Rising Stars: Meet Mayanthi Jayawardena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayanthi Jayawardena.

Hi Mayanthi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started my journey in public health doing sexual violence prevention and advocacy for about 9ish years. I loved the work that I did and the people that I met. It changed my life. After a while, however, the work started taking a toll on me. I started noticing it impacting my mental & physical health.

I started turning to art to process what I was feeling and it sort of became an incredible channel for me. Before I knew it, people were responding to what I was creating and I realized that my advocacy could continue through art. From there, I dove into being an “artivist” full-time (an artist + activist).

I have never looked back. This journey through art has been one of the most healing and fulfilling journeys that I have ever been on. I love being able to make a difference through art, whether that is celebrating my culture, celebrating women, celebrating being an immigrant, or creating new perspectives around important issues

I have no idea where this will take me but I am passionately dedicated to the process.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
This certainly has not been a smooth road. Even the way that I started reconnecting with art was through trauma and healing. That said, I am so grateful for that. I became a full-time artist at the beginning of the pandemic.

I actually moved to Raleigh two weeks before the world shut down due to COVID. I had just left my full-time job for art and I thought I was making a bold move moving to a new city. When everything shut down I panicked. I had no idea how I was going to get new clients or make connections in this new community when we couldn’t even go out.

As a true testament to the Raleigh community, by some miracle and a lot of hard work, I found myself getting amazing opportunities to paint murals and create digital artwork that made waves on a global scale and that was all of the affirmation that I needed that I made the right decision.

Being a small business owner, with no background in business was very challenging, but much like my art career, I taught myself very quickly and now we fast-forward two years and I can’t believe that I have had all of the experiences that I have had.

You can now find my murals all over Raleigh (and the Triangle area), with more in the works. I have also met so many incredible community members and fellow artists along the way and I am excited for whatever is to come this year.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a multidisciplinary artist who specializes in murals, children’s book illustrations, fine art paintings, and designing apparel and merchandise. I used to be a photographer and videographer but that has taken a back-burner to these other endeavors.

I would describe everything that I create as very colorful, vibrant, and poignant. Most of my artwork celebrates the beauty and power of being a woman, while others express my Sri Lankan pride and pain. My latest draws awareness to the importance of mental health and self-love, and others share a world of beauty, color, and life through my eyes.

I want people to either see themselves in my art or learn something new from it.

Something that I am so proud of is my recent exploration into apparel and clothing design. I never thought that I would take this route but now that I have started, I can’t imagine not doing it. Seeing my art on clothing/bags is incredible. I love wearing my art and it makes me so happy to see so many other people loving what I am creating.

Knowing that my art is being worn all over the US and in some cases, around the world, is a dream come true.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Finding a mentor or even just like-minded individuals who can push you and inspire you is so critical to ensuring that you are continually growing as a person and an artist. I have found my mentors through asking questions. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and ask questions.

Many times, especially during the pandemic and the need for social distancing, I just DM’d artists or community leaders that I admired and asked questions and more often than not, great friendships and support came from it. I think that is the best advice I can give which is don’t be afraid to ask, speak up, or insert yourself into situations. Have the audacity to create spaces for you and your art.

You will often be surprised at how many people respond well to that and even if they don’t, it’s still a lesson learned and rarely a reflection of you. Don’t give up! In fact, if you are a new artist or someone new to pivot in their career, hit me up! I’d be happy to connect.

Pricing:

• For my activewear visit: www.serendibcreative.com/serendibapparel
• For my bags visit: www.serendibcreative.com/luggage
• If you want custom paintings, please email me at [email protected].

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.serendibcreative.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/serendibcreative
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/serendibcreative