From an early age my parents encouraged and supported my creativity ferociously. I have early memories of drawing and painting madly on sheets of paper sitting atop the kitchen table and making oxen from the mud in the dam. It was natural then that as I grew older I had a clear vision of being an artist. I attained a Diploma in fine Art in South Africa; majoring in sculpture, bronze my preferred medium, with painting and ceramics minor subjects.

My initial vision at art school was to become a museum display artist and taxidermist, but upon exposure to the medium of bronze I realised that I much preferred the process of creating my own interpretation of the wild creatures that surround us, having them immortalized, so to speak, in a medium that is incredibly faithful to the original, that has immense presence and beauty. I find that my subjects can come from a variety of sources, a tableau seen years ago in the veldt, a conversational description that triggers an idea, a minute image from a book, or a photo, or from a documentary. I do not work rigidly from photos but rather work up the image in plastercine from the mental image I have and resort to reference when required to for particular aspects. At times a sculpture completes very quickly, occasionally I reach a plateau and leave the sculpture for a long time returning to it when my thoughts have coalesced, and because I use plastercine the sculpture has not deteriorated.

I I was fortunate to spend 6 years in the UK where I free-lanced extensively in two highly regarded fine art bronze casting foundries gaining invaluable knowledge of the entire process, bronzes potential and versatility. This experience has stood me in great stead with my own work to understand the limitations and possibilities of the bronze medium. I believe this time away coalesces ones memory of favourite subjects, for me sculpture is a 3-dimentional photograph of a moment in time. These moments and the animals in them have their own movement and vivid essence which I believe are essential to capture. With this in mind I look at an animal’s particular characteristics, vitality and personality to determine what gestural treatment I use with the original plastercine and subsequently what patination will enhance the actions and tenuousness of the moment best.

I enjoy pastel as a drawing tool on a fairly smooth surface, applying it boldly, exaggerating and simplifying the colours and tones I see before me. Working with pastel like this had a positive influence on my  oil paintings giving me confidence to not over mix paint but to rather emulate pastel application with lush paint cleanly and sensitively applied with a desire to play with contrasting and complimentary colours, whatever the scale. I find in this way I am able to express in oil the overall impact of the veldt, and not just its inhabitants. I endeavour to portray the colours and shapes that evoke the African atmosphere, its light and its aridity so that hopefully anyone can feel the heat of mid-afternoon or chill just before dusk….
It is these feelings, the viscerally powerful demanding environment of Africa that is critical in interpreting its animals and plants accurately and evocatively. She is a continent to envelop yourself in, to consume you, to realize the complexity of nature and vastness of the bigger picture. Our lives, so small and insignificant, belong to this.

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

COMMISSIONS

 

1995 to 2016

Numerous Private Commissions to list a few:

 

Reedbuck Pair, Oribi pair, Blue Duiker Pair

Springbok Pronking

Patrick Mann Memorial Floating Trophy, Bronze Portrait of a Matabele Ox

Bronze Group of African Painted Hunting Dogs

7 pastel paintings for Telkom Head Office, Port Elizabeth

Pair of Bronze Rhino for Anaesthesiologists Congress of South Africa

Diorama for Lancashire Steel at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

37 Pastel Studies for Antelope Park, Gweru

 

EXHIBITED

 

2010- 2016

Fillingdon Fine Art

ArtBronzeAfrica Gallery, White River, South Africa.

Castle de Wildt, Nylstroom, South Africa

Dimitrov Gallery, Dullstroom, South Africa

On the Stoep, Bulawayo

Thirteen Langton Street Gallery, London

Out of Africa-in Montana Gallery, Bozeman, USA

Nguni & Ngwenya, The Hub, Harare

The Spring Show, Tshwane Exhibition Centre, Pretoria

The St Johns Spring Show, Harare

The Flying Frog, Harare

Small group Exhibition at Pembroke Place, Bulawayo

Private exhibition , Harare

Doon Estate Gallery, Harare

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

 

2009

'Fine Things in the city of Kings' Group exhibit National Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Thirteen Langton Street Gallery, London

Out of Africa-in Montana Gallery, Bozeman, USA

Doon Estate Gallery, Harare

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Affrodissiac Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Gallery Ann, Gabarone, Botswana

Maun, Botswana

Marwell International Wildlife Art Exhibition, Marwell Zoo

 

2008

Thirteen Langton Street Gallery, London

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation 'Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition,Mall Galleries,London

Out of Africa-in Montana Gallery, Bozeman, USA

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Picasso's Bulawayo

Marwell International Wildlife Art Exhibition, Marwell Zoo

Affrodissiac Art Gallery, Bulawayo

 

2007 

National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Liverpool

Marwell International Wildlife Art Exhibition, Marwell Zoo

Bisley Shooting Association, Bisley Shooting Ground.

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Picasso's Bulawayo

Thirteen Langton Street Gallery, London

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation 'Art for Survival' Auction,Christies, London

Out of Africa-in Montana Gallery, Bozeman, USA

 

2006 

Society of Wildlife Artists, Mall Galleries, London

National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Liverpool

Marwell International Wildlife Art Exhibition, Marwell Zoo

Roundhouse Gallery, Spalding Lincolnshire

Neville Contemporary ,Chelsea Art Fair

Group Exhibition, Singapore

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Roasted Berry Cafe, Bulawayo

 

2005  

Chelsea Art Society Annual Exhibition London

National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Liverpool

Marwell International Wildlife Art Exhibition, Marwell Zoo

The Wildlife Art Society International Exhibition, Port Lympne Zoo

Obsidian Gallery, Stoke Manderville Bucks

 

2004

United Society of Artists Exhibition, Westminster, London

Chelsea Art Society Annual Exhibition London

Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition UK

Dulwich Picture Gallery Summer Exhibition London

Marwell international Wildlife Society Annual Exhibition UK

South African Art Show, The Wine Gallery London

 

2003  

Society of Wildlife Artists, Mall Galleries, London

United Society of Artists Exhibition, Westminster, London

Artists & Illustrators Magazine Article October Issue

 

2002  

National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Liverpool

 

1996 to 2001

Christies Wildlife Auction 2000

Christies Wildlife Auction 1998

Local group exhibition in Bulawayo and Chiredzi

Four person exhibition at Picassos’ Bulawayo

Zimbabwe Sun Hotels, Victoria Falls

Wildlife Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth

Induna Art Gallery, Bulawayo

Matobo Hills Lodge, Bulawayo

Picasso’s, Bulawayo

Savannah Arts, Maun, Botswana

Gecko Gallery, Bulawayo

 

1992 to 1995

Standard Bank National Arts Festival, Grahamstown: Johan Carinus Art Centre

Port Elizabeth Technikon Student Exhibitions

Eastern Province Society of Fine Arts Annual Exhibition

 

 

 

 

 

 

I graduated with distinction from Port Elizabeth Technikon - 1992 to 1995 with a National Diploma in Fine Art. Majoring in Sculpture with Paintings & Ceramics as minor subjects.

 

I received numerous Merit Awards and Bursaries, most notably:

The Portland Cement Institute Design Award 1993,

The Coca Cola Bursary 1994,

Santam Bank Bursary Award Winner 1994,

P. E Technikons own Bursary Award 1992, 1993 and 1995

 
 
 
© 2005 Georgina G Winch