Oct 21, 2008 (DVB), The well-known Burmese artist Wathone passed away this morning from lung problems at his house in Thingangyun township, Rangoon division, at the age of 61.

Wathone spent most of his life painting and lived simply and modestly, according to his colleagues.

Recently, ‘A Sketch of Wathone’, a film directed by Burmese director Kyi Phyu Shin which profiled Wathone’s life, won a National Geographic award for best feature-length film.

Kyi Phyu Shin said she was deeply saddened to hear of Wathone's death.

"The joy I recently felt after my film about Saya Wathone won the award didn’t last long as I heard the news about his death this morning," Kyi Phyu Shin said.

<./p>"But at least he got to hear the news about the film winning the award and he was so happy," she said.

"He said that honesty will eventually win out , those were his last words."

Reporting by Shwe Aung