"'Ithemba'—the Zulu word for Hope" Painting

Paula Wiegmink is a multi-award-winning artist and dedicated conservation advocate whose work bridges the gap between the natural world and fine art. Born in Zimbabwe and now based in the coastal town of Dunsborough, Western Australia, Wiegmink’s artistic foundation was laid during a childhood spent on an African farm. Her early years were defined by hours spent observing wildlife from the rafters of animal enclosures—a deep-seated curiosity that remains the heartbeat of her work today. Before fully committing to the visual arts, Wiegmink enjoyed a distinguished 25-year career in classical ballet. A former dancer with the Rhodesian National Ballet, she became a respected RAD teacher and adjudicator across South Africa and Botswana. This discipline and sense of movement eventually transitioned from the stage to the canvas when she relocated to Australia in 1994. Under the mentorship of the late Carl Sdoya, she mastered oil painting and palette knife techniques, later serving as President of the Alfred Cove Art Society, Perth, Western Australia. Wiegmink is perhaps best known for her "Tears of the Rhino," a painting that has become a global symbol for endangered species. The work served as the emblem for the ‘SAY NO’ awareness campaign, garnering signatures from luminaries such as Dr. Jane Goodall, Sir David Attenborough, and Brian May. In 2025, her advocacy expanded to include a global campaign against vivisection, supported by Ricky Gervais. Her legacy reached new heights—literally—in 2025, when "Tears of the Rhino" was launched to the moon as part of the NASA Lunar Codex. In 2027, her featured episode of the documentary series Put Some Colour in Your Life is scheduled to follow on a SpaceX mission to the lunar surface. Wiegmink’s work is held in private and corporate collections across five continents. By skilfully blending still life with wildlife, she continues to challenge audiences to reflect on the beauty and fragility of our planet.