It was at the tender age of six that Thushari Gamage embarked on her journey as a painter. Since then, the self made artist has honed her talent and showcased her portfolio in many foreign lands, including, Japan, South Korea and Europe. She is currently an International Expert Artist Member of the International Culture and Art Federation of South Korea, a Member of the Art Nation in Germany and a Member of Art Sanpo in Japan.
Her paintings are in line with the figurative style, where artwork derives from actual objects, with altered body proportions. Done in water colour and oil paint, these paintings depict local subjects, including traditional culture, scenes portraying village life and nature.
“Paintings are my soul. The lines, the colour and nature, all these are their components,” she says.
Thushari has studied Art as a subject in school and has won many school and district level competitions. Also, she has done in-depth self-study of Art. “I received a lot of support from my parents. As a child, I lived with them in a village in the Galle district.
Thereafter, I moved to Colombo and met my husband, who is very supportive of my work. It was meeting him that opened the doors to exhibit my work on an international level, especially, in Japan,” she says.
She first began her career as a graphic designer and a computer instructor, and then went on to be an art teacher at a private school for 16 years. This included teaching nursery and special needs children. It was after this long teaching career that Thushari became a professional artist.
“At present, I have my own art gallery, the Ceylon Art Gallery. On the online art platform, fine art America, Ceylon Art Gallery has 5,000 plus visitors,” she says.
Her work is now being showcased in group art shows, at the Georgia Haegumgang Museum in South Korea, and the Roman Ruins group art show in Portugal. “Foreigners admire my paintings more than the locals, especially, Europeans. Therefore, I would like someone to sponsor my Art to Europe,” she says.