer service training), Interaction Management (communication techniques), Targeted Selection (training internal people to interview), and Assessment Center (situates participants in real-life scenarios).

It is a consulting job that she undertook after she decided to leave her full time job in consideration of her then growing children.  She explains that when she quit her previous job, she started doing assessment work before she eventually discovered her love for training.

“I was only interested in the delivery because that is the only way you can control your time.  That was what I was interested in.  I like training.”

She recalls that she had zero experience in training when it was first offered to her but the company asked her to attend various programs.

“I used to have a fear of talking to people.  Not anymore.  DDI opened me to a career in training,” she asserts.

Escueta further explains some of the things she learned at DDI.  She believes that past behavior predicts future behavior.

She continues, “Is that guaranteed?  It’s more the likelihood.  Can a person change?  With intervention.”

The contractual nature of her work gave her the free time to bring her children to school and extra-curricular activities such as art classes.  Her children’s art teacher noticed that she was always with them and eventually asked her if she wanted to take classes herself.

“I started painting when the girls were in grade school.  I started bringing them to art classes since kinder.”

SHE produced two dozens artworks for her Koi Series, most of which have already been sold. She has only four favorite pieces left. Ma. Esther Salcedo–Posadas, Contributor

The first class she ever joined was Chinese painting with visiting professor C’ai Zhen Hui and after two years, she launched her first exhibit at the Holiday Inn Manila.  She sold out her 20 paintings with the participation of relatives and friends.

“I had a friend who knew Cesar Legaspi (national artist) and he was my guest of honor.”  For her next exhibit, a friend volunteered her at the Ayala Museum.

Escueta attests, “I’m blessed with the nicest friends you can imagine.”

Eventually, Escueta discovered her talent for teaching.  She started painting with a few friends in her home and around 1995, Ayala Museum asked her to teach Chinese painting.  She feels her mission is to help others have the same experience in art as she did.

“There are so many who like to learn.  There are so many people who like to explore their creative side.”  She also noticed that many people buy art books but never get to actually draw or paint.  She continues, “These people need to be taught how to start.  There’s a need to get them started correctly so they can use their books.”

Nowadays, Escueta not only teaches Chinese painting but also basic drawing, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic painting as well.  She holds classes at Fully Booked Greenbelt 5 Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate professional working people who join her class.  Recently, she also started a watercolor class on Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the newly opened Fully Booked branch in Alabang.

According to her, she never experienced any difficulty selling her programs from the beginning.  The only requirement to join is to have interest.  She is also not too concerned on how many sign up.

“I don’t care.  It doesn’t matter how many students I have.  What matters is that I have time for everyone.”

She summed up her counsel to those who were still unsure whether to pursue art classes or not, “Come and visit my class, and observe.”

For details, check out www.eileen.escueta.net or call 09175393107.