I'm Maria Abeyesekere, a self-taught artist from Sri Lanka, whose passion and drive have led to the creation of unique, realism works of art. For over two decades, I have been bringing joy and satisfaction to my clients by providing them with unique pieces of art that I have carefully crafted.

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My passion for art has been lifelong, at my core, I am an artist. My passion for creating and exploring art is something that runs in my blood. My paternal grandma and her mom before her were artistically talented and that has been passed down to me. 

My love for art and painting was profoundly influenced by my ancestral homes. As a child, I was fascinated by the artefacts and portraits of my ancestors painted by English painters in the colonial era. To this day, I continue to be inspired by the beauty and power of art, and I strive to capture the essence of my subjects in my own paintings.

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​Ever since I was a kid, I had a knack for observing the world around me and capturing it in my art. My dad used to tell me bedtime stories about fairies painting the flowers and dwarfs watering them, and that we can only see them if we get up before dawn. This inspired me to go out and explore the world around me, often hiding under a huge elephant ear in my garden to witness this beauty. When I got bored, I used to tap the leaf to see the dew drops falling.

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​When I was 14 years old, our school art teacher saw the potential in me and pushed me to take my art studies further. He saw a bright future for me as an artist, and he wanted to help me reach my full potential. Unfortunately, in a developing country, it is difficult to become a full time artist unless you have an international presence. Though it was my dream to become an artist, I had to continue my studies in business and was a marketing head for years. My journey into the art world began when I got married and moved to the highlands to live with my husband and son. Ever since then I've been living and working from my home based studio in the wild. 

 

​My dad plays a major role in my art world. When I went home for Christmas for the first time after marriage, to my surprise he gave me money as the Christmas present for the first time and asked me to buy all the materials I needed to start my journey as an artist.  My dad's words still ring in my ears: “Now that you’re stuck at home, why don’t you spread your wings and follow your dream". That’s when I realized that I needed to take a leap and follow my dream. I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to transform my passion for art into a career. As a passionate artist living in the wild, my work is inspired by what I am surrounded of. That is why I focus more on creating wildlife and flowers, so that others can connect with the colours and textures of nature.

 

​Starting from 1990 winning the Best Young Artist Award at a juried art competition in Colombo and Portrait of the Show at an exhibition held in Germany, I was awarded for art many times internationally.  I have been juried into international exhibitions and invited to represent my Country at prestigious art shows.

 

I use oils, acrylics, and pencils and I focus mainly on creating wildlife and florals on small to oversized canvases. I love painting still life, portraiture and landscapes as well.

 

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