Sharmalene (Sharm) Gunawardena

This is Me

Born and raised in Sri Lanka, a little Island known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Fort Wayne is now my home, where I have lived for the past 18 years.

I took many photographs to record my travels over the years not really knowing where I was going with it.

When I’m behind the camera I am filled with a sense of excitement that enables me to spread my wings and see what is invisible. It’s a moment where I hold my breath and time stands still… I hear nothing but a ‘click’.

I hope I can leave a trace of my creativity in your lives and you in turn find it to be meaningful and reflect on the beauty that surrounds us. 

Thank you for taking the time to follow my journey.

What do I like to photograph?

 I am a dreamer. It’s always colorful and creative. I have a personal connection with every photo I take. I name them the way I see it and I hope that my viewer can make that connection. I like photographing anything that captures my interest. It’s a way of recording my travels and my memories. When processing my images I like to keep it natural and close as possible to what I see when I take the photograph.

A lil' bit of history

I worked in advertising for over a decade where I coordinated photography for advertising, company profiles, annual reports, product branding and other commercial uses, which unfolded the creativity in me.

I belong to the Fort Wayne Photography Club and held the title of Exhibition Chair for  5 years. 

My work has also been exhibited at Artlink, Garrett Museum, Wassenberg Art Museum, Honeywell Center, Lupke Gallery, FW International Airport Gallery, Wunderkummer Gallery, Manchester University, StudiO7, Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, Greece and The Grand Arsenali building located in the Venetian Port of Chania, Crete. 

Achievements

Honorable mention at the Honeywell Center in 2016, 2019 & 2021.
Garrett Clipper Award in 2017.
Wassenberg Best of Show - Color in 2017 & 2020.
Honorable mention at the Allen County Public Library in 2018.
Chosen to exhibit at Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece.
​Chosen to exhibit at the 2019 & 2021 Chania International Photography Festival in Chania, Crete. 
Photos exhibited in China in collaboration with the Fort Wayne Sister Cities Program.