Walter Kalasooriya

Education

He studied at the College of Fine Arts in, and under such artists as Stanley Abeysinghe, David Paynter, South.P. Charles, Henry Dharmasena and Gunasiri Kolambage.

Career

Walter Kulasooriya is a Sri Lankan painter and former curator of the Visiki Art Gallery.. I did portrait painting under the able guidance of Stanley Abeysinghe and fine honed my skills in mural paintings under Henry Dharmasena. In addition to holding shows in his native Sri Lanka, Walter Kulasooriya has conducted successful exhibitions in the United States, Germany, Austria, Australia, and England, among other places.

Kulasooriya is a survivor of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

His paintings, however, along with the Visiki Art Gallery, were washed away. He was a victim of looting in the aftermath of the disaster.

His computer and several other items were stolen when his house was robbed. Walter Kulasooriya is currently seeking the means to rebuild the Visiki Art Gallery.

With it, he hopes to introduce the craft of painting to people whose livelihood may have been devastated by the In being trained as professional painters, they will regain an economic independence lost with the collapse of local trade.

Walter Kulasooriya gained international attention for his 100 meter painting of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve which, in 1996, was judged to be the longest painting in the world. lieutenant can be viewed at the Deer Park Hotel in Giritale.

Achievements

• Presidential Award - 1996 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 1997 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 1998 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 1999 (Sri Lanka) Prime Minister"s Award - 1999 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 2000 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 2001 (Sri Lanka) Highly Commended - 2001 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 2002 (Sri Lanka) Highly Commended - 2003 (Sri Lanka) Presidential Award - 2004 (Sri Lanka) Prime Minister"s Award - 2004 (Sri Lanka) "Dhakshinaabhimani" Award Presented by the Southern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka - 2005.