Ron Sombilon: PASSION CHASER

Written by: Michelle Williams

Photographer: Charles Icay of www.RonSombilonGallery.com

Even before the recession, being a struggling artist was the norm but not for contemporary artist Ron Sombilon.  While others in Vancouver are taking in its beauty and nature, Ron Sombilon is capturing it in many different forms.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Sombilon believes that everyone has a lot to offer and he aspires to inspire others to also pursue their passion.  His inspiration to do this mainly came from the influence that his mother had in his life, even after she lost her battle with cancer.

“It was at her funeral that I realized that one person can change lives.” When he saw how many people attended his mother’s funeral, so much so that there were people waiting outside to come in to pay their respects, he realized the potential effect he himself could also have on the world.

Shortly after the death of his mother his aunt also passed away from Cancer.  While coping with these deaths he asked himself what he wanted to accomplish with his life.  His answer: he wanted to add value to the world through art. “I realized my purpose then; I wanted to make a positive difference in the world.”

Leaving his secure position in the animation industry to pursue his love of art full-time was not easy.  It took him five years to make the leap to become a full-time artist.  Sombilon adopted a no excuses plan to achieve his dreams and started creating vision boards and reading biographies and inspirational writings by individuals from Tony Robbins to Donald Trump.

Those books taught him “you don’t have to be perfect to get started.  The action of pursuing your goal makes you perfect.”  He also adds that “the best part of the journey is how you turn around your problems to make it work out.”

Vision boards, made popular through inspirational books like The Secret, took him from being a talker to seeing what he wanted to be.  “I wrote out and pictured what I wanted to be and went for it.”

A diet including vision boards, positive affirmations and “cutting out negativity,” lead Sombilon to discover “it’s not about money.  It’s about making a positive change in the lives of others.”

Steadily progressing, Sombilon’s new focus is his Passion Chaser series, a collection of artwork created to capture the life stories of individuals who pursue their dreams and have inspired others to follow their own.  “These are people who are driven by desire to succeed and are spurred on by the support of their families and the strength it took them to overcome all of the trials and tribulations that they have lived through.”  With Denis Waitley’s quote “chase your passion, not your pension,” in mind, Sombilon began Passion Chasers.

“I realized that if I spent 24 hours a day doing what I loved how could I not be successful,” and this is what Sombilon wants to share with others through the Passion Chaser Series.

“Feeling love everyday by doing what you love” continues to propel Sombilon and he never runs out of inspiration for creating art in Vancouver, which he calls the most beautiful city in the world.  “Every day there is something beautiful to be seen in Vancouver if you are looking.”

It was here that his creativity was first nurtured as a student at Emily Carr elementary school.  Vancouver’s healthy lifestyle also fostered his love for sports and being active and eventually led him to Bikram Choudhury, creator of Bikram Yoga and the inspiration for one of his first Passion Chaser pieces.  From there he got to know and created a piece for beloved BC Lions player Geroy Simon.

But Sombilon doesn’t want to generate the misconception that Passion Chasers are only based in Vancouver or are famous.  “The key to being a Passion Chaser is loving what you do.”  Passion Chasers should make us want to push further.  “They show that struggles make you stronger and they are happy because they chose be.”  His aim is to feature a Passion Chaser from every industry to connect everyone to one another through art.

In addition to his Passion Chaser series, Sombilon sells, leases and creates custom art internationally, including vision boards.  Sombilon develops personal vision boards for clients to work as inspirational tools.  “They are art pieces.”

Sombilon’s ultimate goal for his gallery?  To create global networks through his art.  “I want my corporate clients to see what I’m doing for the not-for-profit organizations and be inspired to champion their causes.”

Currently, Sombilon is working with eight not-for-profit organizations and his art is featured throughout the lower mainland in various mini galleries and in his affiliate gallery in Malibu, California.  His official Vancouver gallery is in the beautiful Canvas Lounge located in the heart of Gastown.

Success in the art world is not effortless and Sombilon has done seminars sharing how using positive visualization has helped him.  “Create positive energy and good things come to you.”

With all that he is a part of, Ron Sombilon is always actively pursuing his passion.  He plans to continue to share his art but also wants to share his city.  “I want to showcase Vancouver and what it has to offer and show the talented people that we have here.”

www.RonSombilonGallery.com