When broken pieces become a thing of beauty
View(s):- Rajani Serasinghe talks of her passion and dedication to mosaic art
Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
By Sajani Ratnayake
Rajani Serasinghe, who held her first exhibition last week, embarked upon her journey as a mosaic artist six years ago, although her interest in this art form stemmed from her childhood, inspired by her mother who taught her the art of using different materials in craft. Her first piece – now 25 years old, created during her O/L years – rests on her parents’ dining table.
Rajani developed her own skills as she grew, and noticing a lack of mosaic art in the market, she began to devote more time to this art form.
Her exhibition held last week (March 22-27) at Social Affairs, in Stratford Avenue, Kirulapone, displayed her versatility and was an expression of who she is and the art that she loves to create. Not only a display of talent and skill, it was also a longer story of hard work, discipline and dedication.
Creating mosaic art is an intricate and time-consuming process; the tiles and glass pieces are first broken and then each piece shaped individually. Then she cements them according to the design she has in mind and frames them. There is little margin for error. She works seven hours a day, even through the night on occasions. Lack of materials such as tiles and tile colours have led her to painting glass, where she lets creativity guide the way. She devotes all her attention to one piece, and works on it until it is finished before moving to the next. Seeing it all come together in the end is a great satisfaction.
Among the many orders Rajani receives, mirrors, she says, are a frequent request from clients. Her love for nature is seen in many designs. ‘Flamingoes at Dawn’, ‘Lotus Butterfly,’ the latter piece including material such as wine bottle corks, ‘Foraging Jungle Fowl’, ‘Flamingoes at Dusk’, ‘Fluttering Fly Catchers’ (seen above) and the ‘Broken-Winged Sculpture’ (pictured on our Magazine cover) are also pieces she greatly values. The vibrant colours and careful detailing of these paintings were much remarked on.
Rajani’s art is also sustainable and eco-friendly, for she recycles unwanted and discarded items, buying damaged tiles from manufacturers and smaller vendors. She also receives various materials from friends, which would otherwise have gone to waste.
A busy mum of three, Rajani smiles that though her mosaic art is a complex process, her most difficult challenge in life is being a mother, and raising her three children as they are her main priority.
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