February 29, 2016
A portrait of Lady Bjelke-Petersen is now adorning the entrance foyer of the recently renamed private hospital in Kingaroy.
Tingoora resident Elaine Madill has loaned the South Burnett Regional Council the portrait of Lady Flo which now has pride of place welcoming all visitors.
The portrait was painted by Brisbane artist Jan Lewis.
Jan – who paints under the signature “Jane Stewart” – is an old friend of Wondai Art Gallery curator Elaine Madill and is the mother of Olympic swimmer Hayley Lewis.
Over the years, Jan and her husband Greg have regularly stayed with Elaine and supported the Wondai Gallery.
A couple of years ago, Jan asked Elaine to arrange a sitting with Lady Flo at Bethany. The portrait is the result.
Jan decided the painting belonged in the South Burnett, so she gave it to Elaine on a permanent loan three years ago. Elaine, in turn, loaned it to the gallery to become part of its acquisitive art collection.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said he knew the painting was hanging in the Wondai Gallery, so when the hospital was renamed after Lady Bjelke-Petersen, it seemed to be the perfect fit to have her painting in the foyer.
“Elaine felt it was quite appropriate,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
