Art is a meditation—for the artist and the connoisseur. It brings one to a peaceful state while capturing their eyes and minds in the artful blend of colours. For a second, all earthly concerns become bygones and the canvas before them becomes everything that is right with the world.
Words Hansani Bandara Photographs Damith Wickramasinghe
The calmness that is felt when you paint your emotions on a plain canvas cannot be explained with words. Your imagination comes alive with every stroke of the paintbrush. Then, according to Artist Srilal Nanayakkara, these imaginations are depicted and defined according to one’s experiences. Nanayakkara’s deep rooted love and passion for art is reflected in each line as he sketches, breathing life to the plain canvas. His passion for painting runs back to his childhood when he tried to make his mark as a young artist.
With What Seems Like Mere Scribbles, Srilal Nanayakkara Subtly Captures All Minute Details Of A Setting
The marvels of art created using just a pencil and paper is a forte that Nanayakkara has mastered over the years. One can be rendered awe-inspired by the finely drawn scenarios, depicting the rural beauty that inspires his art. With what seems like mere scribbles, Srilal Nanayakkara subtly captures all minute details of a setting. It is always worth the wait as an amazing piece of creativity is born following this process.
Nothing stirs Srilal Nanayakkara more than the beauty of rural Sri Lanka, which has always been his much adored muse. “The innocence, simplicity and being content with what one is given is something that I have always admired about villagers. I try to portray this through my paintings,” says Srilal Nanayakkara.
Using oil paints, acrylic colours or just a pencil—the art peices that are nurtured out of the blissful institution of his skill and creativity is truly admirable.
Capturing sentiments of people—mostly villagers—who are not caught in the rat race of the urban metropolis, Srilal Nanayakkara evokes the uncomplicated lives of the rural populace. It is the simple lifestyle of people—men, women and children—their lives led unshaken before life’s twists and turns.
Srilal Nanayakkara’s deep rooted love and passion for art is reflected in each line as he sketches breathing life to the plain canvas
Srilal Nanayakkara further draws inspiration from history, the glory days where royalty reigned. “History inspires all of us. One is bound to imagine the grandeur of architecture and the splendour of the topography created by those grand edifices,” he says. Once the impetus is received, Srilal Nanayakkara creates magic, swaying the paintbrush across the canvas. Thus many epic historical scenes have unfolded in his canvases, been one of his favourite themes to draw.
Srilal Nanayakkara, as an artist did not have a mentor to show him the many techniques and styles of drawing. Though at times he considers this to be somewhat of a misfortune, he also considers this to be a blessing in disguise, as each of his paintings has a unique touch to them. It is a style he has developed himself. “Art is a source of inspiration for many. To me, it is my passion. There is nothing that makes me more happier than drawing,” he says.
