October 5, 2012
It was a surprise that Alison Iszlaub didn’t see coming when she turned up to support the annual SBRC Art Competition at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery.
After the awards were handed out this evening, and the artists thanked, Mayor Wayne Kratzmann took the microphone and started talking …
He spoke of a woman who wouldn’t take no for an answer, a woman who had a belief in her community, a woman who “drove everybody nuts” at the Council office as she pursued her “wonderful vision” .
That woman is Alison Iszlaub and it was her vision back in the 1990s that made the Wondai Art Gallery a reality.
“For 15 years she had stood in the shadow of a great man, one of the great statesmen of all time in Local Government, (former Wondai mayor) Percy Iszlaub,” Cr Kratzmann said.
“But Alison had her own vision … just because we live in a little town doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to have something special.”
It was at a time when councils focussed on roads, rates and rubbish. Art just wasn’t a part of this equation.
Cr Kratzmann said it was Alison’s vision, belief in the community and desire to do good things for other people that had made the Wondai Art Gallery a reality.
And for this reason, he said, the main gallery “from tonight will be always known as the Alison Iszlaub Gallery”.
Alison said she was “flummoxed” by the surprise and quite thrilled to see the way the gallery had blossomed over the years.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
* * *
South Burnett Regional Art Competition Winners
($100 cheques were presented to the winners of each category, and $50 cheques to the runners-up. Sue Lederhose, from Mundubbera, was the judge).
Sculpture & Ceramics
1. Linda Staines, for “Sleeping”
2. Julia Shaw
Highly commended: Margariet Laughton and Robyn Dower
Photography
1. Ivor Dimmock. for “Winter Sun – Tingoora”
2. Howard Jack
Highly commended: Howard Jack and Trish Erkins
Any Other Medium
1. Rosemarie Matthews-Frederick, for “Australia Coral Reef”
2. Rosemarie Matthews-Frederick
Highly commended: Betty Descovich
Pastel & Charcoal
1. Marjie Zimmermann, for “Paige”
2. Peter Murphy
Highly commended: Fay Brown
Oils & Acrylics
1. Deidre Amos, for “Steve Essex”
2. Jo O’Brien-Welch
Highly commended: Jo O’Brien-Welch
Watercolours
1. Joy Carter, for “Abutilon Chinese Lantern”
2. Deidre Amos
Highly commended: Ursula Mackay and Robyn Dower
People’s Choice
Jo O’Brien-Welch, for “Sunrise”
Junior Awards
Prep – Year 3
1. Jasmine Rockemer
2. Jeremy Hobbs
Highly commended: Lucy Hobbs
Years 4-7
1. Jessica Beddows
2. Eleanor Nicholson
Highly commended: Melody Myers
Years 8-12
1. Olivia Nicholson
Highly commended: Olivia Nicholson
