ART connoisseurs in Cagayan de Oro can already recognize the name Rhyan Casiño, but there's more to this man than just by being an artist. Rhyan is actually also a percussionist, an advocate for the indigenous people, a passionate Christian adopting street kids in his home, an event organizer, and a talent ,manager rolled into one. On top of that, he's also the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) visual arts coordinator for Northern Mindanao.
During his elementary days, Rhyan was already sketching He - Man and Thundercats characters. Then high school cane and Rhyan temporarily shelved his art inclinations to pursue a rock star lifestyle. He became a bass player in several bands but the fast high school life proves too stressful for him that he has to retreat to Central Mindanao University (CMU) to give himself some moments of reflection.. and so the journey to his true calling began.
In CMU, he rediscovered his art inclination by doodling grafitti on the wall of his dorm room. He soon found his way back to CDO and enrolled at Xavier University. Rhyan joined Circulo de Arte' and became its president from 1998 - 1999. During his stint, he was able to steer the group beyond the campus and joined mainstream exhibits here, in Limketkai as well as Consuelo's. Yet Rhyan was still restless - he jumped from one program to another (Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Animal Science). He decided to quit. "I cannot imagine myself becoming an agriculturist. I need to pursue full time in the arts," Rhyan quipped in this interview. The decision was not without cost. There was a time that he missed eating meals for four straight days. Eventually, rewards started trickling in.
Through friends he made with Circulo de Arte', Rhyan was able to organize Grupong Biswal in 2000 and they held art exhibits here. One of his art patrons invited him to Kaamulan Festival in 2001 and
The two fell in love then decided to settle down. They got married in a beach resort in Mambajao. It was actually a concert wedding as tribal musicians from as far as Cebu serenaded the couple. Married life didn't stop Rhyan to be an advocate for the indigenous people. Rhyan was able to convince his wife to immerse with him in 2006 to a Tigwahanon community in barangay Kibongcog, San Fernando, Bukidnon. Because the place is just beside the highway, Rhyan galvanized the Tigwahanons to establish an arthouse there so they could sell their handicarafts and teach the younger generation on how to make those crafts. Then the idea shaped in his head - why not bring the Tigwahanons' handicrafts to CDO so they could sell more?
So Dire Husi initiatives was born and was registered in 2006 at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initially as a craft and accessories producer. Back then, social media was still in its infancy. Yet Rhyan's fame slowly spread and he was selling handicarafts as far as Inramuros during the yearly
Pasundayag fair of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Gensan Island fair down to south as well as various universities and colleges here. One evening while doing sketch portraits of some street kids in Divisoria, another idea formed into Rhyan's head - what if given the chance, these street kids could be taleted? What if they could make handicrafts, too? Rhyan Casino pitched the idea of establishing a center for the talented street kids to the British Council's I am a Changemaker contest in 2007. Rhyan'as entry won and Dire Husi Initiatives was awarded P1000,000 as a grant. Rhyan used the money to establish the Dire Husi arthouse at 9th - 21st St. Nazareth. Soon, other out-of-school and marginalized youths began to frequent there. Some of theme were not just skilled in
handicrafts making, they were also adept in in other entertainment talents such as firedancing, unicycling, magic performing, henna tattoing, etc. One of those street kids is now himself a success story, Rusty Quintana, a graduating BS Devcom student from Xavier University who recently starred in the local indie film.
Dire Husi's fame grew that in 2012, President Aquino himself bestowed the group the coveted Ten Accomplished Youth Organization (TAYO) award. Because of the diverse talents in his fold,
Rhyan began to venture into talent management and event organizing in 2013 under the umbrella of R Productions.
R Production has in its fold Vital Signs Acoustics as well as a range of talents from human beat boxers to flash mob dancers. They maintain regular gigs at limketkai Center, Centrio and Lifestyle District, among others. So what's in store for Rhyan for the next two years and beyond?
Right now, an album of Vital Signs Acoustics is in the works. Meanwhile, the arthouse at Nazareth has transferred to Upper Puerto and Rhyan will be transforming it into a cafe soon for Bukidnon - boung tourists to drop by and relax while appreciating the paintings and other artworks there. Of course, Rhyan continues to painting canvasses in vatious media - watercolor,charcoal,soil, cofee etc. He has clients as far as United States who nerely order his artworks online. Despite those successes, the 36 year old Rhyan Casino never forgets that everything he's doing is all for GOD's glory. Every morning, he rallies the dozen street kids in his care at Upper Puerto to a Bible study, praising GOD.
Rhyan Casino is Mindanao Gold Star Daily Urban Life's Promoter for the Arts for the weekend issue.
This article was featured at the Urban Life Gold Star Daily Newspaper Jan. 31, 2014
