Dodwell-Keyt to Victor Melder, mid-November 2024
The series of videos will showcase Sri Lankan culture and way of life. A few scripts have already been written, though I plan to revise and refine them further. The series will follow the journey of a young Sri Lankan girl, portrayed by the talented actress Nimmi Harasgama, whose website you can visit here: ………………..
https://www.nimmiharasgama.com/home-1.html
The young girl, Amila, arrives in Sri Lankan to find a world of surprises and contrasts. This story mirrors my journey. After being away for nearly 40 years, I returned to Sri Lanka with wide eyes, documenting the changes. Everything seemed different—the landscape, the people, even the scale of the island. I left as a 14-year-old boy, so it felt like a completely new place to me.
When I first landed on the island, I filmed everything—the bustling streets, even people waiting at bus stops. Pettah, for instance, was as chaotic and noisy as ever. Nimmi has been fantastic to work with and is the perfect fit for the role.
ONE: “I was born in Sri Lanka and adopted by a loving Australian couple. I grew up in Melbourne, where I’ve spent my entire life. Although I’ve always felt at home in this vibrant city, a part of me has always longed to reconnect with my roots.
“Now, I’m on a journey to rediscover where I came from, to explore the island that’s lived in my dreams for so long, and to meet the people who share the story of my beginnings.”
Accompanying the video series, I’ll be putting together a book about our homeland. However, this won’t be a traditional fact-based account. Instead, it will take the form of a docudrama, intertwining storytelling and history. The book won’t be finished until the video series is completed.
The website for the documentary is: https://pilgrimage-srilanka.com …………… And here’s the link to the promotional video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/IqdvJYz3bu8
The video series, produced by Timeless Productions, will feature the well- known actress, Nimmi Harasgama as *Amila,* a Sri Lankan girl on a quest to find her birthright—only to discover much more than she ever imagined. As each new video is released, it will be made available on the website, completely free of charge to viewers.
I’m excited to share this personal journey, and I hope it resonates with all those who have ever sought to understand where they come from. It is after all, my journey as well.
Dodwell Keyt ….. www.ArtPal.com/keyt
I was born in a small rural town in Sri Lanka; Ceylon as it was known in those days. My parents emigrated to Australia to begin a new life and give us the chance to achieve goals we could not in my motherland; I was 13 when we left Sri Lanka.
I have been drawing ever since I can remember but my artistic career did not commence until my work was exhibited at The Perth Street Gallery for the first time in November 1987. I remember my parents sending me to an art school to learn the basics of drawing and painting, but I did not have the knowledge to use the media presented in front of me. I was too young to appreciate the gift in front of me. It was years later, as an adult, I found the joy and satisfaction of expressing myself using various media to show what was in my heart.
I paint and draw for my own pleasure and enjoyment. I use the human form to express and communicate my feelings and thoughts. More recently, I have discovered a new style of art. I begin with a blank canvas and fill it with a multitude of colours that come from within. Whatever colour comes to mind, I splash it on the canvas. The colours are an expression of the under-paint of my final painting. These base colours provide the foundation for shaping and forming the final image I have in my mind and heart.
I have expressed my love of communication through poetry and writing books. I have written and published a number of books. In my books, I have attempted to mesh my love of writing with my love of expressive creativity to produce a book that provokes and creates a philosophy of my life.
I find it difficult to categorize my work but I have used many techniques to portray my ideas and images. I have created works that range from minimalism to realism using contemporary and semi-abstract styles. The underlying theme in all my works is the presence of the human form. I strip it bare to reveal the supple curves and glorious shapes of the human form.
I have experimented with a number of media and styles and in the past settled on oils and canvas to complete most of my works. I believe in training my mind to enhance the tools God gave me by practice, practice, practice…
I have thousands of drawings and sketches of objects as mundane as a pencil to more elaborate ones of people in various poses. I have used a range of media such as watercolors, pen and ink, pastels and pencils.
Today, technology is in every nook and corner of our everyday life. I have learnt to adapt my understanding of technology to produce works of art. This is a new challenge for me and a new media of expression. I am loving the ability to use an almost infinite range and variety of colours, brushes and media without spending hundreds of dollars.
PAINTINGS VINCENT VAN GOGH STYLE
Sketches
Paintings
