Anushka Jayasekera:

The magic of turning labour into gold

It was a sunny day. The sun had stirred the world into activity, but the air was still cool. I set off down Horton Place to the J.D.A. Perera Art Gallery. JDA's contemporaries would have agreed that a history of painting should begin with him, as one of the few great painters recognised and applauded in his lifetime for being a unique portrait painter, and for his enormous contribution to Sri Lankan Art, as the first principal of the then art school, Heywood School of Art.

It was at the exhibition, Sri Lankan Art 2012 presented by The George Keyt Foundation where I met Anushka Jayasekera, an aspiring young artist whose work is remarkable. As I set my eyes on his paintings two red spots displayed to indicate that he had already sold two paintings, 'Water carriers' (oil on canvas) and 'Music', (a flute and sitar player oil on canvas). A few kilometres from Colombo to Maharagama you come to Arauwala, a natural fertile valley displaying the splendour of village life. It is here that Anushka was born on October 14, 1982.

Anushka Jayasekera putting the finishing touches

Musicians

As a little boy he grew up in the typical surroundings of a home in which there was an ardent interest for art, as his father Romesh Jayasekera was a batik artist. Anushka hails from a family of batik artists. He started his education at Janadhipathi Vidyalaya, Maharagama where he completed his O/Level examination. It is not always true that those whom God loves live to the ripe old age. Anushka's father, a reputed batik artist left his work undone. It's a pity that he wasn't alive to turn out his intricate designs on batik and see his son Anushka one day earn international fame.

Tragedy struck very early to Anushka when he lost his father and life became hard. His mother Chandani maintained a frugal household with her small earnings. Anushka did not have the opportunity to acquire any special academic training in art, but sheer perseverance and hard work turned him into a master of the brush. At the beginning he says - he didn't even possess a paint brush. He performed his paintings with coffee sticks and coconut husks. He has proved his natural gift to arouse the enthusiasm of his art lovers, exhibiting his work in prestigious tourist hotels and art galleries in the country.

His first art exhibition in 2004 at the Lionel Wendt was a tremendous success, and thereafter the display of his creations in 2006 and 2010 at the Lionel Wendt was well received by the public. The brush and the palette and his canvases seemed to possess the magic of turning labour into gold.

His pictures were great. His outstanding talent as a painter was due to his dedication. He paints various aspects of life of the ordinary man, farmer, musician, vendor, fisherman and gram seller. He brings out the beauty and richness of the landscapes. Oil painting has been his forte. His paintings also include historic Buddhist temples, Hindu kovils, Churches and village scenes.

Anushka's paintings are alive with a flawless richness of green, red, yellow and blue with brisk brush strokes. He has worked in reputed advertising agencies in Colombo and his achievements in commercial designing, book covers and posters are outstanding.

Anushka runs a mini art gallery at his home in Maharagama. Many tourists and art lovers visit his gallery. He intends to exhibit his latest creations in the near future. Anushka says he is proud and happy to traverse back the path he has come along.