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what she likes to do For Indra McCormick, a career diplomat by profession, wife of Australian High Commissioner David Binns and a mother of two youngsters, finding time to widen her aesthetic horizons, has proved productive. An Australian citizen, she came to Sri Lanka three years ago through her husband's posting here. "Since I was going to be relatively free, professionally at least, I thought I should try out some of the things I've always wanted to do," she says. "I'd never painted before but I've always wanted to and so I started art classes with Anoma Wijewardene," says Indra, going on to explain how the class was often taken to a scenic location out of Colombo. "We used to go to places like Lunuganga and Bentota or someone's private estate and spread out and paint whatever caught our eye. While her paintings focus mainly on typical Sri Lankan sights, ranging from landscapes to still drawings of a window or a vase, sketches in charcoal too are in her present collection which is being shown at a private exhibition as her farewell to Sri Lanka. Initially studying Arts and Law at the Sydney University, Indra became a diplomat soon after and had her first appointment in New Zealand and her second in Indonesia. With the completion of her husband's tenure in Sri Lanka, the family now plans to settle down in Canberra, Australia. So how come her name sounds Asian? "This is a question I'm asked a lot," says Indra, explaining that her mother is Indonesian, and hence her name. Keeping with the tradition, her daughter is named Maya. Art apart, her writing skills have also blossomed in "Sri Lanka for Kids", a children's activity book." "We used our kids as models and put in whatever they showed an interest in," she says, describing how she and Caroline MacDonald, a marketing executive have shared the experience of bringing up young children in a foreign country. The book is a useful first hand glimpse of the country for all parents of young children. "There's information about aspects such as travel destinations, activities, sports, eating out and health in the book. Indra explained that the five kids that she and Caroline have between them, were a great asset in the book process. "My son Jonathan, aged six and my daughter Maya aged three, along with Caroline's three kids, their friends and other parents were an excellent resource to make the book what it is." The illustrations were by Ms. Sybil Wettasinghe. Indra is also cataloguing the work of famous Australian artist Donald Friend, done during his stay in Sri Lanka in the late 1950s. Working with the Australian High Commission, she is helping in tracking down and recording the artist's work, which can be found in numerous locations in the island. Many creations by Friend, such as tabletops, sculptures and numerous paintings are in the process of being catalogued. "I feel this is an ideal way of establishing a creative relationship between Australia and Sri Lanka," says Indra. Old
treasures on view Wattis Fine Art opened in Hong Kong in 1988 and has since built up a reputation as a gallery specializing in historical pictures, antique maps and travel books of East Asia. Jonathan Wattis, who joined Christie's in London in 1977, has drawn on his wide experience of the international art market to collect these antiques and holds regular exhibitions focusing on the fascinating historical development of this region. Included in the collection are nineteenth century, albumen photographs, prints and early maps of Colombo, Galle, Kandy and the countryside. Harsha
plays tonight Starting off with Debussy's Des pas sur la neige, General Lavine-Eccentric and Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest, he will play Liszt's Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca and Robert Muczynski's Third Piano Sonata, allegro moderato, allegro grazioso and andante sostenuto, allegro. The second half of the programme features the pianist playing Schubert's Sonata in a minor, DV 784, allegro giusto, andante and allegro vivace, Intermezzo from Fantasien, Op.116 by Brahms and Sergei Prokofieff’s Toccata, Op. 11. Abeyaratne, who is currently an Assistant Professor of Music at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, has performed extensively in the United States. Abeyaratne's numerous awards include the Ensele Scholarship at Ball State University and the Jean Ramsudeen Scholarship at Lewis and Clark College, both for excellence in music. At Ball State, he received a doctorate in classical music, a rare feat for a Sri Lankan in any part of the world. His schedule in the last two years has included solo recitals in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Colombo. An old boy of Royal College, Colombo, Harsha Abeyaratne studied piano with Mary Billimoria for several years before proceeding to the United States for studies. He has two undergraduate degrees in music and chemistry, respectively, from Lewis and Clark College and two advanced degrees in music from Ball State University. |
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