Dorothy Fernando
Dorothy Fernando (née Dias; 18 September 1907 – 1981)[1] was a Sri Lankan painter.
Dorothy Fernando | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dorothy Dias September 18, 1907 |
| Died | 1981 (aged 73–74) |
| Spouse |
Cyril Fernando (died 1955) |
Early life
Dorothy Dias was born in Panadura.[1][2] She grew up in Colombo with her conservative parents. She studied at Bishop's College in Colombo and Malvern Girls College in the United Kingdom.[1] In her late teens, she pursued her interest in painting and nature in defiance of her father's wishes.[1][3]
Career
Fernando became a member of the Ceylon Social Service League, running a sewing school for underprivileged girls for several years.[1] She developed her watercolour painting technique while illustrating the country's indigenous orchids for her brother-in-law Ernest Zoysa.[1][3]
Fernando travelled during the 1940s, collecting and painting wildflowers. She eventually published a book titled Wildflowers of Ceylon in England in 1954.[2]
Personal life
Dias married Cyril Fernando, who became one of Sri Lanka's most prominent physicians. They had four children. Cyril died in 1955.[1]
Fernando died in 1981 while preparing for her third exhibition.[1]
References
- "Free-spirited as a wild flower". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). September 23, 2007. Archived from the original on 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- "Pioneering work of art and knowledge". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 18 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2024-03-24. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- "Bringing back the blooms". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2024-03-24.