Listen to Proudly Zimbabwean make up artist Kelli Barker in a thoughtful and well informed interview, with Farai of Story Untold Zimbabwe, ahead of our art exhibition “Burnt Offerings, Re-Invention, Taking Flight”
Kelli’s relationship with her fellow creatives and her body art, film or make up models is resonant with warmth and compassion- putting people at ease and creating firm friendships is her guiding strength, allowing her to then freely create her magic !
Kelli re created her own body-crusted in glowing red beads and mosaic, for the opening of our ‘Burbt Offerings’ exhibition at Pikicha gallery, Harare, Zimbabwe
Lin Barrie
The Save Valley Conservancy stretches along the upper reaches of the great Save River in the south east of Zimbabwe. The Gonarezhou National Park laps against the southern banks of the Save River and between these two nestles the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve. These three celebrated wildlife areas form part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, (GLTFCA)- a unique wilderness jewel which is home to the “Big Five” (endangered Black and White rhinos, elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard) and the ”Little Six” (Klipspringer, Suni, Duiker, Steenbok, Sharpe's Grysbok and Oribi). Endangered African wild dogs, Cheetah, Brown hyena, Bat-eared foxes and a host of special birds and plants contribute to the immense variety of this ecosystem. Communities around the GLTFCA contribute to innovative partnerships with National Parks and the private sector, forming a sound base on which to manage social, economic and environmental issues.
This is home to artist and writer Lin Barrie and her life partner, conservationist Clive Stockil.
Expressing her hopes, fears and love for this special ecosystem with oil paints on canvas, Lin Barrie believes that the essence of a landscape, person or animal, can only truly be captured by direct observation.
Lin Barrie states: “Through my art, and my writing, I feel an intimate connection with the natural world, and from my extensive field sketches of wild animals, people and landscapes, I create larger works on canvas.
Lin's work is in various public and private collections in South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Australia, England, Canada, Sweden and the United States of America. She is represented by galleries in South Africa, Zimbabwe, England, Kenya and Florida, USA.
Fantastic! How lovely to have a daughter to work with. You must be so proud of her.
Thank you Deryn truly I am