Artist Kumudu Tharaka's maiden one-man show

Prasad Abu Bakr

PAINTINGS: 'Sithu Sankalana' an exhibition of paintings depicting images drawn from daily livelihood of the village and its breathtaking surroundings forms the main topic of artist Kumudu Tharaka's work that goes on show at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery tomorrow (Saturday) and 5th (Sunday) from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm on both days.

Tharaka who is an employee of Lake House is a contributing artist to many in-house newspapers and tabloids.

Even though presently attached to the Silumina, Tharaka has had his work featured in Mihira, Tharuni, Janatha and Yovun Janatha throughout his career at Lake House.

The artist who has designed more than 600 book covers has been active creating for the advertising sector as well.

In this, his first one-man exhibition the artist will display a range of work depicting the many facets of village life using oil and water colours, acrylic along with pencil sketches and drawings in ink.

A student of Sri Thaksila Maha Vidyalaya, Panadura, Kumudu says that he has never undergone any prior training to do the kind of work that he is producing at present.

With a strong sense of drawing the artist brings into life the beauty that surrounds him.

He enjoys drawing from life and he does it with a lot of devotion which has resulted in form of a large collection.

The animals, birds and specially human beings are what interest this artist.

Witnessing his work one could see the great passion this young man has for nature and the many details that play along with it.

For an un-trained artist Kumudu has achieved a lot in life drawing and a sense of artistry that can be described as clever beyond any doubt.

The artist feels that to depict life in its normal surroundings is the biggest honour one can do to life. He thinks to distort it with abstraction is unfair on the viewer who should be given the privilege of witnessing the beautiful world that surrounds him through the eyes of an artist. Kumudu Tharaka is the son of artist Wattalpal Kusuman who is also attached to the Dinamina published by Lake House.