Latifa's student - Anoma Fernando

One of Latifa's star pupils is Anoma Fernando. A graduate in English and Classics from the University of Peradeniya, she teaches English Literature at Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, loves music and plays the violin in the symphony orchestra. But her greatest love has been art and she has been interested in painting since childhood.

Anoma is attracted to nature and says it gives her inspiration to paint. She paints landscapes as well as figures and prefers oils to water colours.

Art is a form of expression for Anoma, who is influenced by Impressionists such as Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne as well as the Old Masters. She is not particularly interested in Abstract art or Modern art because they depict what is conventionally known as 'unpleasant'.

She likes to portray pleasant things which make people happy. This means much of her paintings are of beautiful landscapes, flowers and unusual figures.

Anoma also reads about art and art history and compares the way in which art, music and literature are inter-related. She says reading a book is an intellectual pursuit, much different from painting or playing the violin. She's inspired by the Impressionist music of Claude Debussy, which she says influences her paintings.

Anoma says she owes her success to Latifa Ismail who has been an inspiration to her and guided and encouraged her. She admits that it was only after attending Latifa's classes that she began painting seriously. She is hoping to have a solo exhibition of about forty five paintings in December this year.