Nisansala Karunaratne brings nature to fore through photography, art:

Capturing light, etching life

Suharshi PERERA

It was her mother's untidy garden. Spending hours looking at the peeping sun, watching ants wrestling with dry leaves, brooding stems of the rose plants and dancing magpies simply flashed a ray of imagination for the young photographer who was exploring the garden for a burst of creativity for her next project.

"Life is everywhere and it is how you capture it," she says jubilantly having ferreted out life's wonders with her lens. Nature inspires her. Be it the rising sun, setting sun, moonlight or drought, Nisansala Karunaratne traverses through the moods of nature to capture life in a different perspective both through the lens and on canvas.

"An artist has to pursue life differently. They have to etch the unseen beauty of anything that they experience," the young artist observes.

She declines to call herself ' professional' despite having conducted four art and photographic exhibitions and being academically armed with the requisite knowledge as she draws and photographs for 'the sake of leisure and pleasure'.

Born to an affluent family in the business of printing, the path ahead for Nisansala was smooth, without any impediments. But she was at a crossroads after she passed the Advanced Level examination as she did not want to proceed along that way.

"It was like a climbing a hard rocky mountain and strolling on a smooth, carpeted road. The distance would be the same but I prefer to toil to reach the destination and to test the strength of my feet," she explained how she became an artist without devoting herself only to graphic designing.

Reading for her first degree in Fine Arts in an entirely different culture and environment was never an obstacle for Nisansala who loved challenges as she possessed the right focus and a creative eye. She completed her Bachelors in Fine Arts in Photography and Graphic Designing at San Jose California State University in USA. Her stint in the university added more colour to her talent that sprouted when she was just three years old.

Returning home after seven and a half years in the USA, Nisansala was confident enough to hold solo exhibitions of her paintings and photography. She held her last exhibition in January 2008. "The response was overwhelming," she said with a child like ecstasy. "Yatra is a creative journey through winding paths to the inner soul of life. It depicts my experiences gained by travelling to many areas of the country including Madawachchiya, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Kandy. Nisansala launched her Photo Diary recently.

Her style is documentary, says the photo artist. "I convey a message through art which is not prominent for most people. And I try to bring solace to the people battered by the circumstances of everyday life by reflecting a positive attitude through art".

"I love playing with colours. There are instances that I don't see the sun for days when I get into the dark room. My passion for experimenting never ends. It leads me on winding paths," she remarks.

Nisansala, the Creative Director of her family company, also imparts her knowledge to up and coming young artists as a a visiting lecturer at the Colombo and Moratuwa Universities.

Her family is the strength behind her success.

"They encouraged me to study Fine Arts for Advanced Level and I learnt dancing too when studying at Musaeus College, Colombo. They identified my potential. I always prompt my students to think differently and create something unique. We should not follow the flow. That is how we can bring about a productive change," she observes.

Sri Lanka has a wealth of resources but lacks guidance to develop the creative sector. There is a huge market for art yet to be explored, the multifaceted artist remarks. "The education system in our country is responsible for this woeful state. The fear to change should be shunned and we should create an authentic identity through mingling our culture and heritage with the latest technology.

For that, one needs to study our culture and history extensively," Nisansala observed.

Go green!

Leafy vegetables lower the risk of diabetes:

Women who have a higher intake of green leafy vegetables and fruit have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes, whereas those who have a higher intake of fruit juices may have an increased risk for the disease, according to the results of a study reported in the US medical journal Diabetes Care.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice intake and the development of type 2 diabetes. An increase of three servings of total fruit and vegetable consumption per day was not linked to the development of diabetes.

However, an increase in whole fruit consumption of three servings per day was associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

An increase of one serving per day of green leafy vegetables was linked to a slightly lower hazard of diabetes . In contrast, an increase of one serving per day of fruit juice consumption was associated with an increased risk for diabetes.

Consumption of green leafy vegetables and fruit was associated with a lower hazard of diabetes, whereas consumption of fruit juices may be associated with an increased hazard among women," the study authors write. "Our findings of a positive association of fruit juice intake with hazard of diabetes suggest that caution should be observed in replacing some beverages with fruit juices in an effort to provide healthier options. Moreover, the same caution applies to the recommendation that 100 per cent fruit juice be considered a serving of fruit as it is in the present national dietary guidelines."

Skindeep

Simple steps to flawless skin:

We've all heard how important it is to care for our skin from the outside-but what's often not recognised is just how much our lifestyle affects the appearance of our skin, particularly when it comes to acne.

Yes, cleansing regularly, applying the right treatment products and developing better skin habits will help keep your complexion clear, but it's only when you target skin from both the outside and the inside that you'll begin to see longer-lasting results. Eating the right foods, exercising consistently and making time for daily stress relief are just a few of the good-for-you habits beneficial for your skin, but there are others. Here, what you need to do now to improve the appearance of your skin and, in the process, your overall health.

Plenty of sleep

Since the skin's repair processes are hard at work while you slumber (you need seven to nine hours a night), being sleep-deprived can actually worsen the look of your skin by intensifying dark circles and/or puffiness under the eyes. Sleep deprivation also can lead to increased breakouts (or slow the healing of ones you already have).

While it's easier said than done, there are things you can do before bed to maximise the overnight skin-renewal process and help your skin look its best come morning. First and foremost, always remove makeup before bed since it's that very makeup, plus the dirt and grime that collect on skin during the day, that increases a pore's likelihood of getting clogged.

Regular exercise

The revitalising and energising benefits of exercise (and the circulation boost it provides the entire body) are certainly good for your overall well-being-not to mention the healthy glow it gives your skin. But some women notice just the opposite effect: an increase in breakouts following exercise. What's important to know: Such breakouts aren't caused by exercise itself, but by how you treat your skin before, during and after your workout. Here's how to treat your skin right.

Remove makeup before exercising. Unless the makeup you're wearing specifically states that it contains anti-pimple ingredients like salicylic acid and is oil-free and noncomedogenic (meaning it won't clog pores), remove it before working out, since it's likely to block your pores once you start sweating.

Stress relief

Wear appropriate workout clothing. A combination of factors, such as more heat and sweat generated during exercise, can lead to overactive sebaceous glands (the oil-producing glands in the skin). When combined with bacteria, which often live at the base of the hair follicles, this increased production of sebum can contribute to breakouts.

Wearing moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics that draw sweat away from the skin and allow heat to escape can be a significant help.

Bathe immediately after your workout. Cleanse your body with an exfoliating wash that contains the poredeclogging ingredient salicylic acid. But don't overscrub; this can irritate skin and even worsen your acne.

While stress doesn't cause acne, it can make it worse. One reason: When we're under pressure, we tend to let our good habits lapse. For instance, we crave foods higher in fat and sugar; we sleep less or poorly; we react to situations more emotionally and get angry more easily-all thanks to the hormone, cortisol, that's released during times of tension. Since cortisol itself can trigger acne by causing inflammation, neglecting good habits creates a double whammy for our complexion.

Find stress-relief techniques that really work for you. You don't have to spend hours practicing stress-management techniques or meditating or doing yoga every day (all proven ways to reduce stress) if none of those appeals to you.

Instead, find a way to relax that fits into your daily schedule, so it becomes something you'll do regularly. One simple idea: Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, hold it for four seconds and then slowly breathe out through your mouth. As you exhale, feel your whole body relax. Another easy technique: Mentally walk yourself through an upcoming event you perceive will be stressful-visualise yourself being confident and relaxed, and when it happens for real, chances are that you will be. Finally, taking just a 10-minute walk outdoors can clear your mind enough to allow cortisol levels to drop. The key is to find a technique you like-and stick with it.

Balanced diet

There are many myths about what causes acne. Chocolate and greasy foods often get the blame, but it remains unclear exactly what effect they (and other foods) have on breakouts. One thing is certain, however: Eating a balanced diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables-detailed in the tips below-is the best way to stay healthy and have clear skin.

Get your nutrients. A healthy diet is rich in minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamins A, C and E, which are critical for smooth, clear skin.

Stay hydrated

Consume the equivalent of at least 11 8-ounce glasses daily (that's counting all fluid intake from beverages and food). Water is essential for life, and drinking it is important for every organ system, including the skin (it makes it more supple and resilient). Besides thirst, signs of dehydration include fatigue and loss of skin tone (the skin sags more and loses its glow).

Courtesy - Shape

Shrimp Sambol

(Koonee Sambola)

Ingredients

1 Small onion finely chopped

3 finely chopped fresh red chilies

1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

1/2 teaspoon Ground turmeric

3 tablespoons Dried shrimps (koonee)

1/2 cup Water

1 1/2 cups Freshly grated or desiccated coconut

Method : Put all ingredients except coconut into a saucepan and cook, covered, until onions are soft. Add coconut and toss, uncovered, until coconut absorbs all the liquid. Taste for seasoning and add extra salt and lemon if necessary. Serve with rice and curries

Rulang Aluwa

Ingredients

1 lb Semolina (Rulang)

2 lbs Sugar

1/2 tsp powdered Cardamom

1/4 tsp powdered Cloves

50g Raw cashew, chopped

Directions : Roast the semolina and set aside. Prepare a cutting board by sprinkling some roasted semolina. In a saucepan add one cup of water to the sugar and heat. When the syrup thickens and starts to form a crust like layer on the sides of the saucepan, add the semolina and the spices. Mix thoroughly. Add the chopped cashews and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat before the mix thickens and transfer onto the cutting board. Flatten and form into a block (about 1-1/2" thick). Cut into pieces.

Handy Tips

** At the end of every month, take out everything that you haven't used in the junk drawer and throw it away. If you keep it more than two or three months and haven't used it you are not going to use it again. This includes throwing out broken pencils, notebooks that are used up, pens that don't work, batteries that you don't know if they work, pieces of toys that have gotten stuck in that drawer, and coupons that have expired

Here are some tips to get ready quicker in the morning.

** Lay out your clothes the night before, including hair accessories and the outfit.

** Select all make-up and perfume and lay it out where you can easily access it.

** If possible make your breakfast the night before. If you take a lunch to work, try to prepare ingredients early.