On June 23, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden held a special dinner to honor international acclaimed Zimbabwean stone sculptor, Dominic Benhura. He was in Dallas as part of its Summer of Sculpture exhibit, ZimSculpt.

Known as one of the leading Zimbabwean stone sculptors, Benhura has been sculpting since he was a young boy, learning the skill from his cousin, master sculptor Tapfuman Gutsa. Benhura sold his first piece when he was 12 years old. When he became a father, Benhura began sculpting mothers and children interacting, and these are some of his more popular pieces. He said, “These pieces don’t have faces, so they can be from any culture.”

ZimSculpt features the talent of several contemporary Zimbabwean artists with more than 100 hand-selected, exquisite sculptures artfully displayed throughout the garden. These contemporary pieces, created by the Shona people of Zimbabwe, are carved from various types of serpentine and semi-precious stone, often weighing tons, and can be as large as seven feet tall. ZimSculpt runs through August 8.

ZimSculpt is supported in part by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, The Dallas Mavericks and Texas Telecom Credit Union.

Tickets must be pre-purchased online or by calling 214-515-6615. Wearing a face covering is required for all guests 5 years of age while visiting the Dallas Arboretum, unless medically unable to do so.

About the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden:

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218.  The Dallas Arboretum is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for children 2-12 and free for Arboretum members and children under two. There is an additional cost of $3 per person for entrance into the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. On-site parking is $15; pre-purchased online parking is $10. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum.  The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.  WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum. For more information, call 214.515.6500 or visitwww.dallasarboretum.org.