Lee Porter painting
‘What’s Left Behind?’ is a personal tribute to Anzac Day painted by artist Lee Porter

April 12, 2014

Murgon artist Lee Porter’s moving tribute to Anzac Day, ‘What’s Left Behind’, is the winner of the 2014 South Burnett Regional Council’s Acquisitive Art competition.

The painting shows the personal possessions of World War I diggers left hanging from their knives in the sandbagged walls of their trench after they’d gone “over the top” to an almost certain death.

Lee told southburnett.com.au she immersed herself in history to get the details of the painting, consulting with the Australian War Memorial and numerous books and videos.

She had found the whole process very emotional.

South Burnett Deputy Mayor Keith Campbell presented Lee with a cheque for $1000. Her painting, which was described by the judge as worthy of hanging in any War Memorial in Australia, will now be added to the South Burnett Regional Council’s permanent collection.

The acquisitive winner and runners-up were announced at the Kingaroy Art Gallery’s exhibition opening on Friday night.

This year’s theme was “The Great War 100 Years Ago”, marking the centenary since the first shots were fired in World War I.

Second prize went to Hivesville artist Shannus O’Sullivan for his “Dawn Service”, which depicts an outback scene of local residents saluting a tattered Australian flag.

Kingaroy artist Glady Hood took out third spot with her acrylic “2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance 1st World War”.

Four highly commended certificates were also handed out: Hervey Bay (former Kingaroy) artist Diane Dumschat for “Kangaroo Feathers”, Chloe Patch for “Flowers Of War”, Jadon Patch for “HMAS Australia” and Sue Lederhose (Mundubbera) for “On Guard In France”.

The Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch sponsored a $500 People’s Choice Award. This was won by Diane Dumschat for “Kangaroo Feathers”.

The exhibition will remain on show at the Kingaroy Art Gallery in Haly Street until April 27.

Acquisitive competition winner Lee Porter with her proud mum Gloria Porter, from Buderim

Deputy Mayor Keith Campbell congratulates 3rd placegetter Glady Hood

People’s Choice winner Dianne Dumschat is handed a cheque by Warren Cockburn (RSL)
Goomeri artist and potter Fay Stumm with her installation ‘Containment’, a tribute to four sons from one family who went to war; they were sent to Egypt before seeing active duty … one fought at Gallipoli, and two were wounded

Diane Dumshat with ‘Kangaroo Feathers’ which depicts her grandfather David Graham who fought in the Middle East; he returned home but died in 1933 and is buried at Taabinga

Kevin Owens, from the Geckos Friendly Art Group, with “Anzac Collage”; another member of the group, Glady Hood, took out third prize in the acquisitive
Enjoying the exhibition, from left, Geoff Aird, Heather Anderson and Hilda Woodall, from Kingaroy; Cr Keith Campbell, Cr Ros Heit, art gallery volunteer Wayne Brown and Moira Reilly, Kingaroy; Coralie Rivas, Kingaroy; Wilsie Harrison, Nanango; Pat Clark, Nanango; and Glady Hood, Kingaroy