Lin Barrie: Painting Emotion, Movement, and Conservation
Uncover How Zimbabwean Artist Lin Barrie Blends Colour, Conservation & Community to Tell Africa’s Wildest Stories
We’re honoured to feature Lin Barrie in this artist spotlight interview - a Zimbabwean artist whose internationally recognised work is as expressive as it is impactful.
Through bold movement, vivid colour, and abstract emotion, Lin captures not just the visual beauty of African wildlife, but the stories, communities, and environmental challenges behind them.
Lin lives in the southeast of Zimbabwe, where she creates from both the wilderness and her Harare studio. Her passion for art, poetry, and conservation is deeply intertwined with her life and work - and we’re excited to share her story with you.
Lin, your passion for the African bush, its people and wildlife, large and small, is the essence of your art. Is this because you were born in Zimbabwe and had the opportunity to discover so much of the country?
"Lesley, I am third generation Zimbabwean, so my roots are strongly Zimbabwean and grew up appreciating nature with my bird-loving naturalist father.
I have travelled extensively and I love experiencing various cultures. Zimbabwe, especially rural Zimbabwe, wild Zimbabwe, is home for me.
I now spend much of my time in the south east wilderness of Zimbabwe with my life partner and dedicated conservationist Clive Stockil. I also have a studio in Harare."
The first thing that strikes me when I look at your paintings is the sense of movement you create. How do you bring such dynamic energy into your work?
"Movement, expression, impression is the key to my paintings. I immerse myself in my surroundings, in the people and the environment, wherever I find myself in the world!
I work from real life wherever possible, and whether I am painting figures or landscape, ocean or sky, dancers or rhinos, skulls, shells or Africa wild dogs, I strive for movement, abstract emotion, a heartfelt impression and unique expression of my surroundings."
Original artwork by Lin Barrie
Colour is something some artists are wary of using, but you use it with such panache. Do you see the world around you with such vibrancy?
"Whether black and white sketches or full colour paintings, colour is the key to emotion. I guess I do view the world in a certain way, seeing poetry and feeling colour."
I first came across your art when you were painting wild dogs. You must have spent many hours watching and observing their movements and personalities – are wild dogs a particular love of yours?
"Absolutely! These long legged, elegant tri-coloured hunters are poetry in motion. And they are wonderful family animals, caring for each member of the pack alike. A lesson in life and sharing! I am blessed to have had nearly thirty years watching, sketching, following and writing about these charismatic, gentle yet fierce predators."
Tell us a little more about how you came to do wallpapers, what are you expressing?
"My wallpaper range with award-winning Robin Sprong Wallpapers is a continuation of my abstract response to environment, sky, earth, water… timeless themes which translate well–reflecting my mantra “all things connected."
Your favourite materials and why? I believe your father influenced you with the use of a palette?
"Yes! My treasured old palette knife, inherited from my father, is a favourite tool."
Original artwork by Lin Barrie
Another of your talents is your poetry and how you caption your work – often giving a masterpiece the right title is not always easy. Words move easily with you, has this always been the case?
"I love literature, books, film, poetry and writing and always have. Telling stories with my painted landscapes, skyscapes, mind-scapes, my paintings inspire my poetry – and writing poetry inspires my paintings. Sometimes one comes first, sometimes the other. I have also recently contributed poems and paintings to a Zimbabwean women’s anthology of poems called Tesserae which has been published worldwide."
I am aware of you and your partner, Clive Stockil, work amongst the local communities, this is obviously a life-long commitment. Can you tell us a little about it?
"Clive’s true passion for community and wildlife co-existence is an ongoing inspiration for me.
By invitation of Chief Mahenye, Clive, myself and our family have established a home, a small holding (Kaya Nyala) as part of Mahenye Village on the edge of Gonarezhou National Park. This enables us to understand more deeply the community / wildlife challenges that people living on the edges of wilderness areas face, while managing subsistence crops and protecting biodiversity of riverine ecosystems.
We have previously assisted the historical Gaza Cultural Committee and local Chiefs to establish cultural festivals yearly, to celebrate traditional land use within the context of conservation, and to maintain and uplift local community dance, theatre and music.
This has been reinvented to become the Gaza Trust (Centre for Cultural Development Initiatives - CCDI) and are planning a launch “Budula-Corridor Festival in 2025 celebrating ‘active pathways’.
I am truly honoured to have recently been invited to join the board of this exciting and far-reaching project."
Your art has been an important factor of your relationship with the communities around you, influencing them and encouraging them to see and feel nature. Are you mentoring any emerging artists?
"I believe strongly in collaboration. I have worked with local bead workers, basket makers and ceramicists, baobab and fibre weavers, have had fun doing wall murals with village ladies using earth pigments and with emerging wall artists in Harare.
My network of collaborating artists includes a wire/found sculptor, musicians, poets, and fashion designers as well as helping and exhibiting at many multi-layered art performances and exhibitions."
Of course we have to ask you, what advice would you give would-be artists?
"Follow your passion, be prepared for hardship and hard work, there is no ‘quick fix’, but be open to ideas, pick up a pencil or crayon and draw, draw, draw!
Draw from life as much as you possibly can which will influence and free up your creative expression in unexpected ways."
Lin you truly are an inspiration not only to other artists, but to many people who work tirelessly to help conservation. We at Africa Talks have supported your work for a number of years and will be privileged to continue to do so. Thank you for your time with us and patience in answering so many questions.
"Lesley, as you know I am a dedicated conservationist and just knowing my art brings joy as well as a message to everyone, I am doubly rewarded and grateful."
Celebrating Africa’s Spirit Through Every Brushstroke
Lin Barrie’s art captures the vibrant life and deep connections within Africa’s wilderness and communities. Her work not only reflects nature’s beauty but also the powerful bond between people and their environment.
At Africa Talks, we’re proud to support Lin’s inspiring journey and amplify her message of conservation and creativity. Through her paintings, Africa’s stories come alive - and we’re honoured to help share them with the world.
Want to See More of Lin Barrie's Art?
We’ll be sharing more of Lin’s powerful stories, upcoming shows, and conservation collaborations in future features. In the meantime, step into her world of expressive brushwork and raw emotion in the Lin Barrie Art Gallery right here on Africa Talks - where every piece tells a deeper story.
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