by Anna Gamboa
KAT ALANO pushes past her pain and creates art for yoga mats that’ll inspire almost anyone to invest in some peace of mind.
MANILA – While many people exhort the virtues of making lemonade when life gives you lemons, not many understand what it takes to grab those metaphorical citrus fruits, examine them for signs of edibility, then create the drinkable product which combines sweet and sour notes—channeling the pain without passing it on, practicing that sorcery that turns lead into gold.
Katherine Anne Alano possesses the ability to practice such alchemy, an independent and outspoken young woman raised by a single mother who taught her to stand up for herself and others. When she spoke out against rape culture and celebrity serial rapists, she soon found herself out of favor with the network that found her controversial. Unsurprisingly, she shuns the limelight when it comes to sensationalized news, and is understandably cautious about granting interviews.
In the year since she abruptly lost several means of earning an income, turning to art for comfort, Alano with her then-boyfriend stumbled into a serendipitous way of channeling Kat’s artistic talent into a profitable enterprise, while supporting women’s causes. Nearly stepping onto a freshly rendered artwork done on wood, Alano’s significant other observed that the colorful work could liven up yoga mats made with microsuede, which often featured solid hues. “It’s like a giant mouse pad,” Kat grins, pointing out the different designs for Diwata Universal which she hopes to update every four months. And enthusiastic yogis lap up her work every chance they get, ordering online (diwatauniversal.com) or buying it from Aura Athletica.
“Superdust” features a cosmic design referencing how everyone is made of stardust, and has a solitary figure with the big “S” emblazoned on his chest. The busy-looking “Buzzed in Sagada” shows off an intricate design of a bee amidst the colorful petals of several flowers, reminiscent of a time when Kat vacationed in the highlands of Luzon, and marveled at the many bees that thrived there. The whimsical “Keala Koala” was done in honor of a friend’s daughter born in Australia. “Leo” is part of her upcoming series featuring horoscope-inspired elements, while “Das Einhorn” brings to mind her favorite scene from the animated film The Last Unicorn, where the solitary and seemingly defenseless creature forces a monstrous red bull into the sea, and releases from enchantment /imprisonment her fellow unicorns who spring from the surf and reclaim their freedom. The symbolism of the unicorn isn’t lost on Kat, and she purposefully chose Diwata as part of the brand name, to inspire other to tap into their inner creativity, that divine instinct for good, and the mats represent a place of peace or refuge—whether doing meditations after a long day at work or just taking deep breaths to center yourself after dealing with too many toxic events. A portion from the sales goes to the education of women/girls to deal with rape, empowering them to seek justice, telling them that yes, it wasn’t really their fault—and that rape is rape, like there is a difference between drowning and not drowning.
Like many people who’ve undergone a sea of change in the course of upheavals in their lives, Kat Alano now prioritizes the causes closest to her heart, and will unhesitatingly speak out against rape culture, if only to better inform another generation of women, if only to create stronger people who can transcend their victimhood and reclaim their lives. Refusing to be defined by the act of one man, defiantly flourishing despite the adversity she initially faced after being blacklisted, Kat Alano’s Diwata yoga mats are an oasis of peace, and a reminder that beauty can still grow after one has mastered the art of transmuting the lead in one’s heart into gold.
This article was first published in the November-December 2015 issue of adobo magazine.
