Garden Art Blooms Again

Simon Algra and Julie Tomlinson admired Wilkesdale artist Tony Adams’ “Apostle Birds”, which won 2nd prize in this year’s Garden Art competition

April 26, 2022

The pandemic definitely pummelled Wondai’s garden art exhibition around for the past two years, but didn’t knock it out.

The 2022 Wondai Garden Expo Art Competition – currently on show at the Wondai Art Gallery – roared back to normal size with three full galleries of artworks and a crowd at the opening night.

The annual Garden Expo Art Competition is sponsored by the Wondai Garden Expo Committee.

It offers $1000 in cash prizes – $900 for adults and a $100 prize pool for three children’s age categories, along with art materials for pre-school entrants.

The competition’s main criteria is that works need to reflect some aspect of gardening in the South Burnett, and it’s always a very popular event.

Gallery curator Elaine Madill said she was very impressed with the entries in this year’s competition, and congratulated all the artists who entered.

This year’s judging was carried out by Mundubbera artist Sue Lederhose.

She said the vast range of styles and media made judging quite difficult, and congratulated both the Gallery and the artists who had entered.

Fans of floral art have just a week left to view this year’s entries, which cover everything from acrylics to oils, watercolours to charcoals, and sculptures to pottery.

This year’s Garden Art exhibition will be taken down at the end of April so the Gallery’s next monthly exhibition can be hung ahead of its official opening on Friday, May 6.

Gallery patron Ros Heit said she was impressed with the high standard of works in this year’s competition

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Artist Robyn Dower was highly commended for her sculpture “Barbed Nest”, which curator Elaine Madill said she plans to purchase

One sad note on opening night was that long-time Gallery supporters Judy and Bernie Cooper from Cranes Winery – who were providing the night’s wine tastings – bid farewell to the Gallery … the couple announced they will be retiring shortly and moving to Toowoomba, and their property’s new owners do not intend to continue running it as a winery

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2022 Wondai Garden Expo Art Competition Winners

Adults (18 Years & Over)

1st – Colleen Helmore with “Azalea Aura”
Judge’s comments: A beautifully soft and emotive art piece, full of a wide range of values and lost and found edges with a dramatic use of colours.

2nd – Tony Adams with “Apostle Bird”
Judge’s comments: An eye-catching piece using range of whites and blacks to create movement and drama. A great use of positive and negative space and a hint of colour for the focal area.