One part of the day his fingers hold scalpels, surgical scissors, retractors, clamps and suction tips and tubes. He is focused and is in a bid to relieve the pain and bring back happiness into the life spread in front of him on the table. Another time, the same fingers hold paint brushes, paint tubes and an easel. Again he is engrossed in an effort to give life to a flower, bird or a butterfly that caught his eye. This is Dr. Jayaindra Fernando, consultant general surgeon at the Lanka Hospitals where he has been serving since 2002. He will hold an exhibition of his paintings `Serendib perspectives’ together with his daughter Randhini Fernando this weekend. The exhibition will take place at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, July 15to 17.
A product of St. Joseph’s College, Jayaindra Fernando says he started painting as a hobby. “I started painting as a hobby. My pictures are inspired by various types of flora and faunaand the natural and historical heritage of Sri Lanka. So they include trees, flowers, birds, butterflies, and archaeological sites.I love to give a lot of details to my paintings. I use water colours, acrylic and ink as the medium,” he said.
Jayaindra has held exhibitions in the past, in 1984, 1988 and 2000, in addition to several contributions to other exhibitions. His art has been published in several journals, and he is the co-author of “Fruits of Sri Lanka” which includes illustrations of 84 fruits.
Speaking of managing professional life as a surgeon while being an artist Jayaindra said the passion and devotion made him handle both areas with success. “You have to have the passion and dedication. When you devote your time and plan the things you do well you can achieve your goals. It took me around one and half years to put these paintings together for the exhibition,” he added.
“I was inspired by travelling around the country a lot with my family.Whenever I see something beautiful I draw a pencil sketch based on what I have seen then later create the art. Art is relaxing and it connects you with the people in various fields. I come across naturalists, historians and many more who are interested in my paintings. We exchange ideas and it enriches my life,” Fernando said.
“As Sri Lankans we have a responsibility to preserve and protect the nature and there by stopclimate change. Preserving nature is the key to halt climate change. I try to get this message across to people through art. I am ever willing to share my knowledge with anyone who comes across my path,” he added.
Creating awareness on nature’s miracles in this island nation is Jayaindra’s motive. “People are not aware of many places in Sri Lanka. Through the paintings they get to know nature and the life hidden under the dense greenery abundant in our country,” he added.
This time the exhibition will take a new look as his daughter, Randhini Fernando will join her father to exhibit her paintings as well. Randhini held her first solo exhibition titled ‘Shades of Lanka’ back in 2010. Inspired by her father Jayaindra, she says she is a self-taught artist. “I started painting from my childhood. I was inspired by my father’s work. I did not follow any course or class to learn art but I’m mostly self-taught. I came across a box of pastels that belonged to my grandmother.On that day my journey as an artist began and made me what I am today,” she said.
“Most of my drawings are of historic places, nature and scenery. As a family we travel a lot. Especially during holidays we go somewhere. On our way when I come across a beautiful place I paint it. So my art works include interesting places from Jaffna to Matara, Nuwaraeliya to Manara. They are from all over the country,” she added.
“Painting is really relaxing and is quiet thrilling. To be recognized as an artist gives a satisfying feeling. It is exciting to come across my paintings hung in somebody else’s house. It gives me a lot of pleasure,” Randhini said.
A past pupil of St. Bridget’s Convent, Randhini holds a degree in Law and is also a cellist at the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka. “When I held my first exhibition I realized that most of the people are not aware of the beauty of our country. They inquire where the places are and it provokes them to go and visit the places in real. That is the objective of my painting. To make people realize that there are so many beautiful places around Sri Lanka and they arebreath taking and rich in our culture,” she said.
Finally the aim of the father and the daughter are to make people smile and make them feel happiness. “Our paintings are all about happiness. They are not gloomy. We want people to look at the painting and be happy,” they said. The duo invites the public to experience the framed happiness at their exhibition and may be you can also carry a piece of that happiness to your home to decorate your walls so that it makes you happy whenever you lay your eyes on it.
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