TAPROBANE 

Introduction
 

These pages are a window  opened on to my artistic leanings.  I come from  a distant Island , where nature dominates man.  I was born in a village  nestled in the shade of a  range of mountains, in the heartland of the Island.  The lush green undergrowth and wild bushes border the paddy fields.   These wild bushes, with their heads of multicoloured blossoms, visited by colourful butterflies, humming bees, and  incessantly chirping birds, are the nestling places  of the robins, red breasts, magpies, wag tails, honey-suckers and  birds of every description.  On the banks overlooking the  paddy fields, king fishers have "pecked" holes to lay their eggs. The rabbits, jackals, mongoose and porcupines have also made their homes under the bushy plants. The cobras and the green snakes, lay quietly in the shade of the under-wood, taking shelter from the heat of the tropical sun.

 The youngest of a family of six, my  brother, Cyril Aiya- seven years my senior was too big to keep my company.  I was therefore left to myself to invent games, or make escapades in to the wild environment to keep myself occupied.  It was thus that I grew up chasing after the butterflies, hopping with the grasshoppers and ugly fat tree frogs, clapping at the squirrels, throwing stones at the  wild bats hanging on the tree tops, getting  scared  of the  hairy brown tarantulas, sprawling black spiders and running away from the swaying  hooded cobras.

This childhood intimacy with nature remaining  imbedded among the memories, in the inactive emptiness of an old mind given-up  to a dry life of retirement,  found its outlet through the bright colours of Soft Pastels .   Therefore some of these paintings posted here, is a kaleidoscopic representation of my “ colourful memories”, and the depiction of the inner-peace that I inherited with the childhood  “brush” with nature.

 I am  a self made artist- “an auto-deduct”.  I came to painting only after my retirement.  After having been  engaged in a profession, which was more a means to earn a living, I realise now  how much  more fulfilling is  creative work, but each has its degree of advantages and disadvantages. But yet the joy, that  comes from seeing the mental images, become a reality on virgin paper,  is immeasurable.  An artist creates, mostly for his own  satisfaction. 

 The working life left no  time to awaken the latent artist that lay dormant in me.  In retirement an effort was still necessary for the artist to surface.  Much thought and time  had to be given before the choice was made.  What medium to use ?  What subject to paint ? What size it should be ? How long to be at it ? How can social life  be accommodated with the work. All these considerations are important when attempting to father a new activity ! That was just my thinking…… 

     I did not want to go through any formal training.  Therefore, I did it on my own, with a little reading and asking questions from people who I knew were painters.  Fortunately, those around me, helped me, encouraging me to carry on when I was discouraged and dispirited.

     I tried painting in oil, in watercolours and pastel.  Pastel seemed more attractive, much  more easy to handle.  Colours are more vibrant.  Getting shapes and edges correct, merely by rubbing in colours were fascinating.  The completed painting is rewarding.  I had made my choice.

    Painting landscapes is taking the  trodden path.  I wanted more life in my paintings thus close ups of nature, flowers, animals, human form and people in action. One would complain that these paintings do not inspire intellectual appreciation .  Well they may not, and I am not given to study of abstraction in beauty. These are not the paintings of an expert, but if you will like them you may  perhaps, be inspired to start painting  yourself.  For we all have an artist asleep, somewhere within us !

My Original intention was to build  this website to present my paintings. Thereafter, I thought it is a good place to place my old photos, that bring back memories, those of my family and friends and those ,that I take during holidays. 

And I also have  a page for a Meditation Centre, where my mind opened to the vibrations of the Lord Buddha's teachings.