Workshop for craftsmen

Sandasen Marasinghe

The National Crafts Council is conducting a one month workshop for handicraftsmen to introduce them to designs and colours which have the greatest demand in the local and the foreign markets.

The workshop organized on the instructions of National Crafts Council chairman Buddhi Keerthisena commenced yesterday and will end on June 4.

The workshop is conducted under the supervision of a veteran artiste Senaka de Silva as most of the handicraftsmen are not familiar with designs enriched with novel ideas. The handicraftsmen will be trained to create their pieces according to the demands of the market while preserving the traditional features of the respective handicraft art.

The workshop which is held in five stages. The workshop on mask designs is held from May 9 to May 14 while workshops on lacquer and sesath designs will be held on May 23. Workshops on pottery and reed and rushware designs will be held from May 30 to June 5.

A group of handicraftsmen will be selected at national level at the end of the Workshop. An exhibition of their creations will be held at the Siva Obeysekera exhibition centre.