The Old Masters

...and their pupils:

It what is being described as a "tribute to the old art teachers" the works four artists, one of them better known for his acting prowess and no longer among the living, will go on display at the Lionel Wendt from August 9 to 10, in a one of a kind exhibition titled 'The Old Masters and their pupils'. The opening event, with the Doyen of Sri Lankan Cinema Dr. Lester James Peries and Mrs. Sumithra Peries is scheduled to be held at 5.30 p.m. on August 8.

The artists, three of who also happen to be old boys of S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia are Gamini Fonseka, film actor/director, Tissa Hewavitarane, artist/journalist, Udayakantha Warnasuriya, film director/producer and Nayanajith Premaratne, artist/graphic artist. The teachers being artistically honoured are M. Sarlis, G.S. Fernando and Susil Premaratne. The opening night of the exhibition, on August 8, will see the launch of a book on the Old Masters who have dedicated their lives to the improvement of art in Sri Lanka.

Below is a brief peek into the life and times of the artists and the old masters.

Artists

Mastery in drawing

Gamini Fonseka

Gamini was shy, silent but desperately anxious to make good. Commencing his educational at Presbyterian Girls' School, Dehiwala, he completed it at S. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia, but he learned very little, either at school or anywhere else. He wasn't the kind to learn but somewhere down the line he had inherited clever fingers and body language. He came under the tutelage of Kalabushana Susil Premaratne to study art. He dabbled in pencil sketches and black and white Indian ink drawings and watercolours.

Having proved his mastery in drawing, his ability to arouse the enthusiasm of the public with his superb sketches, Gamini now turned his hand to another branch of art-acting. Here, he was successful from the start. He appeared first on screen in `Rekawa' as part of a crowd. He also did some work on an English television series filmed in Sri Lanka. Gamini's first credited acting role was in 'Daiwa-Yogaya' (1959) in which he played a small role. His ascendency in the celluloid world is well documented, and as the saying goes, historic. Gamini acted in 108 films, Directed 10 and produced two. He was born on March 21, 1936 and married Tina in 1962 had four children - Chamila, Thanuja, Damith and Ishara. He entered politics in 1989 and died in September 2004 at the age of 68.

Teachers

Maligawage Sarlis

Maligawage Sarlis had his education under the scholar monk Ven. Valitara Gnanatilaka and later a Vidyodaya Pirivena at Maligakanda in Colombo, under the eminent scholar Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala, where he learnt Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and writing poetry. As a lad he didn't go through a course in academic art.

But he started drawing with his father's brother, Vidane, who was famous for drawing religious pictures to be hung in every rural home.

In 20' s Sarlis worked as an assistant to Richard Henricus, the well-known artist famous for murals in both Buddhist and Christian context. The `Seated Buddha' at the Jayatilakaramaya Shrine Room is said to be Sarlis' first professional creation.

The Maligakanda temple is the first temple to be painted and sculpted by Sarlis, between1911-1920.

Sarlis was not only known as temple artist and illustrator, but also as a graphic and commercial artist. He can be considered as one of the pioneers of modern advertising art. He designed book covers and a book for small children called 'Aksara Hodiya' a children's alphabet for use in Pre School and had a reputation for life size portraits and sculptures of famous personalities.

The Vesak pandals depicting the life of the Buddha were a concept of Sarlis master that has left an indelible mark in the formation of his artistic character. M. Sarlis was also well-known as a writer and a poet. He was born in 1880 and died in 1955.

Art from the university of life

Tissa Hewavitarane

Veteran Artist Tissa Hewavitarane makes a display of his finest work as a tribute to his teachers and men and women who have helped him build up his life over the year. Having started his primary education at Girls' High School he later joined S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. He completed his school career at Pembroke Academy, Colombo and went straight into the `University of life' in search of his themes.

M. Sarlis, the well-known temple painter who was his neighbour, introduced Tissa to his son, Susil Premaratne, who became his first guru. Later Tissa studied under well-known watercolour artist Kalasoori G.S. Fernando, who lent him a paternal hand of assistance in teaching basic techniques in watercolour painting, and black and white sketches in Indian ink, scraper board work, poster painting and caricature.

Tissa, who followed a career path in advertising, in Sri Lanka and abroad, has held several successful exhibitions in Germany, Bahrain, the Middle East and in Sri Lanka. His artistic expressions have been reflected in his journalism. The exhibition will see the launch of Tissa's 'Brush strokes of Old Masters', a book on the works of renowned painters of Sri Lanka who are not among the living today. The book is a beautiful record of every painting represented in full colour and black and white sketches with an introduction by media personality Kalakirthi Dr. Edwin Ariyadasa.

Susil Premaratne

Born on April 5, 1925 at Dematagoda, Colombo, he is the son of Maligawage Sarlis was the most reputed artist for temple murals and sculptures. At the age of twelve Susil left St. Mathew's College, Colombo and entered Dharmaraja College, Kandy. In 1952 he joined the Lankadeepa editorial staff as an illustrator under G.S. Fernando, which later enabled him to start a series of picture stories in the Sunday Lankadeepa.

The picture stories later published in book form as 'Randupatha' became the first picture story book published in Sri Lanka. Susil was also versatile in watercolour painting. His brush work in Colour adds beautiful splendour to the upcountry scenes, landscapes and seascapes.

Susil not only excelled in art but music as well. In 1944, he sang the first song over the radio through Lama Pitiya. In 1948 he got through a voice test done by Professor Ratna Jankar of India and became an `A' grade singer at Radio Ceylon, now SLBC.

In 1952 he made his debut as a playback singer with Rukmani Devi the nightingale of the silver screen. He passed away on February 10, at the ripe old age of 85.

Virtuoso in colours

Nayanajith Premaratne

Born on May 24, 1956 in Colombo, Nayanajith Premaratne grew up in the typical surroundings of a home in which there was an interest in art and music.

The bright, warm atmosphere of his home guided him to becoming a virtuoso in the handling of colours. Nayanajith's father was the reputed story illustrator Kala Bushana Susil Premaratne.

Nayanajith completed his education at S. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia. Having learned the basic techniques of watercolour painting from his father, he gained maturity from his guru Kalasoori G.S. Fernando, who moulded him as a budding artist. Nayanajith began life as a commercial artist in the advertising field and rose as an art director and creative director.

After a long period associated with advertising firms and after his retirement, he turned to experimenting with information technology, digital painting and creative art.

He has originated a watercolour and a digital painting to show the differences in technique at this exhibition.

He has been a teacher in art for some time and is the author of a book titled 'Dharshana Chitra.' The book illustrates the problems encountered in watercolour painting and offers solutions for them.

G.S. Fernando

Ganawari Senarath was born on February 2, 1904 in Suddhagoda in Bentara. After coming to Colombo he attended classes at Vidyodaya Pirivena at Malgakanda to learn Pali and Sanskrit. After completing his studies, he came under the tutelage of M. Sarlis, who asked him to join his art studio in the heart of Colombo. GF's duties at this art studio afforded him the spice of variety.

He designed greeting cards, pictorial decorations for book covers and turned out artwork for advertisements.

He also created many book covers and illustrations for famous authors and poets, among whom were Piyadasa Sirisena, Hemapala Munidasa, W.A. Silva, Martin Wickramasinghe, G.B. Senanayake and U.A.S. Perera (Siri Aiya).

In 1933 he joined the Times Group of Newspapers as a commercial artist and later became the political cartoonist for the English paper the Times of Ceylon, and the Sinhala paper, Lankadeepa. While working for both papers, he created a picture story called `Neela' which was published in the Sunday Lankadeepa and became very popular. It was the first picture story published in Sri Lankan newspapers.

He was also well-known as a watercolour painter and held many art exhibitions here and abroad. His best works have been exhibited mostly in foreign countries.

He died in 1990 at the age of 86.