RICHARD Rennie Galleries in Belgravia will host a month-long two-girl art exhibition, strong in animal studies, starting with an official opening at 5:30 on Wednesday.
Gallery owner art patron Judy Ballantyne said the twin exhibit will feature work by well-known Zimbabwean-born Tamryn Pohl who has moved her studio from Victoria Falls to Zambia and Harare’s Natalie Hallowes.
Newcomer Natalie was born in the capital in 1984. She is the second of three sisters who grew up in the Eastern Highlands. She went to Hillcrest Preparatory School, Mutare, completing high school education at home and did her first pastel painting just three weeks before starting ‘A’ level exams.
In 2003 Natalie went to the UK, working as a groom, supplementing her income selling paintings. Soon after returning home from the UK in 2005 she went to work in Mozambique with two friends looking after 120 horses.
In 2006, she moved to Harare to break-in horses. She also joined Celebration Church which motivated her to take her art further.
She has worked as an animal portraitist since 2007. Her preferred medium is chalk pastel, although she also works in pencil.
Tamryn Pohl is a young Zimbabwean wildlife artist with a unique style of painting, capturing stunning examples of African fauna. Â
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
She grew up on the family’s Centenary farm, overlooking the Zambezi Valley. After they lost the tobacco property, she painted in Harare and after running a studio in Victoria Falls, now paints at her husband’s Zambian farm.
“I hope and believe my paintings convey a sense of fun, character, beauty and vibrancy,” she says.Bubbly blonde bespectacled 32-year-old Tammy has held six sell out exhibitions at Richard Rennie. Her first show was at the former Seasons Restaurant (now Gecko Gardens), in 2000, when she sold out.
Her paintings are semi-abstract, mainly wildlife studies, in watercolours and ink/mixed media and she has a formidable talent for capturing the subject creatures’ character, especially through focussing on the eyes. Her work has an almost caricature-like appeal.
She also markets her work in Dubai, South Africa, USA and Zambia. Â
BY DUSTY MILLER
