We Love the Story Behind These Personalized Phone Case Sculptures

When it comes to phone cases, there are a lot of different kinds of people: those who love cute cases, those who prefer minimalist cases, those who use cases solely for protection, and the brave souls who go completely case-less! Have you ever dressed up your phones in personalized phone case sculptures, though?

Loy Espeña is a 26-year-old Filipino who currently lives in Bulacan. He studied AB Theatre Arts in PUP-Sta. Mesa back in 2011, but didn’t graduate because he discovered Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan in 2015. Sinagbayan is a community theatre group that teaches arts for free to those who cannot afford it, such as the kids of farmers and fishermen all over the country.

“Since I was able to teach what I learned in PUP and travel at the same time, I decided to become a full-time cultural worker even though I only had five subjects left before graduating,” Loy shares. “This is where I got to know a lot of different talented theatre artists, musicians, dancers, and visual artists like Toby Estrada, who served as my mentor in making my phone case sculptures.”

I asked Loy what inspired him to start making phone case sculptures and he dates it back to history. “In history, the only ones who had sculptures were those in the elite class,” he shares. “The same goes for paintings, especially personalized ones. I got inspired to learn it for phone cases so that people, regardless of class, may own a piece of work that is completely theirs at an affordable price. The materials used are also materials that they would use, such as epoxy clay, which fishermen use to repair their boats.”

Loy’s phone cases are really affordable at only Php150 per case. “A lot of people ask me why they’re so cheap,” he shares. “The truth is: all of the money and effort that goes into making them comes back to me. I just really want my fellowmen who are in need to receive something that is entirely theirs and that they can bring with them wherever they go.” Some customers give him more than Php150, though, because they feel like his artwork is worth more than that. I’m really not surprised. Look at the details that he puts into them:

Loy started making these phone case sculptures with Toby’s help in May 2019. He started by personalizing cases for his friends and family free of charge and then posted them on Facebook. The response was great and a lot of people sent him messages. “That’s when I got inspired to turn it into an income-generating project to support my cultural work for the Art for the People-Sinagbayan and help my family at the same time,” he says.

It usually takes five days to make one of these phone cases; this includes the molding, carving, curing, and drying time. All of Loy’s phone cases are personalized and based on the customers’ preferences. He makes personalized keychains that he sells on a pay-what-you-can basis, too. He has also made a huge commissioned wall plaque that is 1 foot in diameter. “I plan on making other artwork on a larger scale based on the struggle of farmers and fishermen in our communities, as well,” he adds.

This is also why Loy uses epoxy clay for his work. “Epoxy art is a symbol of ‘continuously moving on’, just like the poor fishermen who keep finding ways to go on even when their boats fall apart. It is a symbol of ‘continuous struggle’. Epoxy reminds me to keep going and never to let myself drown,” he explains.

To order your own stunning personalized phone cases from Loy, you may contact him through the details below.

Loy Espeña

loyespena@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.1113454202343587&type=3

Instagram / TikTok: @01.loy

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