“As an artist, her Impressionistic style was greatly appreciated in Paris, where she exhibited on three occasions during her four years as the Sri Lankan ambassador’s wife. Her paintings were bought by dignitaries in Paris and the diplomatic circle of the early 1970s.

Buyers included US Under-Secretary of State John N. Irwin II, German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, Chilean Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda, Indonesian First Lady Devi Sukarno, and British Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, to name a few.” Gayathri Rajaguru

Visakha Wijeyeratne (née Bulankulame) was a Sri Lankan painter, sculptor, and embroidery maker. Her father, Dr. Edmund Ashoka Bulankulame, and mother, Ivy Dunuwille Senanayake, provided a nurturing environment that fostered her artistic inclinations. Her art education took place at the Haywood Institute of Art, under the guidance of David Paynter and Stanley Abeysinghe.

Her artistic style was predominantly post-impressionistic, characterized by the use of a yellow ochre base and layered brushwork. In the 1960s, while residing in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Visakha mastered hand embroidery and led the department at Schleifer’s, a renowned embroidery establishment. Upon returning to Sri Lanka, she initiated a cottage industry aimed at reviving traditional Sinhala embroidery techniques, drawing inspiration from Ananda Coomaraswamy’s Medieval Sinhalese Art. This endeavor not only preserved cultural heritage but also provided employment opportunities for rural women.

Visakha’s artistic journey included reproductions of classical artworks, such as the 1815 portrait of Rangamma, consort of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy. The reprint of the portrait sold over 5,000 copies in Sri Lanka. In 1981, she was commissioned to paint a portrait of President J.R. Jayewardene. Her international exposure was significant; during her four-year stay in Paris as the wife of the Sri Lankan ambassador, she held exhibitions and sold her works to notable figures. Her water color paintings of orchids were featured in a 1987 exhibition in London with work by fifty-six other artists from the Commonwealth. She was gifted with words, often writing limericks and art-related articles for Sri Lankan newspapers.

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Visakha was dedicated to social work. She was an active member of the Inner Wheel Club of Kandy, affiliated with Rotary International, where she contributed to various charitable initiatives. Visakha Wijeyeratne passed away on April 13, 1999, in Kandy, leaving behind a legacy that seamlessly blended art, culture, and social service.