b. Manila 18 February 1940. Painter, Stage designer, teacher. She is the daughter of Valeriano F. Fajardo and Libertad Villanueva, folk dance scholar. Her sister Mary Joan, is a dancer and choreographer. She holds a degree in agriculture from the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños, 1959, and a master of arts degree in art education from the University of Wisconsin public schools of Madison and Stevens Point; and locally at the Ateneo de Manila University and the College of the Holy Spirit. She once served as chairperson of the UP Humanities department now the Department of Art Studies.

    Fajardo had her first solo exhibition of paintings in 1974 at the Kalinangan ng Lahi Gallery in Quezon City, and several exhibitions at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) from 1981 to 1989. Notable are her exhibitions entitled Baraha ng Buhay Pilipino (Playing Cards of Filipino Life), 1990, at the UP Visayas, and Buhay Pilipino, 1994, her special exhibit for Le Rond Pointe in Paris, which was premiered at the CCP. She has also joined group shows held mostly at the CCP. She was a participating artist in international exhibitions, such as those in Cuba and Brisbane, Australia. Since 1983 she has engaged in graphic design.

    She has also worked in theater mostly for productions of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA): as set designer for May-i, May-i, 1979, Galileo Galilei, 1980 and 1981, and Pilipinas Circa 1907, 1982. She acted in plays such as Mother Courage, 1985, and Mga Ama, Mga Anak (Father and Sons), 1977. She has directed Mapait sa Bao (Bitter Coco), 1980, June Bride, 1986, and Damas de noche (Women of the Night), 1991. She has conducted theater workshops all over the country.

    Fajardo has won awards in the Annual Graphics Art Competition of the Printmakers Association of the Philippines (PAP), in 1968; honorable mention, Landscape, 1970; first prize, Feeling and Form Series 3-11 and third prize for Bukas Ngunit Tikom (open But Close) both in 1975. She was a Thirteen Artists awardee of the CCP in 1992.

M.L. Maniquis
CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art Vol. IV
Philippine Visual Art
pp. 342-343