Ayubowan
In my culture, this greeting means “May you have the gift of long life.” It’s a wish — and a story — wrapped in a single word.
I’m Dilrukshi Mendis, a Melbourne-based visual storyteller, painter, and illustrator. My creative journey has woven through two worlds: the structure and logic of banking & finance, and the instinctive, emotional sphere of art.
In my early twenties, I stepped away from painting — uncertain about whether art could be a “real” life choice. I pursued a corporate career, became a CPA and a Banker… and in time, found my way back to the canvas as a way to express myself.
Now, through my fine art practice, I explore themes of memory, identity, wellness, and transformation. My paintings — layered in texture, emotion, and symbolism — have been exhibited in galleries and collected by people who saw a part of themselves in them.
Under my playful alter-ego, Pawlick Bones, I let whimsy and absurdity loose. Here, I illustrate detective dogs, curious cats, and magical scenes in cards, tea towels, and printed gifts — art made to sprinkle joy and laughter into everyday life.
Be it bold or subtle, pedestrian or surreal, everything I create carries an invitation:
Pause. Feel. Connect.
Ayubowan