Art for a cause

Otara to sell paintings for Embark

Fashion retail icon and animal welfare advocate Otara Gunewardene will part with paintings from her collection to raise funds for her pet cause Embark, one of the best known cause-related brands cum personal community projects in the country.
The paintings will go on display and sale at the Barefoot Gallery, Colombo 3, from the evening of Friday, 6th to Sunday, 8th November. All proceeds will go towards the purchase of a vehicle for Embark’s projects to rehabilitate and re-home Sri Lanka’s ubiquitous stray dogs.
“I have decided to use part of my collection for a good cause,” said Ms Gunewardene. “I hope this will also bring greater awareness of what Embark is trying to achieve.”

Otara with her pet Niko, the stray that inspired the new logo of Embark.

The paintings (price on request) are by artists Sanjeewa Kumara, Druvinka Madawala and Chamilia Gamage. The Barefoot Gallery at 704, Galle Road, Colombo 3, will be open from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday November 7 and from 11 am to 5 pm the following day.
An Embark information kiosk will be manned at the Gallery during the exhibition and sale to disseminate information on the project.
Embark was launched in March 2007 as a personal community project of Otara Gunewardene, the founder and CEO of ODEL, Sri Lanka’s definitive fashion and lifestyle retail chain. The project’s aim is to reduce cruelty to animals and promote animal wellbeing through a series of activities including sterilisation surgeries and puppy re-homing campaigns, caring for injured stray animals and educating the public about the importance of animal welfare.
Since its inception, Embark has helped change the mentality and thinking patterns of the community by encouraging love of community animals. The project has to date sterilized nearly 2300 strays in 13 campaigns.
Embark is funded principally by the sale of a popular and fast growing ra nge of fun clothing, accessories and pet products that bears the same brand name. Uniting fashion and animal welfare, the Embark collection consist hundreds of items including T shirts and sweaters, kids’ and toddlers’ clothing, headwear and slippers, jewellery and accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, ties and cufflinks, bags, stationery, soft toys, mugs, key chains, photo albums and frames, wind chimes and fridge magnets and bowls, toys, food, leashes and harnesses, beds and accessories for pets.