Bandula Kumara:

Wildlife is his first love

Bandula Kumara was born in Colombo on June 13, 1955. It all started in the classroom. During the absence of his class teacher, Bandula drew images of animals and human figures on the blackboard. The observant teacher was highly impressed with Bandula’s art and helped him to promote his artistic potential.

He completed his education at the Natural Institute of Higher studies. He developed an interest for painting early in life. Bandula is a nature lover and wildlife enthusiast and prefers oil as his favourite medium. His works consist of a variety of animals in brilliant colours. Bandula has a keen sense of observation of wildlife, which is especially seen in the painting of two elephants with tuskers.

The texture of the animal is skilfully handled by thick brush strokes shown on the body and it has a fine tapering finish. Bandula depicted the glorious character of nature in his paintings. He presents vibrant relationships that epitomise most extreme moments in nature, for example, in fighting forms, dramatically depicted in red and blue brush strokes. His deep feeling for animals and nature was so much a part of his spirit that he visits national parks such as Yala, Kumana and Wilpattu to capture their splendour on canvas.

One of his paintings

Bandula Kumara

Observation of nature is part of an artist’s life. It enlarges his knowledge, keeps him fresh and gives inspiration. Bandula exercises constant application and experiments to improve the quality of his work. He has brought on canvas the true environment of nature by the use of sober colours.

As a wildlife painter he has been able to capture the mood of any animal in a particular situation. He depicts a scene in action so that his brush brings out the essential significance – that is the beauty of Bandula’s paintings. He says wildlife is his first love. As a wildlife artist he owes his success to the animals he paints.

From time to time Bandula painted landscapes, and jungle scenes. Although other forms of art such as sculpture, carving, painting and drawing had been flourishing in the country, the art of picture illustrations was unknown. It is after we gained Independence that the art of picture story illustrations (comics) were introduced to the country from England which struck root in the 60s and 70s. New dailies weeklies and fortnightlies, in every feasible language mushroomed, thus opening up opportunities for artists to do picture stories. Having proved his ability to arouse the enthusiasm of the public with his wild-pictures, Bandula now turned his hand to another branch of art as a picture story illustrator. He was successful from the start.

His association with reputed artists such as Kalasoori G.S. Fernando, Kalabushana Susil Premaratna, and Bandula Harishchandra helped him to become a popular picture story illustrator. Bandula began with picture stories dealing in manifold activities such as bullfights, bandits, courtships, seductions, realistic stories of tragedy, comedy and historic events. He did a series of picture stories to various newspapers and publications. Some of the picture stories that became popular among readers, were ‘Samson and Delilah’, ‘Prathap’, Sahara and Sikari. At present Bandula is engaged in translating the popular picture story Sikari into English as a comic book. He utilised his talents to feature unique creations some of which are appreciated by the locals and others in foreign countries.