Jayantha Silva – Artist

NIC No: 551272311V

Studio: 179/9, Suhada Mawatha, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka.

Telephone: +94 727314762 (WhatsApp)

Email: jayanthamsilva@gmail.com

As a child prodigy Jayantha Silva a student of St. Peter’s College’ Colombo 4. won many awards in art competitions. In one particular competition in 1969, he won the First, Second and Fourth Prizes. He so impressed the judge Mudliyar Amarasekara (one of the most famous Sri Lankan Artists), that he offered Jayantha a one year scholarship to his art school. Unfortunately, as a child, Jayantha felt that one does not need to learn art formally, and did not take the scholarship, a decision he regrets. Once out of school, Jayantha took to commercial art, working in such renowned agencies like Zenith Advertising, Intersel Advertising and Vision Advertising. He started his own advertising company, Impetus Limited, in 1981.

 Since he started his new company Jayantha decided to return to his childhood love of painting. His first work was a ‘Mother and Child’ which was purchased by his first buyer from Malaysia Late Datin Ranjini Hendry in 1981. Although Jayantha had done many paintings and Portrait commissions His first Solo Exhibition “Expressions” was held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery in June 2003. This was a resounding success. He was recognized as an artist of stature, virtually immediately. Professor Ashley Halpe, one of the foremost intellectuals of the country, also commented that Jayantha’s talent would enable him to be recognized as a successful artist in a very short time.

The Lighthouse Hotel in Galle, was also very impressed with Jayantha’s  work.They invited for him to have an exhibition at the hotel, in a gallery created specifically for him. This exhibition ran for three months. As a result of this exhibition Jayantha was awarded a prestigious commission by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, over five established and famous artists to do a 6’x11′ “Reception back” to be gifted to the Airport and Aviation office in Katunayake.

Jayantha’s second exhibition “Expressions 2” was held in June 2004 and his third exhibition “Expressions 3” was held at the Lionel Wendt in May 2005 and his Exhibition “Expressions 4” was held at the National Art Gallery on the 10th, 11th and 12th of August 2007. Jayantha could not exhibit his paintings in 2006 in his motherland as he traveled to Australia and then to India to promote his works of Art. Jayantha’s 5th Exhibition “Expressions 5” was held at ‘La Rambla’ – one of the best Fine dining Restaurants in Colombo from 10th September to 05th October 2008. In November 2009,. Jayantha’s 6th Exhibition  “Expressions 6” was held at the Lionel Wendt from 19th to the 21st of March 2010. The US Embassy, impressed by Jayantha’s talent for Art, invited him hold a solo Exhibition at the American Centre. From 17th May to 11th June Jayantha exhibited 52 of his works of Art titled “Expressions of Sri Lanka” at the American Centre. “Expressions 7” was held also at the Lionel Wendt in mid 2011. In December that year Jayantha together with five more Sri Lankan Artists held a successful Exhibition in Galle Fort in two locations (Galle Fort Buddhist Temple and Layn Barn Street). “Expressions 8” was another successful Exhibition which was held from 20th to 22nd January 2012. Jayantha was Awarded “Best Cartoonist” by the American Centre In October 2012.  Jayantha’s  ninth Exhibition “Expressions 9” was held at the ‘Gallery Red’ ~ Gandhara from 14th to 16th December 2012 which was ceremonially opened by Mr. Dian Gomas who is well known as a Art lover. Jayantha had a very successful Exhibition once again in Lionel Wendt Art Gallery from 13th to 15th September 2013. His Eleventh Exhibition “Expressions 11” was once again held at Lionel Wendt from 19th to 21st Sep. 2014

“Expressions 12” was held from 05th to the 07th June 2015 and the Thirteenth Exhibition “Expressions 13” was held at the Lionel Wendt from the 06^th to the 08th of May 2016. Jayantha’s 14^th Exhibition “Expressions 14” was once again held in May 2017 at the Lionel Wendt.           

Jayantha’s style is one of realism as opposed to abstract art. He is a perfectionist who strives for excellence. He attributes his talent to his habit of actively looking at the environment everywhere he goes, and also to his photographic memory which enables him to see something and store it in his mind, for recall many months or years later. He also has the ability to see a finished work, when we would see only a blank canvas. His forte is painting the human figure. Even as a child he loved to paint figures and nudes, at a time when children did not have the access to see such images.

Jayantha feels that anyone can be a good artist, as everyone has good eyesight, muscle control, and the ability to observe and appreciate a subject. He enjoys doing paintings with charcoals, pastels and acrylics. He says that many are going into art as a profession to cater to the growing demand of the public to purchase original art for their domestic and corporate locations.

Jayantha’s 15^th Annual Solo Exhibition was held once again at the Lionel Wendt from 23^rd to 25^th November 2018.

Jayantha had a online Exhibition called “Expressions 16 online” on face book in 2020

And opened his 2^nd Art Gallery in December 2020 at 72/11, Library Road, Maharagama.