Celrbrity Guests Visit Spirit of the Jaguar Exhibition

In June 2019 Pollyanna’s daughter and business partner Anna-Louise opened the doors to Pollyanna’s private gallery in Derbyshire for the first exhibition of her work since her unexpected passing last year.

“I was very apprehensive” Anna-Louise commented “but we were absolutely overwhelmed by the response. The event was extraordinarily well attended and there was such a positive and uplifting atmosphere in the gallery. The worst thing would be for Pollyanna’s artwork to sit in plan chests gathering dust – she wanted people to be able to see it, enjoy it and live with her paintings in their homes. And most importantly her beautiful work will continue to raise funds for the wildlife she so loved”.

On the morning of the private viewing Anna-Louise was a guest on the BBC Radio Derby breakfast show speaking about the expedition to Brazil which inspired the paintings in the exhibition and about the fundraising work of the Pollyanna Pickering Foundation.

Anna-Louise was delighted to welcome Born Free Founder Virginia McKenna OBE (above left) on a private visit to the exhibition – along with actor and conservationist Dan Richardson (above centre) – one of Pollyanna’s fellow patrons of The Born Free Foundation. Following his visit Dan said “I strongly recommend a visit to the gallery. It is easy to get lost in the sheer depth, beauty and mystery of Pollyanna’s extraordinary world-renowned art”.

Among the other familiar faces to be spotted among the visitors to the exhibition were actor John Altman – best known as Eastender’s ‘Nasty’ Nick Cotton – and former Dr Who actor Colin Baker who made a 450 mile round trip from his Somerset home to purchase one of Pollyanna’s spectacular original paintings of a jaguar. The next exhibition in the private gallery will be staged in November featuring Pollyanna’s paintings of British Wildlife – many of which have never been previously exhibited.