Rushenka Jayasuriya a passionate and spirited artist

5 June 2015 11:04 am

By Jessica Mathiasz

 ‘The work of art is a scream of freedom’ for Rushenka it’s also a part of her life. Rushenka’s paintings are breathtakingly beautiful. She is a young, passionate and a brilliant artist who is living her dream. She is an inspiration for young women around the country. She reminds us that the most important thing is to follow our hearts and live our dreams.

Q: Tell me a little about yourself and your family

I’m the eldest in my family. I have a younger brother Yadesh Jayasuriya. My parents Ajantha and Madhuri Jayasuriya have always been very loving and supportive. I had a great childhood! As a family, we are very close to God and that kept our family together always. I couldn’t have asked for a better family. No matter what people say or think about what I want to do, my family is always there for me and supports me tremendously. I attended Holy Family Convent Colombo 4, and switched to Ladies’ College in 2011 to do my London A/L’s. I’ve always had a great batch of friends in both the schools I attended. They’ve always been very supportive and encouraging as well. I’m a complete music addict, couldn’t draw or paint without my music on! I also love to play the guitar, and I’m in a band called Audacity, with a few of my other friends from school. We play Alternate Rock and our band won TNL Onstage in 2013. It was a great moment for us, one of the happiest days of my life. Career-wise, I chose to pursue art over medicine and business studies, because I always saw myself doing something involving art as a career. So far, I think I’m heading in the right direction! I’m a typical bookworm. I love to spend days at a bookstore. I love comics since of late I’ve gotten into a new obsession of reading comics, and it’s definitely something that’s influencing my art. Travel is also something I love and I love new experiences too.

Q: Is art something you loved as a kid?

Definitely. I remember when I was little; aunts and uncles asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I very excitedly said crayons and paper each time. From my younger days, art was something I always had a lot of patience for; I could watch someone paint all day, whereas I had very little patience to do anything else when compared to art. It was always a challenge I loved to take up. I really liked to draw cartoon characters off the cartoons I used to watch at that time. Since the Internet was well away from our reach at that age, I remember grabbing a pencil and drawing these characters just after watching the cartoon. I’d say that was my starting point.

Q: Where did you get your art education and what inspired you to be an artist?

I never really had an education in art up until my A/L’s. I chose art as one of my subjects for A/L’s (which was definitely the right way to go!). Before that I attended oil painting classes as a kid for a short while. Music is a big part of my inspiration; I like combining themes with the pieces I create. Cartoons and characters (Back when they were hand-drawn beautifully) were also a huge part of my inspiration. What mostly inspired me to become an artist was the power of art, of being an artist; seeing the work of other artists and how they express their stories and feelings through the art they create. It was also a personal goal, an evolution of a hobby, from my younger days of wanting to draw and become an artist, purely because I loved painting.      

Q: How would you describe your art and your style?

My art is quite contemporary and experimental. They are mostly portraits and watercolors, which are my strengths. The other mediums I use are Acrylic, Ink, Pencil and Pastel. I would say my style is a combination of realism with a certain psychedelic / Indie twist to it. I’m still exploring my style and trying to evolve.

Q: What do you want to express through your art?

Feeling! Passion! Most of the artworks I’ve done have been heavily based on music or songs that have meant a great deal to me at the time.

Q: What type of artist or art inspires you?

Any form of good art inspires me. Art that is surrounded by a beautiful story is an inspiration to me. I’ve also always been inspired by the work of the Old Masters Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Michael Angelo etc. The way they portray the human face and figure is definitely a huge inspiration. Apart from that, water colour art and expressive art inspire me, like the work of a few artists that I adore - VOKA, Agnes Cecile and Rita Foster.

Q: What do you think about the art sector in Sri Lanka? Do you think you could have a career here in SL?

Art is a field that’s still rising up in SL; sadly art isn’t appreciated by many as much as around the world. SL has a lot of raw talent but does not have the right platform to showcase and get noticed for that talent. I’m happy about events like ‘Kala Pola’ and the Colombo Design Market. They definitely open doors for more artists to showcase their work and also give the chance to the public to appreciate art more. A career as an artist in Sri Lanka is a ‘NO’ right now and for a few years to come. Hopefully it will change soon. Our country has given prominence to many intellectual and science based subjects like law and medicine, so art has been considered a second subject/ field throughout the years. Until people invest in art out of true passion and appreciation, I feel this mindset will never change.

Q: Have you had any art exhibitions or do you plan to?

I haven’t had any art exhibitions on my own yet, but I definitely plan to. Once I have a complete series to showcase I will have my own exhibition. I have taken part in ‘Kala Pola’ and had my stall showcasing work from the past 2 years. It was a great experience!

   

Q: What is your greatest achievement in life or the happiest day of your life?

In the context of my art, definitely meeting Lionel Richie! That was my greatest achievement because I actually got a chance to give him the portrait I did of him. Words can’t explain the joy I felt at that moment! I realized that day that my art was not only self satisfying as a hobby, but it also took me to places I would never otherwise go to and experiences I would never otherwise go through. So that is definitely my greatest achievement.

Q: Your future plans?

I plan to go to Art School after I complete my degree in Graphic Design. Graphic Design and illustration is a career I want to explore and pursue, and have my art by the side supporting my work, and still work on it in my free time.

Q: What advice do you give to the youngsters who love art?

Follow your heart. If you love art, do more of it, explore your style and always practice. Never give up! Finding your style at a younger age gives you more time to strengthen it. Don’t let barriers or people get in the way. Be inspired always and know more about the things that inspire you and why they inspire you. Always have an art journal, and have your artworks piled in there, from the very quick doodles to the complete intricate paintings; it’s always important to see your progress through time as an artist, it’s great for personal development! But mostly, just have a passion for it and have fun with it.

Photographs By upeksha madushani