If you are like Mommy Cathy Cham, who doesn't throw away her son's sketches from childhood, then keep it up!
Her son Victor Francesco Cham or Vico, who has autism and calls himself 'Mr. Proudly Autistic, has been fond of drawing sketches of people since age 10. His parents said, his inspirations were anime figures and teleserye characters.
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Vico Cham and his Shoebox SketchesPHOTO BY COURTESY OF JUDY SANTIAGO ALADIN"He doesn't like being bored. He has to do something each day. Wala siyang idle time. So 'yung idle time niya, that's what he does," Daddy Jun Cham said during the Shoebox Sketches launch on October 9 at the L'Entrecote Upper Room in Taguig City.
"He draws in a sheet of paper, like 4-5 figures. So imagine in a day, he draws about 20 figures. Just multiply that, at age 10, he's now 31. You will imagine how many drawings he's done already by this time."
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWFrom hand-drawn sketches to NFTs
Vico's hand-drawn sketches are estimated to be more than 140,000 pieces, are now part of the Shoebox Sketches NFT collection.
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are one-of-a-kind digital assets like images, songs, or videos that are being sold through cryptocurrencies or digital tokens. We've published stories of teens abroad and the Kramers who have been selling NFT art.
"I'm now 31 years old, and I still draw my sketches every day because it really makes me happy. It's the heart and soul of my artistry."
"We were wondering really what was the reason why we have so many drawings of Vico, and I guess this is the answer. it was just waiting for the right time to really be launched," Daddy Jun said.
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The Cham familyPHOTO BY COURTESY OF JUDY SANTIAGO ALADINVico, who is now an award-winning artist, shared why he sketches, "I'm now 31 years old, and I still draw my sketches every day because it really makes me happy. It's the heart and soul of my artistry."
He said they realized the purpose of sharing his works as NFTs. "It is to share [with] the world my heart and soul through my art, and declare God's love for his special children."
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowWhere to buy the Shoebox Sketches NFT collection
Vico's NFTs are sold in phygital: owners will have both the original framed artwork and the digital artwork.
"The beauty of having the NFT now, you have the sole ownership of that artwork, you can print it anywhere you want, when you want it in shirts, etc.," Mommy Cathy said.
Here are some of the NFT artworks of Vico Cham that you can buy either on Rarible or through their official social media accounts that you can pay for using GCash.
1. Shoebox Sketches
Buy these on Rarible here or via GCash on Instagram here. Starts at 30 USDC.
Each purchase of a Shoebox Sketch NFT will also come with the physical sketch mounted on a 8 x 3 inch acrylic sandwich frame.
2. The Cleopatra Collection
Mommy Cathy told Smart Parenting that the Cleopatra collection was Vico's recent output. These will be sold as NFTs backed by physical paintings.
Buy it on Rarible here or via GCash on Instagram here. Starts at 700 USDC.
How to nurture your child's talents
In an exclusive interview with Smart Parenting, Mommy Cathy shared tips for parents on how we can nurture our children's talents and gifts.
1. Be observant of the gifts and talents of your child
She shared that Vico started drawing at a very young age. Now that he is a full-fledged artist with awards and recognitions locally and globally, she traces back to their early years.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW2. Acknowledge, nurture, and support your child
She says that parents should support their children regardless if they have a condition like autism or not.
"Whatever blessings we have now, it's something that we never expected. So just continue to support them and love them," said Mommy Cathy.
READ MORE: 7 Filipino Celebrity Parents With Children On The Autism Spectrum Disorder
3. Value everything that your child creates
Whether it's a big or a small art, Mommy Cathy kept everything that Vico created. "That's how much we value everything that he sketches. This is probably the reason why every shoebox sketch is kept in our home, and I guess it's time we share it."
Vico tells those who will purchase his NFTs, "Let each sketch remind us all of God's goodness and love. Every shoebox sketch and drawing is a part of me, which I hope you will cherish and use to share God's love."
Sales from the NFTs would benefit Vico's Artism Gallery, an art studio for children and adults with special needs.
This teen sells her dinosaur-inspired sketches as NFT art, becomes multi-millionaire in a year. Read here.
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