FINDING TRUST IN ART

THAT WAS MISSING IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

- By Aakil Riyaz

Maheli Mudalige is a self-taught artist making waves in the contemporary art scene in Sri Lanka. Having recently been placed among the top 15 winners at the Pearl Protectors Art Competition celebrating 'World Ocean's Day', Maheli's story is a testament to how a leap of faith is all that it takes to realise your dreams.

A past pupil of Wycherley International School, Maheli always had an inherent aptitude for art. With her schooling successfully completed, she pursued a diploma in software engineering. Yet, there was a persistent voice in the back of her head telling her that it really wasn't her calling in life. She reflects on having to choose software engineering in retrospect to pursuing art as, 'It didn't really sit with me, even though it sat right with the world'. Despite writing hours of code and clicking away at a keyboard, Maheli did not feel the exhilaration painting brough her.

Maheli defines art more or less as a 'coming together' of different elements which is a parabolic nod to life itself. She also reflects on various phases in her life, which she experienced in both a colourful and monochromatic light. Taking inspiration from these scenarios that have shaped her life, Maheli creates a rich accretion of lived experiences to base her work on.

In July 2024, Maheli took the brave decision to pursue her passion as a full-time artist. Despite the overarching unpredictability of the path she had chosen, Maheli felt that this was her chance to finally begin anew. She mentions this as a defining moment in her life and calls this a 'leap of faith'. "I wanted to unleash my creativity and that is what I set out to do", Maheli says.