August 13, 2026
South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff was extra busy last Friday night, called upon to open the August exhibitions at both the Kingaroy and Wondai regional art galleries.
Good crowds turned out for both opening nights, despite being scheduled within an hour of each other.
At the Kingaroy gallery, works by Sunshine Coast artist Don Milner fill the walls of the main gallery, with a menacing bull the main focal point on the blue feature wall.
Well-known Kingaroy artist Cherry Carroll has works in the front gallery, the largest individual show she has had for some time.
In the back gallery, the results of three “life” weekend workshops are on display.
Models from a Brisbane agency, Elite Modelling, posed for the works which included nudes as well as character studies of a male model, Mischa.
Mischa – and his guitar – travelled up from Brisbane for the opening night, providing a musical accompaniment to the opening.
At the Wondai gallery, artist, sculptor and former movie prop designer Mark Ladyman has works in the main gallery.
Ladyman, who has worked on movies including Pitch Black and The Phantom, won the 2011 Kingaroy Sculpture Competition with his large, black “Stone Face” and was a runner-up in the 2019 competition with a giant white hand.
His Wondai exhibition consists of a retrospective of his 45-year art career, including a series of colourful abstract paintings.
In the verandah gallery, Indigenous artist Toni Phillips-Petersen has a collection of glass art creations, many honouring family members.
Paper tole creator Rosemarie Matthews-Frederick has some of her hand-crafted works in Gallery 3.
After opening night, the Wondai exhibitions will remain on show from 10:00am to 3:00pm daily until August 29.
The Kingaroy exhibitions will be on display until August 28. The gallery is open on weekdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and on weekends from 9:00am to 1:00pm.
Entry to both galleries is free.
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