In 2003-2004, I spent the year in Sri Lanka while my husband, Rees Hughes, worked as a Fulbright scholar. I was inundated and inspired by a plethora of images, from the crazy, chaotic Colombo to the exquisite spiritual images of the past. This work explores a layering technique with acrylic medium and oil pastel with references to ancient images that are “buried” in the first layer then partially revealed in later layers, resulting in a palimpsest effect.

Since completing this work, Sri Lanka has experienced the devastating catastrophe of the tsunami in 2005 and then the resurgence of war despite peace process efforts and the will of the people. It is difficult to stand on the sidelines and watch.

These paintings are reproduced in low resolution for web viewing purposes. If you would like to see a higher resolution image, or for more information concerning these paintings, you may contact Amy Uyeki by email: amyuyeki.art@me.com. Most of these images are in the collections of clients, but those not marked by an asterisk * are available for sale.

Ten percent of sales from this body of work will be donated to Sarvodaya, a non-profit grassroots organization movement that has participants in as many as 15,000 villages throughout Sri Lanka. Sarvodaya’s purpose is to make a positive difference to the lives of rural Sri Lankans and the world around them.

Sarvodaya was founded in 1958 by a Sri Lankan schoolteacher, Dr A. T. Ariyaratne. It is based on Buddhist philosophy, the work of Mahatma Gandhi and is dedicated to non-violence and the sustainable empowerment of people through self-help and collective support.  In 2004, my husband and I had the honor of meeting Dr. Ariyaratne in his home. His selflessness, humility and devotion to helping people from all walks of life was tremendously inspiring.

You can visit Sarvodaya’s website at:  http://www.sarvodaya.org/