Catholic priest shapes a new generation of artists with his vision

Young painter Fathima Hasna

Fr. Samantha instructing artist Kalhara

Fr. Samantha Thushara

Former students are now masters in their own right. Sigithi Harshika, 29, runs a home-based workshop in Halpe, Katana. “I had to stop taking new orders,” she laughs. “The demand has grown so much.” 

Work from Fr. Samantha’s studio has even been featured at exhibitions to honor transformational iconic figures from Mahatma Gandhi to Che Guevara, from Karl Marx to Fr. Michael Rodrigo. These exhibitions not only display talent but promote conversation on justice, unity, and peace.

Fr. Samantha is planning an exhibition titled “The Story of the People Who Changed and Enlightened the World,” May 18–19, 2025, at the Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt. Student work featuring history, spirituality, and social commentary portrayed in clay and on canvas will be exhibited.

Early morning in Galpalliya is a quiet time, yet the air vibrates with sounds of chiselling,  and chirping young voices drifting from  a small hut behind the Holy Cross Church.
Sunlight spills through open windows, casting long shadows on partially finished statues of saints and famous people. Behind the scent of paint and clay, something miraculous is happening here.
At the center of it all is Fr. Samantha Thushara, a Catholic priest with mud on his shirt and a vision in his heart. For more than a decade, Fr. Samantha has been working quietly behind the scenes to reshape not only statues but lives.
A Workshop of Wonders
Walk into his workshop, and you’ll find young artists deep in focus: some sculpting life-size crucifixes, others delicately painting the serene face of the Buddha. There is no divide, only unity in purpose. For Fr. Samantha, art isn’t just a form of devotion; it’s a language that transcends faiths, backgrounds, and borders.
One of his students, Desiri Manathunga, 23, a Gampaha resident, gestures to a giant figure of Jesus crucified on the cross. “When the devotees behold this, some get teary-eyed. This is not a sculpture. It’s an indication of sacrifice, of universal human suffering,” he says. “To understand the history and meaning behind our work gives every creation sanctity.”
Manathunga calls the life-sized crucifixion statue of Jesus on the Cross, portraying the Good Friday crucifixion, one of the most impressive displays of art’s ability to move the human soul. Across parish churches throughout the country, such statues serve as centerpieces for Passion Plays, helping to bring the last few hours of Christ’s life dramatically to life. 
“It’s not a sculpture, it’s a living reminder of suffering, sacrifice, and love.  These realistic figures are works of art of profound spirituality, inviting contemplation, devotion, and even healing.
Similarly, in Buddhist culture, images of Lord Buddha, either in peaceful meditation or at times of enlightenment, tell sacred stories and reinforce the faith of the faithful.”.
Like most of those in the workshop, Manathunga fantasised becoming a professional artist. Guided by the priest since 2022, he’s not only carved religious figures like Jesus and St. Francis, but famous lay personalities such as Abraham Lincoln and William Shakespeare, too. The workshop hums from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. every day, with artists learning techniques that combine classical form and spiritual purpose.
Fr. Samantha can most often be found in his busy workshop, sitting amidst a pack of hopeful young artists. With rolled-up sleeves and dusty-in-clay fingers, he hustles from workbench to workbench, discreetly nudging, showing off techniques, and encouraging his students with a blend of patience and passion.
The Priest Behind the Passion
Fr. Samantha’s path began a long way from this busy workshop. Born in the coastal town of Maggona in 1972, he was attracted early to the twin passions of religion and art. “There was a man in my village who used to make statues and hide them whenever I came along,” he grins, remembering. “But I was curious.”.
He pursued formal art training after seminary studies, first at Vibhavi Academy, then Colombo Arts Academy, and later a diplomaat the Sacred Art School of Firenze in Italy. He did a Master’s at Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, where he was trained in the craft that would become his life’s work.
Since 2015, Fr. Samantha has mentored over 200 poor youth artists. His own works consist of more than 150 life-sized statues, traditional moonstones, and even Buddhist sculptures, a testament to his enduring respect for Sri Lanka’s rich heritage.
His projects transcend denominational lines. One of his works, a Buddha statue, now stands within the Narammala Punyawardena Temple, a symbol of harmony in a multi-religious neighborhood.
Sculpting hope, Not just Statues
In Kalpitiya, a remote village away from civilisation where the inhabitants primarily practice fishing, the priest’s social reform agenda had another platform. He taught 30 fisherwomen of Our Lady of Velankanni Church sculpture, candle-making, and rosary-making. “These women, who were living on the margins, now work with their hands and heart,” he claims.
His work also determines some of Sri Lanka’s most renowned locations. Along with former vice chancellor of the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Dr. Sarath Chandrajeewa, Fr. Samantha created 45 replica bronze reliefs at the National Basilica, depicting Christianity’s deep roots in Sri Lanka. And the priest built a life-size statue of late Cardinal Thomas Cooray in the mini chapel at Tewatta Basilica.
“Fr.Samantha has reversed the downward spiral of traditional Catholic art,” says Prof. Chandrajeewa. “His foreign training has been a godsend to the country’s creative soul.”
Even Buddhist students like Liyana Arachchige Kalhara of Galle have found meaning in his mentorship. “To me, painting here is a ritual,” he says. “It’s healing.”
The Ripple Effect
Former students are now masters in their own right. Sigithi Harshika, 29, runs a home-based workshop in Halpe, Katana. “I had to stop taking new orders,” she laughs. “The demand has grown so much.” Her recent work includes the Stations of the Cross at St. Philip Neri’s Church in Toppuwa-Kochchikade, and she now employs assistants, passing on what she learned.
Work from Fr. Samantha’s studio has even been featured at exhibitions to honor transformational iconic figures from Mahatma Gandhi to Che Guevara, from Karl Marx to Fr. Michael Rodrigo. These exhibitions not only display talent but promote conversation on justice, unity, and peace.
A vision cast in clay
“The artist in us,” he says, “is also the healer. Art can bridge what alienates us. It can provide hope.”
In the workshop, where unblessed saints are waiting for their final coat of paint, this promise is real. Galpalliya’s apprentice sculptors are not merely modeling statues, but crafting a future where religion and art will walk together, under the tutelage of a priest who does not see art as  merchandise, but as a ministry and holy mission.