A group of five emerging Artists from the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Visual and Performing Arts will come together for GENESIS, their first group Art Exhibition. Featuring artists Indhira Jayasundera (“All things art”), Thilini de Simon (“Invisible justice”), Ishara Kariyapperuma (“Sight”), Manu Pathirana (“Dreamscape”), and Peshala Premathilaka (“Healing with petals”) the exhibition will be held on the 27th, 28th and 29th of May at the Lionel Wendt. This exhibition is sponsored by ArtCart.lk, the online art shop and Aalindaya. In a chat with Daily Mirror Life, two of the participating artists Indhira Jayasundera and Thilini de Simon shared their themes, inspirations and more.

Indhira Jayasundera

Q Tell me a little about yourself and how and when you delved into the world of art.
I am from Colombo Sri Lanka. My earliest memories are observing and appreciating nature, the colours of birds and butterflies the rainbow colours in the sky and the cloud formations.

I attended Ladies’ College, Colombo 7. We were taught values - to appreciate all creatures great and small and always stand for what is right. I was fortunate enough to have had three principals during my time with these values. Miss Mabel Simon - Melbourne Australia /  Miss Olive Hitchcock - the United Kingdom / Mrs Sirancee  Gunawardana - Sri Lanka who was also my first Art Teacher.

I come from a family of Artists. My great great grandfather, William De Alwis Seneviratne was an Artist and Entomologist. He together with his brother George, and father Harmanis De Alwis Seneviratne was the pioneer in botanical and zoological illustrations. The De Alwis Seneviratne family were honoured by the British Colonials. They have contributed so much to botanic illustrations, including the butterflies of Sri Lanka ( Ceylon - at the time ) the works of the family are in many places in Sri Lanka - and overseas, including the Natural History Museum, London. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Calcutta Botanic Gardens. 

Q Have you studied art anywhere? Or are you self-taught?
I have attended a few workshops face facing and online too. Currently, I am at the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Art - its founder Prof Chandraguptha Thenuwara is a renowned Artist. Kusal Gunasekera is always there to teach and assist in any way, along with Shyama.  As an Artist 'Self Doubt’ would be one of my biggest challenges. I often wonder if the work is good enough or will be accepted. I would listen to my inner guidance - that still small voice and would go through the process. I will and could finally reach the light at the end of that tunnel. 

Q Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
I have been living in Canberra Australia for some years and coming back home often to and fro. My last place of work was at the Museum of Australian Democracy in the Old Parliament House. Having worked there for many years, I stopped work during the Pandemic in 2020, this was a blessing in disguise as I now was able to spend more hours painting. Art is my passion. As a child, I enjoyed drawing, but now I prefer to dabble with paint. Being an Artist I feel is a wonderful way to de-stress. I enjoy my ‘ME’ time to the fullest and painting most certainly has helped me to enjoy my own company. Having visited Exhibitions and Galleries in Australia, I find I prefer to paint on a larger canvas, especially the ‘Blooms’. I do not like to restrict myself to any form or style.

Q Who are your biggest artistic influences?
I feel everything I see and have experienced in my life influences my art in some way, directly or indirectly.  My personal influences come from my surroundings, past and present experiences and from Artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe,  Fabienne Francotte,  Jacqueline Coates, Paul Gauguin, and Claude Monet to name a few. However, for me, it’s more of ‘ WHAT’  than ‘ WHO’  when speaking of influences.

Q Tell me about your favourite medium - where do you find inspiration?
My favourite medium is Acrylic as it dries fast. It was not so at the start. Once the painting is complete, I seal it with an oil glaze to give the painting a lively look. One of my challenges is to believe in myself as an Artist and seek and work on my individuality. I guess I need to be brave and resilient to chase one’s dream. I have a myriad of questions for which most definitely I rely on divine guidance. 

Q When is your favourite time of day to create?
I like to paint in natural light and do spend hours at the easel - not forgetting having mugs of coffee which I cannot do without.  I prepare my canvas with the sketch at night and I paint in the morning.

Q How do you develop your art skills?
I find that the more I paint and experiment I keep discovering varied methods and using different tools. Not restricting myself to any form or style helps me.

Q How has your style changed over time?
I think there is more definition in my paintings and an eye for detail. I find I keep on going with a painting and am unsure when to call it “ finished”. I am very hard on myself as I strive for perfection which I may or may not achieve all the time. 

Q Tell me a little bit about the exhibition. What is the theme? 
The name of the Exhibition is “ GENESIS”. I am part of a small group of five emerging Artists from the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Visual and Performing Arts. This is our first group Art Exhibition as we venture out into the world of Art. As a group, we have not restricted ourselves to a particular Theme, however, individually each participant has a theme. My theme is - Explore. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama did it by voyage. I am exploring on canvas and with paint - enjoying it.

Thilini de Simon

Q Tell me a little bit about yourself and how and when you delved into the world of art.
I am a Chartered Management Accountant and I teach Accounting for O/L and A/L students. I have done many jobs but through it all the one constant has been my love of art, and now I have the time to pursue it full time.

Q Have you studied art anywhere? Or are you self taught?
To me, learning is a lifelong process which I enjoy very much and art has always been the place I go to find my soul, saying that I have had formal training in art at Vibhavi Academy of Fine Art (VAFA).

Q Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
I’m from Colombo but have always loved nature and felt at home in nature. I have travelled to many parts of the world and around Sri Lanka, and I am fascinated by people and their cultures.

Q Who are your biggest artistic influences?
Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Gustave Courbet.

Q Tell me bout your favourite medium - where do you find inspiration?
Oil and watercolour are my favourite mediums. I find inspiration all around me especially by observing people from all walks of life and nature.

Q When is your favourite time of day to create?
I enjoy the quietness that comes with the night.

Q How do you develop your art skills?
By drawing (which I need to do more of) and painting every chance I get.

Q How has your style changed over time?
My style when I started was more realistic and representative but now I enjoy a wide variety of mediums and styles such as conceptual and modern art as well.

Q Tell me a little bit about the exhibition. What is the theme?
The theme I chose is called “Invisible Justice”. These are my thoughts and feelings about Easter day 2019. I feel that we should never leave room for an event such as the Easter bombings to ever happen again and that people should not let race, religion, caste, or politics affect their love for humanity.