Russell Crowe finds love with Kiwi artist – report

Russell Crowe has been romantically linked to this Kiwi artist. / Getty Images and Facebook

Expat Kiwi Russell Crowe is reportedly romantically linked with New Zealand-born artist Gabrielle Pool, according to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

The 52-year-old Oscar-winning actor, who was born in New Zealand also, is so taken by the painter he’s “building her an artist’s studio at his Nana Glen retreat” in rural New South Wales, sources told the paper.

Pool denied the romance, but told the Telegraph she had a personal connection to the father-of-two.

“I’m in Coffs Harbour on a private residency working on a series of inks and oil painting inspired by the local coast,” she said.

“I do know some locals, among them good friend Chelsea Crowe, Russell’s niece.”

Crowe was previously married to Australian singer Danielle Spencer, but they split after nine years. They have two sons, Charles and Tennyson.

Russell Crowe with his ex-wife Danielle Spencer in 2011. / Getty Images
Kiwi-born Pool has been exhibiting since 1993, her eponymous website says. Her paintings - mixed media works -have been exhibited in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, the U.S., the U.K., Greece and the Bahamas.

She describes her work as “been driven by a desire to preserve and record the history of ancient people and their environments, in a world that seems to be trying its very best to eradicate them and 'civilise’ them.”

In 2005, Gabrielle was invited by Nelson Mandela to collaborate on the Unity Series in Africa, alongside 20 other leading international artists depicting five phases of Mandela’s life, which were launched at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

Two years later, TVNZ ran an hour-long documentary on Pool, while National Geographic wrote a feature article on her.