Cover Story

Introduced to public consciousness through a widely-recognizable surname, known to the entertainment industry and the armies of fans it collected through generations, to hold a rich lineage of dramatic actors and action stars, Kylie Padilla has since made her 15-year-stay in the scene since her entry as fruitful as it is storied with a growing body of work and unrelenting conviction as an artist and a human being with an ever-evolving sense of self.

Born in Angeles City, Pampanga, Padilla has since hogged headlines long before she has decided to take a jab at acting for television and films and live a life under the klieg lights and the prying eyes of the public scrutinizing her every move—all because of being known as the daughter of action star Robin Padilla to former wife Liezl Sicangco.

Years later, public interest on the road she was set to tread has since been translated to a string of roles that would allow her to shape her own mold in the entertainment scene. But more than her acting journey, slowly building the trajectory of her rise to stardom starting off with her award-winning stint in 2008 through the television series Joaquin Bordado with her father, her career-making turn as one of the leads in the cult-classic fantasy TV epic, Encantadia, her romantic-comedy Toda One I Love with Ruru Madrid, down to her most recent leap in a GL (Girl’s Love) series for digital platform WeTV, BetCin opposite fellow GMA Network actress Andrea Torres, it is Padilla’s artistic proclivities outside the pomp and noise of show business that allowed her to celebrate freedom—in its purest form.

A cursory search of Padilla, through her social media accounts, and it is easy to see a mélange of interests that paint a portrait of the many facets that make up the woman that she is now—from her life as an actress taking on roles that her legions of supporters crave for, online engagements as endorser for a slew of lifestyle brands, her beauty and fitness regimen, her day-to-day routines as a loving mom to her two kids, Alas Joaquin and Axl Romeo.

Amidst all of these, it is her great interest in the visual arts that shows her aptitude for things greater and deeper than what her public persona has shown us, spectators, and how all these things factor in on her self-expression.

In a post, she writes of this love affair with the arts, “Fun fact, in another life, I would have been a penniless but fulfilled artist living in a studio painting away falling asleep naked next to my paintings with Billie Holiday playing in the background.”

Images via IG | kylienicolepadilla

When asked about what gravitates her to arts and the visual medium, she tells Rank Magazine, matter-of-factly, “The freedom. It’s a chance to be totally free in what you want to say.”

She traces the beginnings of her proclivity to the visual medium, “When I was younger Art was my favorite subject, mostly because art just fascinated me. The fact that you could create with just your hands and imagination was so enticing. I loved creating and even watching my fellow classmates express themselves through art, too. Later in life, art has become a place where I could go and disappear for a while and just live in my own world.”

She continues, “I always loved painting using acrylic paint. But I also went through a phase of just using black pen and doodling. As a kid though like I said I loved art class. All of it. We did carving, pottery, paper mache, multimedia arts—all of it. I was just happy to be learning in all ways I could create.”

One look at her body of work (at least the ones she generously shares online) and you can easily be lured in on the otherworldly depiction of her worldview as an artist and a woman, represented by a mixture of colors, texture, and whimsy—pregnant with a deep well of stories behind every scenery, and characters (mostly, if not exclusively, of women) that appear on her canvas.

On finding inspiration she can put in a canvas, she says, “It really depends. I can get inspiration from anything—a moment in my life that made me feel emotions I want to remember like hearing my kids laugh, a really nice sunset.” She continues, “Life is the best inspiration. But when I am in an inspiration drought, usually I just play really good music and that bounces me back and maybe a glass of wine.”

For The Vision Issue, Rank Magazine works with HUAWEI, through the new MatePad 11, to witness how Padilla’s concept of empowerment, gets translated from a physical medium of acrylic on canvas to a sleek and powerful digital companion—representative of the need to adapt to the ever-changing demands and needs in a new normal set-up.

“I knew from the get-go that I wanted to feature a woman. So, I thought about a strong woman icon here in the Philippines. I thought of a few like Maria Clara but I wanted a warrior, so I chose Gabriela Silang—a tough woman but twisted into a more modern take of [strength] and toughness,” Padilla shares on her vision.

She furthers, “I was asking myself so many questions while painting it. What does it mean to be a tough, strong woman? What does it mean to be beautiful? Things like that. I really am so proud to be a woman. Women are such mystical mysterious creatures. If you look at my past work, they are all women.”

Padilla talks about her creative process, “I think I am still finding my voice through my art. I draw from emotions quite a lot when I paint or even write. Usually, I see my piece in my head before I even paint it. But it is usually an emotion that brings me to my canvas. I love watching myself slowly improve, too.”

She adds, “A lot of people say that my artwork looks dark. I don’t know exactly how to feel about that but if that is my style then I don’t want to change it. All artists struggle with  trying to find their unique style, is that is my niche I want to work on it to make it better and more sophisticated. I do believe art should be an expression, not something that looks pretty.”

Bridging perspectives and mediums of expression, Padilla sought the help of the HUAWEI MatePad 11 to give birth to an insightful piece that is both enigmatic and impactful. Now, close to two years into the pandemic, the blurring of the lines of the place of work and place of rest has been amplified and thus, inspiration springs even from the most unlikely of places, which calls for the need for a companion that allows an idea to be translated into a fully-realized vision.

Padilla highlights, “The HUAWEI MatePad 11 is surprisingly so easy to use and that matters so much to me because once I have ideas I want to be able to execute them easily without stress. Also, the M-Pencil 2nd Gen was so fast and smooth to use, it had no trouble in following my movements while I was drawing and I could get into the smallest details without any trouble. When I was editing my final drafts, I had no trouble perfecting my art pieces especially with its 120HZ refresh rate.”

Of note, the HUAWEI MatePad 11 is the first-ever HUAWEI tablet to support a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz that, in turn, powers the delivery of smoother visuals for video playback, gaming, webpage browsing, handwriting input and more. With support for frame rate adaption technology, it also offers an even longer-lasting battery life, making it the most functional device and tool to power one’s professional and creative pursuits, like Padilla.

Boasting of an 86% screen-to-body ratio, DCI-P3 colour gamut to go with its 120 Hz high refresh rate, this tablet is sleek as it is multi-functional, with its FullView Display offering a consistent and immersive experience for an array of content.

The HUAWEI M-Pencil (2nd generation) allows for handwriting input to be more efficient and convenient. No small thanks to this new look, it also supports a wide collection of innovative interactions, including the FreeScript, double-tap to switch tool, Instant Shape and Instant Table. By opening its Pencil Engine, global developers can then integrate it into their apps to provide better, more varied and richer handwriting experiences to consumers.

Complementing the overall functionality of the tablet, the HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard takes in the many advantages of its predecessor, including the magnetic holder, wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity to allow for instant and seamless usability. As a full-sized keyboard, it allows for easy typing with two hands, with adequate spacing on its keys, and all feature 1.3mm key travel to offer a comfortable and responsive typing experience.

With all of these packed features, the HUAWEI MatePad 11 comes pre-installed with AppGallery, the brand’s official app marketplace with its wealth of quality apps to users. With the HUAWEI Mobile Services (HMS), AppGallery offers cross-platform apps that make the most out of all products from HUAWEI, what with more than 1.4 million registered HUAWEI Developers worldwide. HUAWEI’s vision is to push the AppGallery as the best possible app marketplace tailored to device users, one with the mission of promoting seamless functionality and adaptive technology fit for one’s needs.

Finding an ally to fuel her creativity with the HUAWEI MatePad 11, Padilla expresses the compatibility of her multi-faceted life as an actress, a mom, and a creative with the device, “I can bring my art anywhere with [it]! It’s so easy to be creative now especially with a device and tool (M-Pencil 2nd Gen) that gets me too. Especially now as a mom, it’s such an amazing thing to be able to create anywhere without mess. Especially with kids around, I love being around my kids and sometimes painting can get messy. Now, we can create together and bond through being creative on my MatePad 11. It feels amazing especially with the M-Pencil 2nd Gen’s 2ms latency.”

In the end, pondering on her digital art, Padilla highlights that in the new world we are facing right now, the key is to adapt and continue to stand one’s ground. “Be empowered—especially women. Sometimes, imperfection and your scars are what make you. Don’t be shameful for all parts of yourself. Your uniqueness is what makes you you. Be a warrior not a worrier, this message is mostly for me,” she ends with a laugh.

The new #HUAWEIMatePad11PH is available in any HUAWEI flagship store with the SRP of P26,999. You can also purchase this multi-functional tablet via e-commerce platforms like Shopee or Lazada.

Find out more about this product and more about the latest from HUAWEI Philippines on its official webpage, or through its official Facebook page for more news and deals to cop.