Tea in the First Sense

Edwin Batawala
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Edwin Batawala

There is something very mature and poignant about his paintings. The mood is always rural. Edwin Batawala, is one of our most respected and renowned artists. His immense artistic talent coupled with a discerning vision has earned him a unique place in the world of art. His life revolves around his passion for art, exhibitions, festivals and seminars on art.

Edwin was always fascinated by the beauty of rural life. His passion for rural life is reflected in all his paintings. In Edwin’s brush, rural and urban life crisscrosses and mixes in a spontaneous outburst of forms and colours.

Even as a young man Edwin Batawala’s extraordinary artistic talent was apparent. Edwin received a solid foundation in art and design at the College of Fine Arts where he studied for three years.

At first glace all one can see in his drawings are mere pictures, but with a little patience and discernment on the part of the viewers, they would enjoy his exquisite paintings, their colours, lines, shapes and shades; the tone, mood and time all in perfect harmony. Edwin was determined to give him so much love and respect.

Tea in the First Sense

Dilmah tea, the symbol of Pure Ceylon Tea in over 100 countries around the world, unveils Tea in the First Sense, an innovative endeavour by the family tea company Dilmah, in their mission to bring the beauty of tea, nature’s finest beverage, to the world.

Tea in the First Sense is an art and photography exhibition featuring tea plantations in Sri Lanka. The exhibition, commissioned by Dilmah, will tour the world as part of a Dilmah mission to share with a global audience the aesthetic beauty of tea.

This project has a deeper significance for it is part of a Dilmah effort to highlight the inequity in the tea category. A brand known for its integrity, Dilmah sought to overturn a system in which the producer became an exploited raw material supplier. In 1988 Founder of Dilmah Merrill J Fernando launched his Dilmah brand, in Australia, subsequently reaching over 100 countries in the world. Dilmah is today recognised as a role model in ethical trade.

The Company strives to bring quality back to tea and in so doing to improve the fortunes of Ceylon’s historic tea industry and its workers. Engaged in extensive social welfare via the MJF Charitable Foundation (www.mjffoundation.org). Dilmah is convinced that by making consumers appreciate Ceylon and her teas, demand for quality Ceylon Tea can be increased, helping tea producers get a better price for their crop. Ultimately that is fairer than any notion of fair-trade and is the most tangible way of bringing a smile to the faces of workers in the industry and their families. Dilmah is also working towards a more sustainable use of the environment through Dilmah Conservation which is promoting biodiversity, species/habitat protection & awareness of sustainability by encouraging a harmonious co-existence of man and nature (www.dilmahconservation.org).

Tea in the First Sense is part of a project to highlight the heritage of Ceylon Tea and educate consumers on the health and other benefits in quality Ceylon Tea. The first stage of this project was the History of Ceylon Tea website which preserves in one of the world’s largest internet tea websites, a century of literature on Ceylon Tea. Tea in the First Sense captures through both brush and lens, the endearing character and charm of the Sri Lankan Tea plantations.