Gibbs: The roving painter of lifeART: He is a patriot. He loves his country; the tiny island with all its beauty and glamour. Roydon O. Gibbs travels throughout Sri Lanka to capture its beauty with brush strokes. "I could be the only painter going around and paint", he said. Being a professional painter Gibbs has a profound interest in history and Sri Lankan culture. The theme of most of his paintings is historical places.
"In my painter life which is around 35 to 40 years, I have visited many places of historical and archaeological importance. Many people have not even heard of certain places that I have painted", Gibbs says. He has a great inclination towards painting - the Raja Maha Viharas in the country. "Raja Maha Viharas reflect what our ancient kings' perception and their concept of Vihara (temple) was. Unlike the modern temples these are the places that connect history and historical incidents," he said. He has painted all the lighthouses in Sri Lanka. Several imperial monuments such as Dutch fortresses and the Fort in the Delft Island are also in his paintings. Gibbs is a product of St. Peter's College, Colombo. He studied art from the Amerasekara Art Academy while attending school. He was a member of the school's Art Society and won prizes for portrait and figure drawing. His first career was at the Stronarchs Advertising and later served at several other advertising companies like J.Walter Thomsons and Mel and Phoenix Advertising.
He loves nature too. "Most of the lovely places in the coastal stretch remain in my paintings as those were destroyed by the tsunami," he noted. He captures wildlife in his paintings. "I observe the movements and the behaviour of the wild animals. I have been to Yala, Wilpattu and many other wildlife sanctuaries. I don't paint from photographs. I paint life. It's not still. If you want to paint life you have to experience it and feel it. That's why I travel to paint", he elaborated. Gibbs admires lots of painters. "I like Impressionists too but I don't like to be influenced by people and artists", Gibbs says. He paints different facets of community life as well. "I paint people and places with water colour. The beauty of the watercolour is transparent and it captures life", he says. He regrets that the Sri Lankans have not realised the value of the country and their rich culture. "We do not have adequate patronage for art. Foreigners are more updated in art and its concepts, composition and technicalities", he says. Art and painting are effective tools to show the beauty of our country and rich heritage to the world, he added. He expressed his gratitude to the F&G Property Developers (Pvt) Limited for patronising his eighth solo exhibition "An Odyssey in Water Colour and Pastel Paintings" which will be held at the Lionel Wendt on June 24 and 25. "I have covered the entire Sri Lanka through my paintings, from Point Pedro to Dondra. All of Sri Lanka in one hall", Gibbs concluded with a smile of content on his face. |
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