Powerful art show

Saw a contemporary art show in Colombo that had an unexpected personal impact. That's rare.

Truck Art – Traditional Sri Lankan Vehicle Graphics 2017

It’s been a while since my last post on Sri Lankan vehicle graphics. As with any element of Sri Lankan public culture, tradition demands that change happens an imperceptible pace. Giving the reassuring effect that nothing changes. Before the next storm kicks us in the face. The floral swirls of traditional Sri Lankan truck art …

Before skill becomes a talent

Drawing the human figure is not a talent. It is a hand-eye coordination skill. Systematic instruction and lots of focused practice will get any student drawing representations of the human form. Even a talentless shit like Cerno managed it. The proof is in the Flickr gallery at end of this post. Using skill to create …

My Nationalist Paintings

I painted endless variations of the same sunset at school. The powers that be approved. I was capturing the offical ideology in pretty pictures. Celebrating beliefs we kids were expected to swallow without question. The pictures themselves looked harmless. The sky was always a lush water colour gradient. Descending from a fringe of deep evening …

Stirring the painting

This painting is going no where. So some of the voices in my head moan from their cushions. True. There are layers and layers of paint and oil pastel and gel medium. A casualty of being the Sunday painter. With an occasional peck of the brush during the lone spare minute of a week night. …