Henry and I met “Rosie” at the tiny airport in Port Lincoln, South Australia, when she approached to ask if I was a “Ziegler”. She was there to collect us and deliver us to the Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safari camp, Kangaluna, warning us that we had a long drive ahead of us. The time on the road gave Rosie a chance to begin educating us about the landscape and the wildlife that we were seeing on the drive. It gave us a chance to realize the luck we had in her as our guide, and to begin to learn about her life, her art and her uniqueness. Born  and educated in England, Rosie moved to Uganda when she was in her early 20’s to be with her parents, who were living and working there. Her father is a veterinarian who specializes in the re-habitation of endangered animals. Both her parents were also involved in Falconry. Henry and I were fascinated that she had lived in Uganda during Idi Amin’s dictatorship; and, she told us she had danced with him at a party. When asked about the movie, The Last King of Scotland, she said that Amin was well portrayed, however, he wasn’t as jovial as the movie presented him to be; and, yes, people disappeared if they expressed any negativity about him. Her life has been very interesting. She learned her skills through art studies and was encouraged by several well-known wildlife artists. Her mother had a gallery in Africa. Rosemary eventually made a life for herself in Adelaide with her husband. Her son is a stage director, living in Melbourne. A few years ago, the artist in her yearned for more freedom and nature, and she left her husband and Adelaide for a life on her own in “The Bush”. Living in a small inland community near the Gawler Ranges, Rosemary has been able to fulfill her dream of being close to nature. She guides small, personal tours of the area, spending hours and days behind the wheel of a 4 Wheel Drive, negotiating challenging terrain, yet being inspired by all that she sees. At camp she builds sculpture, paints, prepares delicious meals, organizes the campers, and makes it all work. Her guidance in the bush is filled with expertise and deep knowledge about the animals and the geology and history of the land. Her kindness shows in the consideration she has given the wildlife. Because it was her idea to bring a ceramic trough to the camp, kangaroos show up within  the camera’s range to drink water. The birds come as well to ceramic water saucers she has hung in the trees. Without Rosie’s trained eye and aesthetic, the camp would be neither as beautiful nor as comfortable. All the touches of beauty and comfort are from her hand. The silkscreened pillows, bedspreads, hot water bottle covers and tee shirts are all hers. The beds, and tables were constructed by Rosie and belong to her. The colors and details have the refinement of an artist and a naturalist, keeping to the indigenous Australian sensibility and the soft colors of the environment. Rosie is a very talented, kind, intelligent, personable, and sensitive woman who has definitely found her niche. Her latest achievement has been the publication of a stunning book which she co-authored and illustrated. The paintings in the book required eight years of work to complete. Chicago University Press has published this title, available through Amazon.com. The book: A Fragile Balance, The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials by Christopher Dickman and Rosemary Woodford Ganf.

PHOTOS:  by permission of the Artist./All are DETAILS of the actual works of art.

Left Column: Top: Common Bushtail Possum Middle: Tree Kangaroo  Bottom: Quoll. Center Column: Top: Tasmanian Devil. Middle: Mouse. Bottom: Rosemary Woodford Ganf. Right Column: Top: Gray Kangaroo Middle: Red Kangaroo. Bottom: Sugar Glider

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                            BACK TO MAP PAGE