zimart’s rice lake gallery

Went to ZimArt with a group of friends this week. It was the third time in one week for one of my friends and we could certainly understand her enthusiasm! We got to meet one of the artists who took the time to explain the process of hand carving these stunning stone sculptures. The owner and curator, Fran Fearnley made us very welcome and provided a lot of information without any pressure to make a purchase. I had never been to an outdoor gallery before and it was so amazing to see all these gorgeous sculptures in a farm like setting with tall trees overhead. Across a bridge there is a pond with metal sculptures and beyond that another field with more stone sculptures; some of them are monumental. The gallery is open daily until Thanksgiving. Admission and parking are free. Expect to be awed!!

Two weeks ago an old friend dropped in and suggested I might enjoy a visit to the Zim Art presentation down near Rice Lake.He said he would forward some directions. They never arrived. I thought I would try and find it on my own on my next trip to Toronto. So after being lost for about a half an hour I finally arrived. I took quite a number of pictures and met the artist in residence. The works here are quite significant. Almost 400 pieces, all done to similar standards, and all quite intriguing. I did not take the time to understand all the symbols, but established for myself a good reason to return the fact of the presenc of an artist in residence.And you might ask, so what is synchronicity about this?Just as I completed my tour of the grounds, my friend Phil shows up at the site and finishes a story with me that he had begun two weeks ago.

ZimArt far exceeded our expectation as an outdoor sculpture garden. Hundreds of hand carved sculptures from as many as 50 Zimbabwean artists, are displayed throughout five acres of landscaped gardens, water features and a canopy of mature trees. Fran Fearnley, the owner/curator/founder, made us feel very at home and provided a great deal of detail about the works and artists, while give us lots of space to appreciate the fine works on our own. We had expected to be no more then an hour, and spent three.If for no other reason visit for the scenic view looking down on Rice Lake and the rolling hills of the area. During the summer an artist is in residence, sculpting on site. Be prepared to walk, expect to spend at least a couple of hours, and make sure to bring your camera!