The George Keyt Foundation International Artists Camp - 2002

Dhammika Akmeemana
Participant

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The opportunities for an artist to be creative and produce his or her creation whilst going about the artists daily chores is next to impossible, an artist is also a member of the community and not a person who exists alone.  Like other members of society an artists too has to face the many challenges of life, and is unable to avoid the pressures of day-to-day life due to his/her being an artist.

If any differences exist between artists and other members of society, it is due to the artist being more sensitive to social problems, whilst having to face the same pressures, as the rest of society.

An artist being more aware of the social pressures and in order to present a creation in his/her own style and personality has to have mental peace.  This peace, a necessity for creation is difficult to attain and I would say an unattainable dream.

For an artist to be able to think clearly and to live in peace with the environment and to produce a creation, to the artist’s satisfaction, is the attainment of the impossible dream.

By providing an opportunity for 24 artists both local and foreign, to be together for a period of time, to express their ideas in colours, lines, shapes and in other diverse ways is a boon to the artists from the George Keyt Foundation. I make this statement as the opportunity given to observe different styles, different thoughts and to be able to take part in discussions and sometimes arguments widened very broadly my knowledge of art.   We were able to share and to understand each other’s innermost feelings, with which each artist was trying to express through their work. This according to me was the greatest benefit from this artist’s camp.

What I have mentioned above is what makes this experience of the ten day George Keyt foundation International art camp special as compared to other art camps.