Farming Heartache Wins Top Prize

Wondai Regional Art Gallery patron Cr Ros Heit and curator Elaine Madill admire this year’s South Burnett Open Art Competition winner ‘Imprisoned Farmer’ by artist Darryl Jones

October 29, 2018

A painting depicting the struggles of farmers battling drought, poor roads, rates and red tape has won this year’s South Burnett Open Art Competition.

The winning entry was announced at the exhibition’s opening night on October 5, and has been acquired by the South Burnett Regional Council to add to the region’s permanent art collection.

Mayor Keith Campbell, who performed the official opening, said he was impressed by the breadth and depth of talent on show, and congratulated all the artists who took part.

He also congratulated the Gallery’s volunteers for the hard work they put into organising the competition, which has run every year since 2007.

This year the competition was expanded from showcasing only the works of South Burnett artists to works created by Australian artists, and entries filled the walls of all three galleries.

All entries were judged by Brian Tucker, a Brisbane-based art lover who had an exhibition of selected works from his own private collection at the Gallery in June.

Entrants were invited to submit artworks executed in oils and acrylics, watercolours, pastels and any other medium.

There were also separate categories for photography, sculpture and ceramics, Indigenous Art and several sections for children’s art.

The winning entry was chosen from all the entries submitted.

The competition offered $8450 in cash prizes, including a new Children’s category for art based on Australian poetry, sponsored by Hivesville artist Shannus O’Sullivan.

Other sponsors included the South Burnett Regional Council, Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd, the Wondai Lions Club, Bendigo Bank, the Wondai Regional Art Gallery and the Wondai Country Markets.

Gallery curator Elaine Madill also congratulated the artists taking part in this year’s competition, and said she expected more artists from outside the region will take in future years as word about it spread.

This exposure to non-regional artists would only help to broaden and deepen the skills of local artists, she said.

Minnie, and Cherry Martoo and their mum Bronywn all submitted works in this year’s competition

Master pastellist Karol Oakley with her painting ‘Rhythm Of Life’, which was exhibited in the United States last year … Karol will soon be going overseas to France for a painting tour

Artists Suzanne Flintham, Dot Rowland and Sandy Hoffmann caught up at the exhibition’s opening night

Thelma Archibald, Meg Hansen, Heather Stanton, Sharron McDonald, Dot Rowland and Suzanne Flintham all won prizes in this year’s competition

Shaz Birkett from CROW-FM admired Alice McLaughlin’s acrylic work ‘My Country’

*** * ***

2018 Open Art Competition Winners

$3000 South Burnett Regional Council Acquisitive

First prize – ‘Imprisoned Farmer’ by Darryl Jones

Section 1: Oils Or Acrylics

First prize ($500) – ‘Boulder Break’ by Keith Blake
Second prize ($200) – ‘Lushness of Epiphytes’ by Maggie Spenceley
Highly Commended – ‘Red’ by Robyn Dower

Section 1: Watercolours

First prize ($500) – ‘Morning At Mt Coot-tha’ by Jason Skewes
Second prize ($200) – ‘Venice’ by Thelma Archibald

Section 1: Pastels

First prize ($500) – ‘Unsure – Study 3’ by Carmel Birchley
Second prize ($200) – ‘Is It Dad?’ by Joanne Tollefson
Highly Commended – ‘Life Of Brian’ by Lyn Felsman

Section 1: Any Other Medium

First prize ($500) – ‘Farmyard Chook Scene’ by Heather Brainwood
Second prize ($200) – ‘Come Dance With Me’ by Dot Rowland

Section 2: Photography

First prize ($500) – ‘Forgotten’ by Sharron McDonald
Second prize ($200) – ‘Sunset At BP Dam’ by Heather Stanton

Section 3: Sculpture And Ceramics

First prize ($500) – ‘Grand Old Lady’ by Suzanne Flintham
Second prize ($200) – ‘Shell We Have Tea At The Beach’ by Carol Forster
Highly Commended – ‘Old Yeller’ by Robyn Dower

Section 3: Indigenous Art

First prize ($500) – ‘Sand’ by Meg Hansen
Second prize ($200) – ‘Echidna Feasting’ by Maurice Mickelo

Section 4: Children’s Art 4-6 Years

First prize ($30 Bendigo Bank passbook) – ‘Outer Space’ by Heather Delahoy
Second prize ($15 Bendigo Bank passbook) – ‘Me and My Shadow’ by Mya Maniju

Section 4: Children’s Art 7-11 Years

First prize ($30 Bendigo Bank passbook) – ‘Stormy Night’ by Addison Cooke
Second prize ($15 Bendigo Bank passbook) – ‘You Can Do Gymnastics’ by Lucy Hobbs

Section 4: Children’s Art 12-15 Years

First prize ($30) – ‘Concealed Peaks’ by Hannah Woodward-White
Second prize ($15) – ‘Isla Sorna’ by Brandon Lohse

Section 6: Children’s Open Age Photography

First prize 12-18 Years ($30) – ‘The Sunset Group’ by Holly Stephen
Second prize 12-18 Years ($15) – ‘Sleeping Giant And Grain Of Timber’ by Grace Berry

Australian Poetry Theme Art Competition

Ages 12-15 Years