Humble Pebble

“I miss my mother desperately.” — Louise Bourgeois.

Today would have been my Mom’s birthday. As I look at this portrait I painted of French-American artist, Louise Bourgeois, I’m reminded of how art is often the place where we go to process our deepest grief and turn it into something that lives.

Louise said "Oui!" to her calling, famously channeling the memory of her own mother into her art (like the massive Maman sculpture I got to see in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo in 2014). Today, I'm saying "Yes!" to my own creative path in honor of the woman who gave me life.

Happy Birthday in heaven, mama . This one is for you. 🤍~ I love you... I miss you so much!

🤯 Still pinching myself!

I am absolutely over the moon and incredibly honored to have my artwork, "Yayoi says, Hai!", featured at the Artistree Gallery, Dubai, UAE ()!

It means the world to be recognized and featured as an artist on their platform and website. Thank you, Ms. Shivani Virani of Artistree for believing in my work and giving it this wonderful spotlight! 💖

If you're curious about the piece and the full Instagram write-up, check out the link of the original post below! 👇

A vibrant ode to artistic resilience, Yayoi says, Hai! by Filipino artist Annemarie Aguas revisits one of contemporary art’s most recognisable figures through a warm, personal lens. Part of the artist’s ongoing I said, “Yes!” series, the work reflects on the creative courage embodied by icons who persisted despite psychological, emotional, and societal barriers. In this piece, Aguas honours Yayoi Kusama, whose decisive “Hai!” to art transformed private hallucinations and obsessive patterns into a revolutionary visual language of repetition, colour, and boundless conceptual imagination. Executed in mixed media, the artwork distills Aguas’ signature sensibility—playful, sincere, and quietly empowering. Her practice, rooted in introspection and handmade detail, offers a gentle but compelling narrative of joy and self-affirmation. Known online as Humble Pebble, the Antipolo-based artist continues to build a body of work that uplifts ordinary moments through thoughtful illustration and emotive colour choices. View the work here: https://www.artistree.biz/product/yayoi-says-hai/ #art #gallery #artadvisory #curatorialpractice #contemporaryart #mixedmedia #popart #southasianart #illustrationart #annemarieaguas @humblepebble #uae #dubai @shivanimehravirani

Inktober day 29: ​LESSON ✍️~ Art isn't made in a vacuum. It's built on a shared foundation of support.

​This artwork is inspired by the speech that RM of BTS shared during the APEC CEO Summit 2025. His words drove home a vital lesson: The true canvas and playground for any artist—whether K-Pop, visual art, or any creative field—is the community that loves and supports it.

​From humble beginnings, the story of BTS shows that effort and passion are only half the journey. The other half is the ARMY, their loyal fans who loves the group and helped them reach the milestones that they have achieved so far. 🎶🏆✨

His speech is a campaign not just for the investors and world leaders, but ​a call to action for all of us to support the artists you love! Creatives deserve a platform to be seen, heard, and appreciated. As Namjoon promised, we, as artists, will fill the canvas you create with our hearts. 💜

​"As an artist, I promise that I will also let my imagination fill the canvas you will create. I will play my heart out in the playground you will build for us. I promise that I will do my part by sending a message of courage and hope, and lots of emotions through music. A message of embracing our differences to make something better together." ~RM/Kim Namjoon

🎨 🖌️ ​