GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 15 Jan) – An art gallery and museum featuring the “inspiring journey” of the city’s pride, 2011 Miss Universe third runner-up Shamcey Supsup-Lee, opened over the weekend in her home village here.

Shamcey Supsup-Lee. MidnaNews file photo by BONG S. SARMIENTO
The art gallery and museum, which had a soft opening last Friday, was established by the Supsup family through the Environgreen Village Educational Foundation in Purok 7, San Felipe in Barangay Katangawan.
Marcey Gurrea-Supsup, Shamcey’s mother, said the gallery is mainly a showcase of beauty and wisdom and tells the story behind the latter’s successes.
She said the display is composed of pictures and personal items showing Shamcey as a “loving daughter, artist, a scholar, beauty queen, businesswoman, wife and mother.”
“This is my gift to Shamcey,” said Mrs. Supsup, who personally pushed for the establishment of the gallery.
She explained that their family first considered putting up the gallery or museum for Shamcey after the latter’s successful stint at the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.
They initially thought then about coming up with a corner that will keep Shamcey’s collections in one place.
Mrs. Supsup said they eventually conceptualized and established the art gallery and museum in collaboration with Shamcey.
“Actually, this is a collaboration between mother and daughter. Me collecting all the items, all the collections of Sham, while she is also supporting me and giving me materials that I needed,” she said in a report from the City Information Office.
“This is a dream come true and I hope that this museum will be a living testimony for the youth and inspire them how Shamcey started from scratch to become a beauty queen and be successful in her career,” she added.
Shamcey, who graced the gallery’s soft opening, said she was very happy and proud of her mother’s initiative.
“My mom wanted to create like a little museum of all memories from my childhood until I became an architect, a beauty queen and now a businesswoman,” she said.
She said Mrs. Supsup wanted to collate everything and establish the gallery through their foundation, which also runs a school.
“According to her, this is also to inspire the students. That my journey to becoming who I am today was not easy. Everything that I have right now came through hard work and they will see it here in the museum,” Shamcey said.
She hopes that through the museum, the youth will be inspired and take on challenges as well with dedication and hard work.
Cora Tito, city tourism officer, lauded the establishment of the art gallery and museum and noted that the city will promote it as a tourist destination.
“This is an additional destination for tourists. The word Shamcey alone will lure tourists to come here,” she said.
She said the developments at the site, which includes the family’s farm tourism and coffee shop, provides additional attractions as well.
“My plan now is to add it as one of the destinations of the city. We’ll make another package tour that will make as the featured destination,” she added. (MindaNews)