Tony Rumball - selected large paintings

For the month of October Zimmerman Art Gallery is pleased to present a selection of seven large oil paintings on canvas by Tony Rumball.

The inspirations behind Rumball’s paintings range from recollections of life as a dairy farmer in rural Taranaki, to sights and scenes encountered on his travels in Europe.

“Brushes with Bulls” brings together two of Rumball’s enduring interests: animals and art. While dairy farming and painting are two very different careers, Rumball has embraced both with vigour and good-humour; his own “brushes with bulls” perhaps prompting this playful work.

Away from the farm and on sojourns overseas, Rumball has seized the opportunity to see many works by internationally acclaimed artists. Rumball’s painting “Bathing After Hockney” is inspired by a famous work by British pop artist David Hockney titled “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)”. In Rumball’s rendition a third figure stands poolside – Rumball has painted himself into the famous scene, diligently keeping watch as the lifeguard.

Other works in this month’s exhibition are inspired by Rumball’s rambles through the European countryside.

The artist “can’t stop drawing” while travelling, and on returning home his notebook is a rich source of subject material for a number of paintings. Among the works inspired by such trips are “In Europe” and Rumball’s recollections of a bleak and blustery day “Off Cornwall”.

Exhibition runs until Sunday 30 October 2022