Interview by Rui Pastorin
On most afternoons at 90 Rua do Seminário (三巴仔橫街), Wabbet Valde Cabungcal can be found sitting quietly inside his art gallery.
Soft music plays as his steady hand takes a pyrography pen, carefully placing the heated nib on smooth plywood to burn shapes, figures and patterns onto it, just as he had done on a line of works hung on a wall opposite him, warm lights accentuating the intricacies in each frame.
Here, at “Father & Sons Art Gallery”, Cabungcal is continuing to pursue the art of pyrography, a love that started in 2024, while enjoying a slow, happy and relaxed retirement. Previously, the sexagenarian had a 35-year-career as a professional architect in Macau, where he worked with firms that took on projects related to Nam Van Lake, the Macau Cultural Centre, Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, and The Venetian Macao, to name just a few.
Some of his achievements, including as an active member of the Filipino community, are presented on a wall behind him, watching the retiree as he works on, showcases, and sells pieces created through pyrography, a story that starts with his son.
From son to father
Pyrography caught Cabungcal’s eye back in 2024 upon seeing his son, an artist, taking it on, Cabungcal told the Post during a recent visit to the gallery. And from then on, he was hooked, practising the technique and working on pieces day after day. “For me, pyrography is something I never could have dreamed of doing. But suddenly, it came”, he noted.
The wood-burning art form involves the use of a pyrography pen to burn designs onto wood, where sketching can also be done, while stencils or templates for precise patterns can be used before applying the burn technique. It is an experience that Cabungcal likened to tattooing and is a fun experience that makes him happy.
The artist, who has been drawing and painting ever since he was a kid, said that while enjoyable, it is certainly not easy, especially in the beginning. Initially, pieces did not come out perfect, taking some trial and error, while the use of colour and details like faces and shadows also proved challenging, Cabungcal said. But practice makes perfect has been Cabungcal’s philosophy throughout his life, and this was no exception.
Carrying out more research and practice, as well as incorporating patterns and guidelines, Cabungcal said he went on to improve with time, while his art also did not go unnoticed.
Before he knew it, he had amassed a number of pieces at home. “I didn’t know how to dispose of them,” he joked. He therefore needed a place to not only keep his work, but also to showcase it along with the many paintings that his two sons, both painters, have also created over the years.
“Then, I saw this [the venue]…And I thought, maybe the lord gave me this place”, Cabungcal, an active and devout Catholic, noted. And in line with his retirement, time and more resources, it felt right to make a dream of having his own gallery come true.
The gallery
With everything set, the gallery had its successful opening on October 1, 2025. Upon entering, one will mainly find works created between 2024 to the present, mostly with Catholic themes and featuring Jesus Christ and saints, with Cabungcal saying that the gallery was also a way for him to serve the Church and to show Jesus to others.
But in the mix are also pieces featuring Philippine icons like Manny Pacquiao and 108-year-old Filipina tattoo artist Whang-od Oggay and other globally famous figures and various places. Each piece, he said, took between an hour and a few days to complete depending on his mood and inspiration. And while he continues to create new works, Cabungcal also continues to touch up older pieces.
Visitors to his gallery mainly comprise priests, nuns and students from a nearby local school, receiving praise. And while his pyrography is what will greet gallerygoers upon entering, Cabungcal emphasised that it is all a collaboration with his sons, pointing out that it presents each of their different art styles. “That’s why it is called ‘Father and Sons Art Gallery’”.
Aside from exhibiting, he has also gifted works to Macau’s previous and current Philippine consuls-general and Bishop Stephen Lee Bun Sang.
Each display is also for sale, while Cabungcal takes on clients, adding that he is continuing to improve on portrait making techniques as demand for them increases. “Practice makes perfect!”, he emphasised, adding that life is about learning regardless of age.
‘This is my blessing’
With the gallery now entering its fifth month, Cabungcal said he was happy, and, while he does not always make a profit, it is a dream come true. “This is my blessing”, he said.
His goal is to continue improving and produce more works, while taking on more subjects and themes. He also hopes to hold exhibitions in other galleries in Macau, explore other art forms and even plans to put his original pyrography works on T-shirts. “One step at a time, I am getting there.”
Photos taken late last month by Rui Pastorin
