Rosselli was born in Johannesburg. She initially studied art at the Johannesburg Technical College then continued her studies at St Martins School of Art in London.

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Masvingo in Zimbabwe became her new home from 1957 with husband Robin. It was here that the life, landscape and climate inspired her to portray nature scenes in a warm colour pallet. The Baobab paintings/prints showcase this inspiration as the baobab is the African tree of life and stabilizes the identity of the artist.

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Rosselli returned to South Africa in 2003 and settled in a small seaside village near Cape Point. Throughout Rosselli’s career, her natural surroundings have had a great influence on her subject matter as well as style. With her relocation to the Western Cape, seagulls and Arum lilies formed part of her identity, portrayed in a much cooler and cold colour pallet of blues. Rosselli claims with this relocation to the Cape she has become part of a more general art environment and will continue drawing and painting. She is currently experimenting with portraits.

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Oil paint and drawing (graphite and charcoal) are mediums Rosselli has mastered over the years - her oil paintings on canvas place focus on nature including trees, flowers and birdlife. With Rosselli’s drawings, the subject matter is figurative and she specialises in smaller nude drawings.

 

Awards
Rosselli has received several awards from the Zimbabwe National Gallery including certificates of excellence, and awards of both merit and distinction for works displayed there. Wendy Rosselli has been included in the prestigious Merchant Bank of Central Africa’s -  Decade of award winners: Zimbabwe Heritage 1986-1996 Contemporary Visual Arts.

 

Exhibitions include
Regularly exhibiting in the annual Heritage exhibition at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe during the 1960s throughout to the 90s.

 

Permanent and private collections that feature Wendy Rosselli’s work ;
National Gallery in Harare
National Gallery in Bulawayo
Mobile Permanent Collection
Pietersburg Gallery in South Africa