Biography
Pili, the Capital of the Province of Camarines Sur, is the home of artist Harold B. Gomez, the town’s leading art and cultural advocate. Pursuing a childhood passion, he enrolled at RMTC-Bicol on Special Fine Arts (Decorative Painting) Course and Philip Morris Group of Co. “Pandayan Art Workshop," which provides him the formal training and discipline to come out and show his works in public. Before engaging in art school, he had a good academic background. He finished elementary at Pili Central School and a secondary level at St. Catherine Laboure School, which is now USI Pili Campus. He went to college at Bicol College of Arts and Trade.
Since 1992 he had far participated in 39 group shows in his hometown, in Bicol urban centers like Naga City and Legazpi City and in Metro Manila.
He also competed in various art competitions which won him the following awards: Finalist in Painting Category 2015; Honorable Mention in Sculpture 2013 on the Annual Art Contest of the Art Association of the Philippines; Grand Winner in Ostrich Egg painting Competition on Albay Livestock Day 2012; 2nd Place Mural Competition as a team on PVAF 2012; and, Artist of the Year at St. Catherine Laboure School 1984.
Ever the leader he is, he has organized his fellow artists and young art enthusiasts in his municipality into an artist group they called “Kintab." Beforehand, he had been affiliated with some Art Groups such as the Paletang Bikolnon Artist Group, Pintas Artist Group, Silyab Arte kan Bicol, Pili Integrated Artists, Kurit Bicol, Konsepto Art Group, Salingoy Art Group, Sirangan Art Group, Art Association of the Philippines, Visual Art of Parañaque (VAP), and Artquatica Artists Circle (AAC).
From having involved with various Art groups and garnering awards, he and his artworks was then made visible to the public through press release from the “Bangraw," an Art Magazine supported by NCCA, Rimpos-Book, Bikol Reporter, a coffee table book titled ”Different Stokes," TV guesting and interviews on "Mag TV na Oragon" a segment of local television channel ABS-CBN Bicol.
Along with his wife, who is also an artist, they continue to conduct art classes which have attracted even employees from the local courts and business sector who become his students. They both aim to be instrumental in instilling the interest and appreciation on arts to everyone especially the Bicolanos.
