Hersley-Ven Casero 

Casero is a visual artist–photographer in the city. He received his BSC in Marketing and an Artist of the Year
Award from Foundation University. Who wouldn’t know an artist who’s painted most of the wall murals around the
campus of Foundation University?

As a natural artist, he fell in love and immediately got hooked into photography. Being born and raised in
Dumaguete, the city has shaped Casero’s perspective as a visual artist. The city, being the center of culture and the arts of
Southern Philippines has served as Casero’s stage for many of his paintings and photographs. He was the Champion of the
first Buglasan Festival Photo Contest in 2006, finalist of the First Philippine Air Lines Photo Contest 2007, finalist of the
Water is Life Photo Contest 2008, one of the Top 3 winners of the Philippine Sports Photo Contest 2010 and finalist
out of more than 30,000 participants coming from 166 countries worldwide of the HIPA International Photography Award
2015 with his photograph “Golden Harvest”.

He has been featured in local and national publications including the Dumaguete Metropost, Negros Chronicle,
Cebu Daily Inquirer, The Visayan Daily Star, The Freeman, The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the
first Dumagueteño being featured in “Picture Perfect” of Manila Bulletin among others.

His works have also been recognized and published in international publications like front cover of Jaipur India
Infomedia Magazine, the Lonely Planet, Cebu Pacific Smile Magazine, View magazine in Germany, National Publication
in Denmark, Los Angeles Times, Stern Magazine and have been given due acclaim in various blogs, journals, e-
magazines and online publications. Casero’s illustrations have also graced covers of books like “Dare to Win”, “Light
Bearers” and “Heartbreak & Magic”. He motivates others by collaborating on art projects like the laughing boy “Ha?
Project”. He is one of the photography instructors of the international South Pacific Photo Workshop. 

An airplane is the first subject of young Hersley. Using a pen and paper, his young mind is clueless that he will
become one of the greatest artists of his hometown.
Hersley Casero is the hands behind the famous painting “The Laughing boy” with his nephew’s photo as the
inspiration. The artist is now slowly capturing the international art industry, with his works being display around the
globe.
Hersley expressed that one thing about his art is showing how can the city dagit (capture) the people who are
visiting and decided to stay. On his art series “Capture” the seas of Dauin is his principal subject, he often went there to
rest his mind and meditate.
He is the first Filipino artist who is awarded to be part of the Artist Residency program at Chalk Hill Artist
Residency in Napa, California this coming August to September. He is now having his cozy art lounge at Foundation
University; he is staying there as an artist-in-residence.
Hersley is encouraging all the inspiring artist to “Just Do It!” because nothing in this world can make you happier
than making your own art.