Artist's Angle: Mayantha Perera

05 December 2013

On today’s Artist’s Angle is the youngest artist to be exhibition at Cinnamon Gardens’ Rotaract Club’s exhibition, “Passion.” Mayantha Perera is a talented budding young artist. Hailing from Kalalgoda, he was born in to a family with a background in arts. Naturally, he first learnt to draw from his parents.

1. Tell us about yourself, and how you came to discover your talent?

At 19 I am still a relatively young artist. I studied at Ananda College in Colombo. I can’t exactly say how I discovered my talent but I have been drawing since I am two years old. My parents are also very artistic and they encouraged me, and I learnt art further in school. Currently I am still studying art at the National Art Gallery.

2. Did you always work with water colours? If any, tell us how you have experimented.

I enjoy using water colours. But unlike popular perception it is not an easy medium. One misplaced stroke can ruin the work since it can’t be corrected as with oils.

However I don’t limit myself to water colours. I like to dabble with any medium. Other than water colours I use Pastels, Acrylics, Oil paints, Pens, Pencils etc.

3. What is a theme or scenario or person you find yourself frequenting in your work?

I like to visit a vast array of human emotions in my art work. I feel drawn to emotions like sadness, happiness, emptiness and loneliness. I try to portray these through my work. I also like to portray a bit of me, as to who I am in my work.

4. Who is your biggest fan? Who is the hardest to please?

My family members are my biggest fans. They have always been very encouraging and they keep pushing me to do better.

I think the hardest to please is myself. I draw till I am satisfied with the work. But I am pretty hard on myself and I want the work to be perfect as possible.

5. Tell us about your creative process. How long does it take to finish a work? Is the level of inspiration constant throughout? What ticks you off, and what boosts you?

It is difficult to give a time frame for my creative process. To create a piece of art it could take any time between 5 minutes to even months. So it is difficult to say. I think it varies depending on the idea and work of art.

There are times you feel frustrated, even bored and want of inspiration so at times certain work remains untouched for some time. You need to find inspiration at times like that and you can visit your once again to complete it.

Well praise and admiration is definitely a boost. And as for what ticks me off, it is that it is really difficult to find good quality paper for water colours in Sri Lanka. It can be really frustrating. So that is one reason I get ticked off.

6. What does it feel like to be part of Passion? Something on the collection you are hoping to display?

I really like taking part in exhibitions and to display my work. So I am really happy to be part of Passion 2013.

Speaking of the collection I am hoping to display the work will be simple and easy to understand by laymen with the theme of poverty in society running through them.

By Nivedha Jeyaseelan

05 December 2013