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| Sunday, 1 May 2005 |
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Strokes of reality by Umangi de Mel His passion is people; inspired by their ways and lifestyle, Jayantha
Silva, has completed yet another set of figurative art. 'Expressions III',
The 'Exhibition of Figurative art' contains some tsunami based paintings, he says "I've taken the human aspect of it." Going back in time, Jayantha says that he was a child artist, "Teachers were quite impressed and 'excellent' was one word that was always written for the subject 'art' in my report book." Jayantha had been merely ten when he did his first nude, "Many years later, when I actually saw nude pictures, I knew I hadn't been that wrong even at the age of ten," he grins at the fine memories. Although he continued painting during school there had been a break somewhere down the line as he totally gave up art choosing advertising as a career, "Actually at the time I was on the look out for a career and I felt that being an artist was not a good profession. The deviation brought me to advertising. Thus for twenty years I hadn't painted a single picture."
That's when I decided to try my childhood passion again." Having finished his first painting after years, Jayantha says he couldn't believe what he had created. "I thought I wouldn't be able to draw a thing but to my amazement I hadn't lost my talent. Instead I found out that I'd merely gained. That's how I started it all over again," he says adding that he held an exhibition in 2003 as well, with the paintings he completed. "It was my first exhibition at the Lionel Wendt. People generally go for abstract which wasn't my style. But apparently my figurative art won them over, since I sold quite a lot of paintings during my first exhibition." Jayantha was later on invited by the Light House Hotel in Galle to hold an exhibition at the premises, which went on for over three months. Then his luck struck again when the Ceylon Tea Board wanted him to do a painting for the Katunayake Airport Aviation Office, "It's still there," he gloats adding, "I honestly didn't think they'd select my painting as, lots of known artists had also given their paintings. I was the only unknown person but I was truly happy when my painting was selected." Jayantha says that he's still in the process of learning, "I've never studied art so there's such a lot of things that I need to learn. Every painting is a challenge but I do it for myself sans a commercial angle." He says he'd rather continue his own style than imitate another, "Of course I can appreciate other styles, but I'd stick to mine."
"Human figures are difficult to paint but it's a challenge. You must have a good photographic memory, and I have it. "90 per cent of his paintings are imaginary," he says. "People have always asked if I study other paintings and figures before I paint but it's all in my head." Painting gives a feeling which money can't buy, he says. "I feel sorry for those who don't paint. It's something inexplicable, you've got to experience it." |
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will display the latest 'expressions' that he brought back to life on
canvas. "It will be held on May 6, 7 and 8 at the Lionel Wendt," says the
artist. His book called 'Expressions in Verse' will also be launched on
May 6 along with his website called 'artbyjayantha.com'. 
Yet the desire to paint never left him as he yearned to start painting.
"Three years back I suddenly got nostalgic and I felt as if I was missing
an important part of life. 
When questioned about his interest in figures which are hard to sketch,
Jayantha says that he likes to try the most difficult thing. 
