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Coaching many to create crafts
By Nadia Fazlulhaq
“Each and every person has an inborn talent, but the talent is often hidden, you have to find it within yourself. It happens gradually, not in one or two days, but with years and years of experience. However, the ongoing search for knowledge will never end,” says Manel Gamage, teacher of arts and crafts whose exhibition with her students ‘Crafts in Action’is on today at the National Art Gallery.

A past pupil of Musaeus College, Manel had her initial training at Niagara College in Canada. Her career as a teacher began in 1989 with three students, but today, she has shared her knowledge with more than 15,000 students.
Well-known through her many appearances on TV, Manel has demonstrated and taught crafts on several media-channels and written many articles to the newspapers. Her exhibitions in 1994, 1999, and 2001 were very popular among housewives. “Many of my students want to have annual exhibitions and I’ve always come up with some new techniques,” she says.

This year, Manel has brought in new techniques such as Crewel embroidery, Black work, Brazilian embroidery, Assisi embroidery which will be new to Sri Lanka and also many other techniques such as Bargello, Needlepoint, Chinese appliqué, Ribbon embroidery, Kutch work, Shisha work etc.

Having written three books already on embroidery in response to many requests from those who are not able to attend the classes she holds at her home in Baddegana and Tilakaratnaramaya Institute, Borella, Manel is currently writing books on Brazilian embroidery, smocking and ribbon embroidery.
“I am really proud of the talent of my students; it is what encouraged me to have this exhibition. I am happy to see many of them self-employed and their creations available in places like Laksala,” says Manel. Her one-day courses are also popular among many.

“It’s so interesting to have students between the ages of nine to seventy nine,” she smiles. Manel’s website www.manelgamage.com was also launched before the exhibition.

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