[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_image=”https://www.heathervanbuuren.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/msasa-tpestry-for-web.jpg” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”0px|0|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”slant2″ top_divider_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” top_divider_height=”58px” bottom_divider_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.33)” bottom_divider_height=”500px” locked=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_code _builder_version=”3.17.6″ custom_padding=”300px||300px”][/et_pb_fullwidth_code][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.17.6″ custom_padding=”0px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” height=”60px” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ header_font=”Cormorant Garamond||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”50px” header_3_font=”|||on|||||” header_3_text_color=”#c1c1c1″ header_3_font_size=”23px”]
Heather van Buuren
Watercolours
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ text_font=”Cormorant Garamond||||||||” text_font_size=”18px”]I have lived all my life in Zimbabwe.
My parents emigrated from Suffolk, UK to Rhodesia in 1927. My father was a farmer on Harleigh Farm in the Makoni district and I was born here in 1932. Farming required clearing the land and stumping out trees – how that hurt my sister and I. We would sit in the branches and cry as we fondled the cool soft leaves as the sap leaked out. I think we also wondered what the birds would do without them to live in. The trees were mostly “msasa’ – a gentle tree that sheds its leaves at the end of winter when the August winds blow. But then in spring out pop new leaves so soft and feather-like in a kaleidoscope of colours – mostly differing hues of red, some orangey and some a khaki shade of yellow. Then they turn apple green, a shade so beautiful one could just drink it!
I went to boarding school, under protest, in the nearby village of Rusape and then sent further afield to the Convent in Salisbury. I missed home terribly. Many a time, as a young girl, I would hide in the stables with my beloved Basuto pony come the time to return to school. I was then shipped off to Groote Schuur in Cape Town to train as a nurse. On my days off, I would stand, alone, at Rhodes Memorial and gaze longingly north – how I yearned for my homeland. So much so that I eventually persuaded my rather stubborn Pa to allow me to return and complete my training at the Salisbury Central.
I met a handsome young farmer. We were soon married. Again I wept over the trees as we cleared the virgin bush on a farm we bought near the Mozambique border. We had three beautiful daughters.
It was only many years later, when in my mid-sixties and my girls had left the nest, that I picked up a brush and, self-taught, headed off into the bush to sketch and paint. My daughters are my best encouragers, and although each of them and their families live far away, they understand why I love the land of my birth. And so here I am still in Rusape, at Resthaven, amongst fellow pensioners who all face the plight of trying doggedly to make the best out of this difficult life in Zimbabwe.
I am, and always have been, an ardent believer – seeing the magnificence of God in all that surrounds me. I give Him the glory for each work I create![/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.heathervanbuuren.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Logo-for-web-header.jpg” align=”right” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ max_width=”50%” module_alignment=”right” filter_opacity=”30%”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|||” custom_margin=”0px|||” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|||” custom_margin=”0px|||” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ module_alignment=”center”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.heathervanbuuren.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/msasatapestry-tumbnail.jpg” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.heathervanbuuren.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/3020-Chipembere.jpg” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.heathervanbuuren.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2071-The-rough-with-the-smooth.jpg” _builder_version=”3.17.6″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]