Artist with a social mission

By Roshan Peiris

"Art should not be only for an artist herself, but must enrich the lives of others by uplifting their morale," she says. 

Not only is Marie an artist, she is also a social worker who believes that "peace begins in the hearts and minds of people".

In 1997, Marie gave the proceeds of her 'Light and Colour Exhibition III' to the Children's Heart Project of the Inner Wheel Club of Colombo West. When she was Colombo West Inner Wheel Club president in 1998, Marie sold painted greeting cards and collected Rs. 300,000 in aid of the same project. Proceeds of her exhibition 'Jubilee Year 2000' were also channelled to a breast cancer project. 

"I began my career in art as a 12-year-old student of St. Bridget's Convent. I won a prize in 1960 for expression drawing — the judge being the well-known W. Beling. I also studied art with Ivor Baptist and Prof. Douglas Amarasekara who was the Director of the Amarasekara Academy of Art at Dawson Road," she says. 

However, Marie confesses that her great inspiration to paint and draw came from her maternal grandparents who were talented painters and gave her much encouragement.

She bases her paintings on light and colour, especially earth tones and shades of blue and mauve. 

"I am basically a landscape painter and if there are people in the painting, they relate to the landscape. I do not paint portraits or animals." 

Her landscapes, she says, are all Sri Lankan and her paintings are usually bought not only by stimulated and appreciative foreigners, but by locals as well. 

In 1975, Marie's paintings were selected by the Cultural Department to represent Sri Lanka at the Third Triennial International Exhibition held in New Delhi. 

Marie's paintings have also been exhibited at the Huan Hang Art Centre, Bangkok and Methodist Art School, New Jersey. 

Zonta International gave her an award recently for 'creative art'.

Marie's paintings can be seen in the Lotus Lounge of the Hilton, National Development Bank, ANZ Grindlays Bank, Hotel Taj Samudra, Hotel Ceylon Intercontinental and Ackland House to mention a few. 

Marie should be admired not only for her artistic flair, but also for her simplicity. 

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