“Passion” is a signature project of Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. Having shown itself to be of extensive popularity last year, this art exhibition is a platform for the young and talented, as much as it is an attraction to all art lovers, thanks to the array of genres covered. This year “Passion” is scheduled to take place on the 14^th & 15^th of December at the Nelung Arts Centre.

On a few “Artist’s Angle”s in weeks to come, we’ll be having a chat with the artists who will be displaying their work at Passion. Featured this week are digital artists at the exhibition, Denver Pereira and Hash & Umanga.  

Tell us about yourselves and your background to interest in art. What are your inspirations? 

Denver - I studied in the upcountry and had a penchant for creative stuff from the inception.In fact i come from a family that moved along with Art and Music. My eldest brother too is agreat Artist but doesn't practice it much due to his Banking career. I was a Banker too, but was never comfortable with it since i was more inclined into sketching and painting.

In 2009, I got this opportunity to free-lance for the Daily Mirror as an Editorial Cartoonist/Artist. Since then I have been active in creating Cartoons,Caricatures, Comic strips etc for the Daily Mirror and the Little Enquirer. Marvel Comics, Walt Disney, Frank Miller to name a few, inspired me and I used to emulate their styles of drawing but gradually developed my own way of presenting them.

Hash & Umanga - Push Skateboards is a combination of a Graphic Designer and a Fashion Designer who are passionate about Skateboarding. And the brand was launched in November 2012.

"Inspiration is everywhere.." And its' hard to pin point what actually inspire us. We get inspired by everything around us. We love traditional Sri Lankan art & south asian art. Also designers like rah akaishi, Haroshi inspire us to do what we are passionate about. 

Why digital art?

Denver - With the advent of computers and its technology I realized the importance and pace in which a character or art could be done. This does not mean that free hand drawings and paintings are secondary: not by any means!

Commercially, with advertising being the main mode of marketing many companies seek swift and more portable creations where they could be transfered from one person or firm to another.Exchange of ideas are very fast that way, so I personally believe in digital art to be a strong mode of exchanging creative thinking.

Hash & Umanga - Technology has changed the rules of Art. And working in a digital medium allows us to bend the rules and work with mixed media. We can combine drawing,painting & collage techniques that are not possible with conventional mediums. And most of all we are into skateboard art. Which takes things into a whole different level. 

Do you think digital art is better received now than before? Has public response to this medium changed over the years?

Denver - The Sri Lankan audience do see digital art as a convenient and better tool of creativity.I do have the pleasure of working with a few companies who seek my services.

Hash & Umanga - Digital art can influence the society in the form of advertising. And during last few years graphic artists in the country has made some what of an impact in Sri Lanka. 

We have a surfeit of digital artists today. What, in your opinion, sets your work apart?

Denver - In comparison to Digital artists away from Sri lanka, I don't see a surfeit of digital Artists with the exception of Graphic Artists. But I do see a vast difference between graphic Artists and Digital Artists. 

What sets my work apart from the others maybe my style of drawing. I do create Cartoon characters as well as the more serious type which relates to portrait like drawings.

Hash & Umanga- Well.. we are Skateboard artists. and that's not the same as digital art. What would set our work apart from the rest of the artists is that our work has the touch of south asian art. We mainly get inspired by whats around us. hence, our work is influenced by srilankan traditional art, patterns & etc; They speak for themselves.. 

Something about the collection you're hoping to display at Passion? What is it like being part of this exhibition?

Denver - I wish to present a mix of styles, Cartoon, caricature and maybe a culmination of both. Honestly, this is my first exhibition ever, so the feeling is nervous excitement. 

Hash & Umanga - We will be displaying our skateboard collections at passion. CULTSHOCK collection has a Srilankan traditional art theme common to all the Skateboards. 

Meet Denver, Hash & Umanga and experience their work at ‘Passion 2013’ presented by the Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. ‘Passion’ is an annual Art exhibition for the daring will be held on the 14th and 15th of December. With the objective of promoting art among the youth, ‘Passion’ is a platform to showcase the works of both emerging and established artists.

By Nivedha Jeyaseelan 

“Passion” is a signature project of Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. Having shown itself to be of extensive popularity last year, this art exhibition is a platform for the young and talented, as much as it is an attraction to all art lovers, thanks to the array of genres covered. This year “Passion” is scheduled to take place on the 14^th & 15^th of December at the Nelung Arts Centre.

On a few “Artist’s Angle”s in weeks to come, we’ll be having a chat with the artists who will be displaying their work at Passion. Featured this week are digital artists at the exhibition, Denver Pereira and Hash & Umanga.  

Tell us about yourselves and your background to interest in art. What are your inspirations? 

Denver - I studied in the upcountry and had a penchant for creative stuff from the inception.In fact i come from a family that moved along with Art and Music. My eldest brother too is agreat Artist but doesn't practice it much due to his Banking career. I was a Banker too, but was never comfortable with it since i was more inclined into sketching and painting.

In 2009, I got this opportunity to free-lance for the Daily Mirror as an Editorial Cartoonist/Artist. Since then I have been active in creating Cartoons,Caricatures, Comic strips etc for the Daily Mirror and the Little Enquirer. Marvel Comics, Walt Disney, Frank Miller to name a few, inspired me and I used to emulate their styles of drawing but gradually developed my own way of presenting them.

Hash & Umanga - Push Skateboards is a combination of a Graphic Designer and a Fashion Designer who are passionate about Skateboarding. And the brand was launched in November 2012.

"Inspiration is everywhere.." And its' hard to pin point what actually inspire us. We get inspired by everything around us. We love traditional Sri Lankan art & south asian art. Also designers like rah akaishi, Haroshi inspire us to do what we are passionate about. 

Why digital art?

Denver - With the advent of computers and its technology I realized the importance and pace in which a character or art could be done. This does not mean that free hand drawings and paintings are secondary: not by any means!

Commercially, with advertising being the main mode of marketing many companies seek swift and more portable creations where they could be transfered from one person or firm to another.Exchange of ideas are very fast that way, so I personally believe in digital art to be a strong mode of exchanging creative thinking.

Hash & Umanga - Technology has changed the rules of Art. And working in a digital medium allows us to bend the rules and work with mixed media. We can combine drawing,painting & collage techniques that are not possible with conventional mediums. And most of all we are into skateboard art. Which takes things into a whole different level. 

Do you think digital art is better received now than before? Has public response to this medium changed over the years?

Denver - The Sri Lankan audience do see digital art as a convenient and better tool of creativity.I do have the pleasure of working with a few companies who seek my services.

Hash & Umanga - Digital art can influence the society in the form of advertising. And during last few years graphic artists in the country has made some what of an impact in Sri Lanka. 

We have a surfeit of digital artists today. What, in your opinion, sets your work apart?

Denver - In comparison to Digital artists away from Sri lanka, I don't see a surfeit of digital Artists with the exception of Graphic Artists. But I do see a vast difference between graphic Artists and Digital Artists. 

What sets my work apart from the others maybe my style of drawing. I do create Cartoon characters as well as the more serious type which relates to portrait like drawings.

Hash & Umanga- Well.. we are Skateboard artists. and that's not the same as digital art. What would set our work apart from the rest of the artists is that our work has the touch of south asian art. We mainly get inspired by whats around us. hence, our work is influenced by srilankan traditional art, patterns & etc; They speak for themselves.. 

Something about the collection you're hoping to display at Passion? What is it like being part of this exhibition?

Denver - I wish to present a mix of styles, Cartoon, caricature and maybe a culmination of both. Honestly, this is my first exhibition ever, so the feeling is nervous excitement. 

Hash & Umanga - We will be displaying our skateboard collections at passion. CULTSHOCK collection has a Srilankan traditional art theme common to all the Skateboards. 

Meet Denver, Hash & Umanga and experience their work at ‘Passion 2013’ presented by the Rotaract Club of Cinnamon Gardens. ‘Passion’ is an annual Art exhibition for the daring will be held on the 14th and 15th of December. With the objective of promoting art among the youth, ‘Passion’ is a platform to showcase the works of both emerging and established artists.

By Nivedha Jeyaseelan