October 5, 2017
A crowd of more than 70 packed the Wondai Regional Art Gallery on Friday night to help launch this year’s South Burnett and Cherbourg On Show Festival.
The featured exhibition was the annual South Burnett Art Competition, which has become the traditional curtain-raiser for the October long weekend.
The Art Competition is only open to South Burnett and Cherbourg artists.
This year it increased the total prize monies on offer from $6700 to $8000 thanks to the help of extra sponsors who have come on board during the past year.
The region’s artists responded in kind, swamping every inch of the Gallery with a record 191 pieces of art, ranging from oils, acrylics, pen and ink and pastels through to watercolours, photography, sculptures and ceramics.
The exhibition’s major sponsor – the South Burnett Regional Council – was represented at the opening by Mayor Keith Campbell.
Mayor Campbell said he was very impressed with the variety and quality of the works on display, and congratulated all the artists.
This year Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray sent his apologies, and the Welcome To Country was performed by Indigenous artist Les Stewart.
Artworks in this year’s exhibition were judged by Leanne Kelly, curator of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s art galleries. Photographic entries were judged by award-winning South Burnett photographer Max Walters.
Both judges put in a full day examining the entries, and made extensive notes about the winning items (full results, below).
The major winner of the night – a $3000 prize awarded to the best submitted work across all categories – went to Hivesville artist Shannus O’Sullivan for his painting ‘Crossroads’, which the judge described as “profoundly moving”.
The painting will now be added to the South Burnett’s permanent collection.
Guests at Friday night’s opening could also browse a second exhibition in the Gallery’s Studio.
“Faces Of The South Burnett” is a photographic exhibition put together by the Barambah branch of the Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network in conjunction with ABC Wide Bay and the South Burnett Regional Council’s RADF fund.
Last year RADF helped fund a series of photography workshops, and the photographic exhibition was the result.
As the name suggests, it is an exhibition of portraits of South Burnett residents shot by workshop participants, and it drew many favourable comments on the night.
- The 2017 South Burnett Art Competition will remain on show at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily until the end of October. Admission to view the exhibition is free.
 |
 |
* * *
2017 South Burnett Art Competition Results
Acquisitive (Open) – $3000
Sponsor: South Burnett Regional Council
- Shannus O’Sullivan – “Crossroads”
Section 1A: Oils and Acrylics
Sponsor: Ken Mills Toyota and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Marion King – “Becoming Lake Eyre”
- 2nd: Samantha Nolan – “The Scrub Path”
- Highly Commended: Lee Porter – “That’s Life”
- Commended: Maureen Meggitt-Lorne – “The Choristers”
Section 1B: Watercolour
Sponsor: Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Elizabeth Greensill – “Night Magic (Pink Orchids)”
- 2nd: Joy Carter – “The Gift”
- Highly Commended: Suzi Wells – “Hope”
- Commended: Heaven Leigh-Porter – “Aurora Rose”
Section 1C: Pastels
Sponsor: Member For Flynn Ken O’Dowd and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Karol Oakley – “The Pearlshell Road”
- 2nd: Lyn Felsman – “Barry”
- Highly Commended – Joanne Tollefson – “Is It Dad?”
- Commended: Helen Blythman – “Azalea”
Section 1D: Any Other Medium
Sponsor: Wondai Lions Club and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Sharnae Birkett – “I Love A Sunburnt Country”
- 2nd: Patricia van Kempen – “Flowers In Large Pot 1”
- Highly Commended: Robyn Dower – “Brazen”
- Commended: Rosemarie Matthews-Frederick – “Horse’s Head”
Section 2: Photography (Open)
Sponsor: Bendigo Bank and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Cartia Longden – “Foggy Kingaroy Morning”
- 2nd: Sharron McDonald – “Watching You”
- Highly Commended: Heather Stanton – “Sunset In Paradise”
- Commended: Fayanne Gibson – “Capture The Moment – Light As A Feather”
Section 3: Sculpture and Ceramics (Open)
Sponsor: Wondai Country Markets and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Robyn Dower – “Slim Pickings”
- 2nd: Lisa Head – “Rustic Chair”
- Highly Commended: Grant Meirs – “Black Dog Of Depression”
- Commended: Maureen Addenbrooke – “Hello From Wondai”
Section 4: Indigenous Art (Open)
Sponsor: Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council and South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Les Stewart – “Maminya”
- 2nd: Anthony Donas – “Brolga”
- Highly Commended: Kane Brunjes – “Untitled”
- Commended: Anthony Donas – “Dancers”
Section 5: Children’s Art
Sponsor: South Burnett Regional Council
Prep To Year 3:
- 1st: Chloe Blinco – “Skater Girl”
- 2nd: Darren Andersen – “L.A. Beach”
- Highly Commended: Lilly Stumer – “Cheeky Horse”
- Commended: Charlotte McDonald – “My Family Skipping In The Rain:
Years 4-7:
- 1st: Roman Leather – “Self Portrait”
- 2nd: Ryan Labuschewski – “International Tractor”
- Highly Commended: Emily Cavanagh – “Cloud”
- Commended: Catherine Jones – “3D Cubes”
- Special Mention: Harrison Neal – “Landscape”
Years 8-12:
- 1st: Beau Kanay – “Microcosm”
- 2nd: Fletcher Brown – “Picasso”
- Highly Commended: Kathleen Gogerly – “Hervey Bay”
- Commended: Rahni Lucas – “Still Life”
- Special Mention: Layla Longden-Meagher – “Self Destructive”
Children’s Photography
Sponsor: South Burnett Regional Council
- 1st: Romano Ricketts – “Lighthouse Halo”
- 2nd: Romano Ricketts – “Doggie Love”
