Reflections in colour :

Jayani excels in the art world

by Gwen Herat

Nature's glory – oil on canvas

In the world of art, there is a question that is always asked as to what one thinks about an artist. Jayani Pinnawela was a high-profile administrator and diplomat who served her country with aplomb and much dedication, denying her artistic abilities not wishing to confuse her priorities as duty came first to her. Now, she has all the time in the world to dwell into her passion.

‘Reflections in Colour’ decked the walls of the Lionel Wendt Theatre a few weeks ago and showcased to the public a collection of 66 paintings. It was a credo that was evident in the life of Pinnawela. The dedicated awareness and strong participation in what had gone into her work was a marvel as I stood before a couple of her art work.

I would not say that every picture stood out. However, I found several flaws she had lapsed into. For instance, a picture must be able to arrest the attention of a focal point not only from a distance but from close proximity. This I found lacking in many painters; may be they see their subject only from their point of view.

Artist's mind

One cannot look into an artist's mind, let alone the chemistry of his creativity. I am not an armchair critic nor an aggressive reviewer but someone who tries to look at art from the point of view of the artist's mind. It is a tall order and my heart always churn in an artist's pallete as did under Pinnawela's brush strokes. She is a wonderful artist, bright in imagination, gentle in colour mix and this without formal training. She has already carved a niche for herself in the art world though she has a long way to go the top.

This is Pinnawela's eight exhibition in Colombo. Earlier, she held a joint exhibition in Rome and a solo exhibition in the Isle of Capri.

How she began to plumb the depth of what she saw which appeared clear in a particular intensification is her inward testimony that finally led her to her art. It came naturally to her and in the recent years art lovers came to identify her beauty of colour masses, a bit of a new perception.

Complexity

It is clear from the complexity of her work that she was exploring sources to discover her subjects near to her heart more than what the eyes beheld. The body of work by an artist never ceases. It is an ongoing passion and further illuminates painters of the calibre of Pinnawela. The joy to access art treasures of the world is every artist's desire and Pinnawela is no exception.

House by the stream – oil on canvas by Jayani Pinnawela

Painters such as Pinnawela are luckier than me as students we never had international exposure and just did what the art teacher put before us. So, I became one disgruntled artist but my teacher discovered a sharp-eyed, accurate student who brought outdoor scenery as well as object art into a tight set frame like in photography. Into that I put the essence of the best and cut off what was not necessary and my colleagues knew what to paint and leave off what was not necessary. It all helped them but not me.

I did not have the patience to sit and experiment. But my teacher encouraged my ‘theory’ in art which later was to make me an art critic and reviewer. Thanks to my art teacher, Norma Weinman whose spirit lives in me, especially on occasions such as art exhibitions.

Spirituality

Pinnawela, unlike many painters, is not seeking answers through a particular spirituality because there is a strong elevation of the soul in her art. She reveals the indifference and misery as an overpowering presence in a few paintings. Artists are created differently, some with enhanced mental power and some without that reflect in their art.

If an artist is arrogant and self-centred, one will always find a trace of it in his painting. The colours will be sharp and crisp, bold and daring along with powerful brush strokes. If one is a dull and less motivated, the painting will be lethargic, sombre and boring.

But the artist who is cheerful, pleasant, lively, joyous and exuberant will fill her paintings with such characteristics of beauty and passion such as Pinnawela who is an attractive and a gentle artist.