Meet Leilani: Atmospheric Landscape Painter in Oxfordshire
“What I create comes from within—a visual prayer of peace, beauty and hope”.
Roots in Colour and Music
I was born on the sunny island of Sri Lanka, a place of vivid colour, radiant light, and lush natural beauty. From a young age, I played the piano, guitar, and piano accordion — music became my first language of expression. At school, however, I was placed in the science stream rather than the arts, where painting was not encouraged. My father believed women shouldn’t pursue higher education or careers, and so I began to shape my own creative path.
Years later, living for a time in Brunei — a nation of lush rainforests and azure waters on the island of Borneo — I found myself once again surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. The vibrant colours, shifting light, and quiet stillness of that landscape left impressions that still whisper through my art today.
First Steps as an Artist
After leaving school, I joined an art group and discovered a love for painting. Soon after, the French Cultural Embassy sponsored my first solo exhibition at the prestigious Lionel Wendt Gallery in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Life moved quickly after that: marriage, and then a move to the UK while my husband pursued his postgraduate studies. It was during this time that our first child was born. A few months later, I returned to Sri Lanka with my baby so that I could have the support of my parents, while my husband remained behind to complete his exams.
With the French Ambassador at my first Solo Exhibition
A Life Interrupted
In 1983, civil unrest tore through Sri Lanka. My infant son and I fled with nothing but the clothes we wore, and we were forced to return to the UK. That experience of loss, fear, and survival left a lasting mark on me — one that continues to echo quietly in my work.
In the years that followed, my husband’s work meant we moved every couple of years, adjusting to different cultures and languages and people. These postings included Germany and Brunei, with returns to the UK in between. They were truly lonely years, as I had to find my way around in unfamiliar places while my husband was absorbed in his work. While these experiences were enriching, they were also deeply challenging. Our two sons had to be sent to boarding school in the UK at a very young age, which tore my heart, and I needed to remain available to travel back and forth. Family commitments always came first, and painting, though never forgotten, often had to wait..
Returning to My Voice
It was through faith, the encouragement of friends, and the quiet persistence of my own inner voice that I eventually found the courage to begin again. Step by step, I overcame insecurity and rediscovered the joy of painting.
When family life finally allowed me to return to painting, I found myself working with greater freedom and authenticity. Rather than offering a fixed message, each piece of intuitive, contemporary art became an invitation for viewers to bring their own stories, memories, and imagination into the experience. In this way, painting became not only a rediscovery of my artistic voice, but also a quiet path toward healing and wholeness — a reminder that creativity can restore what life once interrupted.
I am a self-taught artist, working primarily in oils and acrylics, and more recently, oil with cold wax medium. Each of these materials allows me to build richly textural, layered surfaces. Cold wax, with its luminous matte finish, has opened new ways for me to convey subtle shifts of light and atmosphere. My process is entirely intuitive — unfolding like music played by ear, without a fixed plan, guided instead by rhythm, colour, and emotion.
Art as a Spiritual Language
For me, painting is deeply connected to both music and faith. My art often moves between abstraction and reality, capturing not what is seen, but what is felt — stillness, mystery, spirituality, and quiet wonder. Each work is a visual prayer, a quiet offering of peace, beauty, and hope.
A Space for You
My paintings are not fixed in meaning, but open invitations for viewers to bring their own stories, memories, and imagination. When someone discovers something of their own within my work, that is when I feel I have truly succeeded. Each painting also holds a memory of the time it was created, carrying with it layers of both my journey and yours.
What others see in my work often surprises me yet feels deeply true — proof that art becomes most alive in the space between artist and viewer. My explorations and discoveries continue to be deeply rooted in faith, stillness, and the mystery of colour and light. I see my art as a gift to others — an offering of beauty, peace, and connection in a hurried world.
Now in my seventies, I continue to grow as a contemporary artist — proof that creativity has no expiry date. Each painting is part of an unfolding journey, and it brings me joy to share it with you.
Exhibitions and Community
Over the years, I have exhibited in Sri Lanka, Germany (including a solo exhibition in Celle), and now across Oxfordshire, where I live today. I am an active member of West Ox Arts and The Abingdon Artists, which I co-chaired for three years during the challenges of COVID.It was also during the COVID period that I discovered Matt Tommey’s Created to Thrive artist mentorship programme (Christian Artist Directory). This community helped me to grow as a contemporary artist with greater clarity and confidence, affirming my faith and strengthening my artistic practice. It has been both an honour and a joy to walk that path, and to later be recognised in the Debra Hart Studio curated artist shortlist (Debra Hart Curated Artists). These were meaningful milestones in my journey — ones that came after I began pursuing my practice with greater intention later in life.Alongside exhibiting and creating, I donate a portion of my art sales to support charities where there is need, sharing the joy, beauty, and healing of art beyond the studio.
In the first six months of 2025, I exhibited six times, including two exhibitions in a church café.
In June 2025, I was invited to exhibit at the prestigious Langford Arts Festival, a biennial event.It was an exciting experience to showcase my work alongside internationally acclaimed artists, sharing a space of creativity, inspiration, and artistic dialogue.
Each exhibition is both a milestone and an offering — a way of sharing art as a celebration of colour, stillness, and connection.
LET’S STAY CONNECTED
If my journey and my work resonate with you, I’d love to share glimpses from the studio — new abstract realism paintings taking shape, reflections on the creative process, and news of upcoming exhibitions around Oxfordshire. Updates are occasional, shared only when there is something meaningful to offer, and always with care.
Join my mailing list to receive occasional updates from the studio — new abstract realism paintings, works in progress, and news of upcoming exhibitions around Oxfordshire. Messages are rare and shared only when there’s something meaningful to offer.