ZimArt Zimbabwean Outdoor Sculpture Gallery

Photo by ZimArt

When you visit ZimArt, you won’t believe your eyes as you approach this magical oasis of stone carvings.

I met up with Fran Fearnley, Owner and Curator of ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery. In 1998 Fran was volunteering at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in Durban South Africa when she first discovered and fell in love with Zimbabwean stone sculpture.

Zimbabwean sculptors have over 200 varieties of stone, of all hardness levels, to carve in. The stone all comes from the 500 km long Great Dyke which runs like a spine through Zimbabwe.

Photo by ZimArt

Fran describes the property as a “gallery waiting to happen”, although that’s not what she had in mind when she bought the place back in 1990. Sited between two farms it’s so peaceful that visitors often comment on the tranquility. This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Gallery.

Everything is for sale, with the exception of a few pieces that are part of Fran’s collection. They also have a piece in the Haliburton Sculpture Forest.

Every year a sculptor from Zimbabwe spends the summer at the gallery as part of ZimArt’s programming. They offer sculpting workshops teaching traditional Zimbabwean techniques. The Artists teach the Zimbabwean way of carving, mirroring the way they work. It is a very collaborative environment, and participants come from as far as Mexico and the UK. “It’s a great way for people to see and really understand the skill and culture of the Artist,” says Fran.

Photo by ZimArt

“No one comes to the Gallery who is totally neutral about their experience. Everybody is moved in some way. Isn’t it great to provide an experience for people where they are really getting to appreciate aspects of Zimbabwean culture? I love it. There are not many places where you can work and everybody is really happy”, she laughs.

Photo by ZimArt

Fran says, “I call it my little piece of paradise. I’m still pinching myself as to how lucky I am to have found this place. Every view from every window in the farmhouse I see sculptures.” There are constantly new things to see. For instance, John Shaw Reming- ton (President of the Dry Stone Wall Association of Canada) ran a dry stone wall workshop at the gallery in June. Now there’s a beautiful structure hiding the portable toilets.

Photo by Karen Irvine

Photo By Karen Irvine

While speaking about what a great community ZimArt is in, Fran says, “The community overall is incredibly supportive. It’s what I love about living here. It’s a whole different level of relationship building that happens, and it’s acknowledging the synergy and everybody being comfortable with each other.”

Photo by ZimArt

When I asked Fran what her future looks like, she said, “My plan is to keep going until I’m 75, but that’s 8 years away,” she laughs. “Who knows whether I might be able to find somebody to continue the gallery. I have no idea.”

It’s a great place to visit, and you may just find that stone sculpture you’ve been looking for.

www.zimart.ca 855 2nd Line, Bailieboro, Ontario K0L 1B0 (705) 939-6144