Vincent Padilla was born on September 27, 1976 to a working-class family in San Juan. His earliest recognition as an artist came from neighbors who thought he would do well to take Fine Arts in college. Padilla’s talent, however, matured well ahead of those of his peers thanks in part to summer art classes he took zealously as an elementary student. His family’s subsequent relocation to suburban Antipolo proved quite providential for the young artist. There he met members of the famed Grupong Saling Pusa, and eventually became the youngest member. Notable members included, among others, Mark Justiniani, Elmer Borlongan and Manny Garibay. The political temperament of the group clearly rubbed off on Padilla who, over the years, has evolved his own critical voice. Padilla was one of the artists who worked on a mural entitled “Karnabal” which was exhibited in the little theater lobby of CCP in 1993. Padilla earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1998, where he pursued his MFA (Masters in Fine Arts). Padilla was a finalist in the 1997 Shell National Student Art Competition, Top 10 finalist in the 1998 Metrobank Foundation Young Painters Annual and a two-time Top 50 finalist in the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards, before being chosen as a Juror’s Choice Awardee in 2003, thus earning the recognition of representing the Philippines in the 2004 Asean Art Awards held in Bangkok, Thailand. Padilla won the said competition once again in 2010 as one of the regional winners. Padilla’s works have also been exhibited in New York, Hongkong, Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of the region. Currently, he is finishing his Masters in International Business at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Aside from this, he has been teaching in Benilde for more than 15 years; and would mentor his talented students, who are passionate enough to join national competitions in order to represent the school. One of which is Aly Anunciacion, the first place winner of Shell’s 50th anniversary under watercolor category; and Winna Go, the regional winner of Philippine Art Awards 2017-2018 under Metro Manila.