Ever since I first picked up a paint brush with my mother as a little girl, the compulsion to paint has dominated my life. I know that the extraordinary colours, light and contrasts of Zimbabwe where I grew up are to blame. Art became and has ever been my friend, supporting my children and me throughout.
- Rozanne Bell
The irrepressible Rozanne Bell is one of the UK’s most loved artists: witty, convivial with a distinctive style to match her sunny disposition.
Her celebrated depictions of wild-flowers, cosy sheep-farming villages, dreamy coastlines and quaint little fishing harbours are quintessentially Dorset: the county she calls home. But the unprecedented use of luminous colour and the trademark resin and metallic embellishments come from a very different influence – her native Zimbabwe.
Rozanne Bell's Background
Born in this Southern African country in 1962, Rozanne’s early work was inspired by Zimbabwe’s jaw-dropping natural beauty and timeless culture. During this period, Zimbabwe’s burgeoning tourist industry began to expose her work to an international audience where she found particular popularity in the USA and UK. Indeed, when Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2002, Rozanne chose to settle in England and merge the drama and impact of the African landscape with the mystery and atmosphere of the Dorset coast.
A New Direction for Rozanne Bell
This year, Rozanne is renewing her fascination with her childhood home and is producing magnificent elephant originals in resin and acrylic. Like all Rozanne's works, these pieces are acrylic on board with hand-poured resin originals. Each work of heres is entirely unique as she doesn't produce prints of limited edition series. In addition, she is a supporter of Chiva Africa; donating special artworks for auction, such as this Meadow Chair.
Her greatest achievement in this field was the charity auction of her remarkable Rocking Horse at Sotheby's, Bond Street: selling work over luminaries such as Judy Dench and Joanna Lumley.
Social Media Stars!
In addition to her surroundings, Rozanne’s ultimate inspiration is undoubtedly her family. In addition to her five children (the artistic muses!) the Bell dynasty includes Herbie the dog: the ever-popular star of Rozanne’s social media...
It's the truth: I live to paint, and paint to live - Simple!
See Rozanne Bell's full collection at Wyecliffe Galleries here...