
Maria Abeyesekere
Portrait & Figurative Artist
Oil Portraiture
Maria Abeyesekere’s oil portraits are conceived within the discipline of classical realism, uniting structural precision with psychological depth. Each work reflects a sustained engagement with light, proportion, and compositional restraint — executed with the permanence of museum tradition in mind.
The Quiet Weight of Bloom Series
This series explores the subtle emotional space between presence and introspection. Each figure exists in a moment of stillness—suspended between thought and feeling—where light becomes a quiet narrator rather than a dramatic force.
Floral elements appear not as decoration, but as emotional metaphors. They act as veils, memories, and symbols of fragility, echoing the internal worlds of the subjects. The figures are contemporary yet timeless, grounded in realism while allowing silence, ambiguity, and restraint to carry the narrative.
Rather than presenting clear stories, the works invite slow looking. They are concerned with the psychology of quiet moments—the pause before speech, the hour before certainty, the memory that remains unspoken.
Together, the paintings form a meditation on vulnerability, femininity, and the soft weight of being seen.

What the Light Withholds
A portrait of quiet introspection where illumination reveals as much as it conceals. The restrained atmosphere invites the viewer to consider the emotional depth that exists beyond what is immediately visible.
60x80 cm
Oil on Canvas



The Hour Before Knowing
This work captures the suspended moment before certainty—an intimate pause filled with anticipation and quiet reflection. Subtle expression and softened light create a sense of psychological stillness.
60x80 cm
Oil on Canvas

The Memory She Keeps
A contemplative portrait exploring memory as a private, enduring presence. The figure appears grounded in the present while holding an unseen emotional past just beneath the surface.
60x80 cm
Oil on Canvas


In the Tradition of Classical Realism
These works are grounded in the discipline of traditional classical realism, emphasizing structural accuracy, controlled light, and enduring compositional balance.
Each portrait reflects a commitment to timeless technique over trend.
