Today we’d like to introduce you to Shamalee Rajapakse.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Sri Lanka, surrounded by vibrant colors, nature, and creativity. With both of my parents being artists, making art was part of everyday life and shaped how I learned to observe and respond to the world visually and emotionally. Painting started early for me and never really stopped. Over time, it became more than an interest; it became my language.
Painting is now a daily studio practice. I approach each canvas intuitively, starting with a mood or inner response rather than a fixed plan, and letting the work develop through layered color, form, and movement. I’m drawn to loose, expressive brushstrokes, allowing parts of the painting to remain open and imperfect. I work in oil, acrylic, and mixed media, choosing materials based on what each piece calls for.
My recent work moves between abstraction and the human figure, exploring emotion, memory, and personal experience. I’m interested in the quiet presence a figure or form can carry, while leaving space for viewers to bring their own interpretations. I’m drawn to abstraction because it creates space for ambiguity, interpretation, and personal connection.
Now based in Oregon, I continue to develop my studio practice and share my work through exhibitions, local art events and my website. I also teach art classes for children, which has become another meanigful part of my creative life.
As my work continues to evolve, my goal is to create paintings that people can experience rather than simply explain. If a painting makes someone pause, feel something or discover something new over time, then it has done whar I hope it will do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been finding and trusting my own artistic voice. As an artist, it is easy to question whether a painting is finished, whether a new direction is working, or how others will respond to the work.
Another challenge has been learning to put my work out into the world. Applying for exhibitions and other opportunities means accepting that not every opportunity will work out. I’ve learned not to see those moments as a reason to stop, but as part of growing as an artist.
Balancing the creative side of being an artist with everything that comes with building an art practice has also been a learning process. Painting comes most naturally to me, while promoting my work, finding the right opportunities, and reaching new audiences are things that I continue to learn.
Through all of this, I’ve learned to keep creating and allow my work to evolve. I think some of the challenges have actually helped me become more confident in what I want my work to be.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a visual artist who primarily works with oil, acrylic, and mixed media. My work moves between abstraction and representation as I explore emotion, memory, movement, and personal experience through layered color, expressive marks, and simplified forms.
My painting process is intuitive. I build my pieces in layers, sometimes adding, scraping back, covering, or reworking areas until the painting feels complete. I like to keep visible brushstrokes and imperfections because they reflect the painting’s process and add a sense of movement and life.
I am particularly interested in the space between abstraction and realism. In my figurative work, I may retain some recognizable features while allowing other areas to blend into color, texture, and loose marks. I don’t want to explain everything to the viewer instead, I prefer to leave enough open space for others to find their own emotions, memories, or interpretations in the work.
I take pride in developing a visual language that feels personal to me. My work is always evolving, but finding the balance between recognizable forms and abstraction, as well as between intention and intuition, is becoming an essential part of my practice.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My parents deserve a lot of credit for giving me my earliest connection to art. Since they were both artists, creativity was a big part of my childhood. They encouraged me to observe, experiment, and express myself through art from a young age.
My family has also been incredibly supportive of my journey as an artist. Having that encouragement has given me the space and confidence to continue developing my work and pursue opportunities to share it with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shamaleeart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shamaleeart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shamalee.rajapakse
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamalee-rajapakse-1208b52b1/
