March 3, 2026
Nanango artist Ina Patterson believes in “paying it forward”, and that’s exactly what she will be doing at her March exhibition at Wondai Regional Art Gallery.
Ina admits she became overwhelmed with sadness after her sister Lyn died of cancer in 2023, followed not long afterwards by Lyn’s husband Eddie.
(The couple was well-known in the South Burnett for their role in the Barkers Creek Bush Band.)
Ina had been painting for 47 years but just didn’t feel like it any more.
Then Wondai Regional Art Gallery president Elaine Madill called …
“Elaine rang me last year and said we have the third gallery available in March and I know you have a lot of art work at home,” Ina recalled.
“So I started to paint again in October last year. I painted my favourite things to record what made me happy.”
The result is Ina’s exhibition in Gallery 3 which will be officially opened on Friday night – along with exhibitions by award-winning artists Barbara and Les Stewart in the front gallery and photographer John Dalton in the main space.
Ina will have 26 paintings for sale … but she and the gallery won’t be receiving one cent.
She will be “paying it forward”.
The concept is unique. Buyers will decide what they want to pay, and then donate that amount to an organisation of their choice.
It could be their child’s sporting club, a charity or simply buying someone a meal.
“I am indebted to Elaine for bringing me out of my sadness and giving me a purpose,” Ina said.
“I have got my reward. I was pulled out of the fog, out of my sadness to paint again and now it’s my turn to pay it forward.
“The idea is simple. You do a good deed for someone in the hope that they do a good deed for someone else, causing a ripple effect which reaches many people.
“I want to inject positivity into the community which will tip the balance in favour of kindness and compassion, the reverse of hatred and hostility to each other.
“To quote Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, ‘From little things, big things grow …’.”
The three exhibitions will be officially opened at 6:00pm on Friday (March 6) at the gallery; the $5 entry includes hot and cold supper and punch. Wine will be available to buy.
The exhibitions will remain open until 3:00pm on March 28.
Wondai Regional Art Gallery is open from 10:00am to 3:00pm, seven days a week. Entry is free after opening night.
