Green Path Village artists appeal for a patient hearing:

Painters draw a sorry picture

By Ananda KANNANGARA

"Although artists should be given a prominent place when considering their inborn talents and the service being rendered to the society, unfortunately, we are not given that recognition and only a few people in the present day society recognise our work," a 22-year old third year student of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, Hewamaddumage Gayan Rupasinghe said.

Gayan hails from a family at Kobeigane in Kurunegala. He has two younger sisters and his parents are farmers. He entered the Visual and Performing Arts University in Colombo after his GCE (AL) Examination. His ambition is to become a teacher.

Gayan said he started painting at the age of 14 and unlike earlier, it is very difficult to sell paintings since a large number of persons including university students are now engaged in the painting business at Green Path opposite the Colombo Viharamahadevi Park.

He therefore proposed the Colombo Mayor to allow at least two other places within the Colombo city limits including one at Galle Face Green in Kollupitiya for them to sell their paintings.

When Sunday Observer last week interviewed several other artists like Gayan who sells paintings at Green Path, opposite the Viharamahadevi Park, they said it is very difficult to earn money by selling paintings even for their daily spendings.

He therefore said authorities should visit the painters village at Green Path and look into the grievances of persons engaged in the painting business and make arrangements to bring more local and foreign visitors to the village at Green Path.

A long-standing painter Nilantha Vidanarachchi who sell his creations said, unlike earlier, the painting business will also become a dying industry if the Cultural Ministry does not take any action to help artists to sell their paintings.

He said artists are plenty in the country today. If anybody comes to the Painters Village at Green Path they could see how many people, mostly young university students are engaged in the painting industry and how many visitors come.

"Some days not more than fifty people visit us at Geen Path. Therefore, I propose to the Ceylon Tourist Board officials to send at least two tourist coaches to our village every week day and about five tourist coaches during the weekend and encourage university students to sell their paintings.

Asked about the prices of paintings, Nilantha said, as the production cost is very high, paintings are sold from Rs. 500 to Rs.50,000 or more. He said the paintings that are sold by them at Green Path for Rs. 5,000 are sold by some tourist hotels, private and state owned tourist shops for Rs. 40,000.

"Generally, some hotels buy paintings from artists at Green Path and sell them in their shops at exorbitant prices,"

'"Therefore, I appeal to tourists to visit them at Green Path and buy paintings at cheap rates."

A 31-year-old painter, Priyantha Godagedara said he does his painting work at his home at Kalutara and they are sold by his father Siripala Kulasuriya at Green Path.

He said he spends a lot of money to make acrorylic on canvass and other oil paintings, as all raw materials are expensive.

"Although we spend a large sum of money on our paintings, it is rather difficult to sell them. I appeal to the Tourist Board and all other private tour operators to bring foreign tourists to our Green Path Village to enable us to sell our paintings."

He said painters are even ready to pay commission for tour guides for the encouragement given to them.

A resident of Elahara in the Polonnaruwa District, Nirmala Herath said she has been in the painting industry for the past 20 years and comes to Green Path painters villagers on some weekdays and during weekends. "As only a few visitors are coming to our village on weekdays, our daily income depends on the arrival of these visitors. It is up to the Cultural Affairs Ministry to help artists at the Green Path Painters Village."

She proposed to Ministry officials to divert foreign visitors who come to the Museum to the Green Path painters village.

She said that some days they are not in a position to sell at least one painting and without the state patronage it is difficult to carry out the business.

A student of the University of Colombo, Kanchana Kumudini said at least 40 students from the University of the Visual and Performing Arts conduct stalls at Green Path and no student could earn more money by selling their paintings due to the poor turn-out of visitors.

She therefore proposed to tour guides who take foreign travellers from Colombo to Katunayaka Airport to visit their stalls before leaving, so that at least a few travellers would buy our paintings. We are also ready to pay a little commission to tour guides.

A long standing artist of Walasmulla, 47-year-old Kusumsiri de Silva said he sells his paintings at Green Path only on weekdays, because only university students are allowed to sell their paintings during Saturdays and Sundays.

He suggests the Colombo Municipal Council gives them a place at Kollupitiya area to sell their paintings.

A 20-year old student of the Visual and Performing Arts University, K. G. Sudharma wanted the Ministry of Tourism to direct all tourist hotels in the country to allow at least three days a week including Saturdays and Sundays for painters to conduct sales centres even in their hotel premises, since they will also benefit by selling paintings to foreign tourists.

A father of two, Piyasiri Narangoda said he has been in the paintings industry for the past 25 years and it is difficult to go ahead with the industry without the support of the Government.

He therefore requested the Government to hold regular exhibitions of paintings in Colombo, Kandy and other major cities, so that it will help painters to sell their products to local and foreign tourists.

He also wanted the Government to allow painters to sell their products at the Katunayaka Airport premises.