Deneth drawn into new flower power world
Deneth Piumakshi Wedaarachchige isn't your average sort of artist,
she is one of those brushwork painting artists who actually believes
that flower power coupled with elements of fire, earth and wind blend to
create a super-massive human universe. Within these mighty forces comes
her inner drive and strength to dabble into a artist form that has moved
many.
"I like to look for days probably even months at a piece of flower
design and find what I see in order to give it the painting creativity
it deserves," said Deneth talking about her Nepali inspired Buddha eyes
peering through her cheeta-reddha jasmine-designed green tapestry. "It
reveals a world that is quite different and I want others to perceive
that it could be anything your heart desires and whatever imaginative
sense it has fired in you," she said.
Deneth said that her father was a strong inspiration for her. "When I
was young, since we had art running through our veins, I was quite
dismayed that I fell into my father's footsteps but it was later that I
realised that I had a calling to it which gave me a renewed sense of
affection to my roots."
She said that her mother and sister were artistic and often drew but
she wanted to do something totally out of this world. Even her father
was involved in several painting projects of a reputed nature in Sri
Lanka but Deneth was the black sheep of the family.
Early days
"It was in those early days when we travelled around the country to
teach art to children in the North. It was a moving experience for me as
we even met a Tamil boy who had nothing and wanted us to adopt him," she
said.
However, life was planned for Deneth when she automatically got the
perfect job and a life laid for her. "I managed to get my first job as a
curator at which was home to one of Sri Lanka's best paintings and we
even did a mural at the Galle Face Court which proved that art and
architecture go hand-in-hand brilliantly," she said flicking her long
hair and asking me to taste her cadju curry.
Deneth always has a care-free sense of spirit but she felt she wanted
to move with her life than just show tourists some Sri Lankan artwork.
"I got bored with the ideal life so I quit and went on this wild
journey. It took me to many places in India and then I finally found
myself in Nepal where I drew and painted to my heart's content," she
said.
Dabbling in anything that was unusual, Deneth said that it was the
best times of her life when she rubbed shoulders with the movers and
shakers of the Nepalese art world and managed to even find herself doing
studies there.
"It was there that I found my niche for producing my masterpieces
with the new design form which coupled nature's most raw materials and
the fabric that would feel soft on your skin," she said with a smile.
Fashion designing
Eventually, Deneth found herself in fashion designing when she played
around with colours on fabrics and thereafter, created some brilliant
fashion designs. She said, "My label Flower Power -'DENETH' was born in
2009 in New Delhi,India. I began to turn my paintings to a form of
clothing.
All the collections are highly inspired by my life on the road,
stories I have come across and incidents I experienced, people I met and
music that I have followed."
Deneth certainly has the determination to fight for the wrong but she
also sees potential in others and supports budding artists too.
"Travelling around opened my eyes to the people and colour inspiring
me greatly and it was thereafter that I came back to Sri Lanka," she
said. But she didn't come empty-handed because she had plenty of
experience with her art, curetting, organising fashion shows, Bollywood
dancing and a little bit of drama on the side. Her work has enabled her
meet great poets.
Deneth also lived in Bhutan for a time and was greatly awed with her
experiences there. She admits to having a white pet rabbit that brought
a source of strength to her and hanging out with her.
Amazing journey
"I enjoy original music, organising art and music projects on
exchanging cultures," she said. The art of De is indeed an amazing
journey and you'll never feel sorry for being friends with her. Her
fashion shows have been mesmerising and definitely artistic with her
last big show 'Elegance 2010' being a show success.
With a talented bunch of impromptu models and Helmut Fritz blaring in
the background, De revealed some fascinating designs that were
stunningly crazy. Three years ago, her show "Living Canvas - The Gallery
without Walls" gave a new twist to how paintings can be dressed and
revamped with many South Asian models and participants taking the show
to greater heights. She said, "I work with all kinds of artists in
international and national art exhibitions, openings, workshops, music
concerts and do a fair bit of public relations."
True to fact, love her or hate her, you can't ignore the force that
is powerful as Deneth. Her advice is: "Believe in Love, Peace and
Freedom. Follow your own roads and live your dreams. Now I am on the
road to create a new flower power world!"
- PP
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