Artists
Over the coming months, we will be highlighting our local artists. We are so fortunate to have an abundance of talented artists in the Gayndah district, so it is high time that we shared them with you!
As we add to the list, we will establish a directory, so if you are looking for a workshop, to commission a special painting or to purchase a unique piece of art for you or someone close to you, look no further.
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Zarabella Bambling
“Zarabella in the foyer of Gayndah Art Gallery during her first solo exhibition”
Growing up 40km outside Gayndah on a cattle station, Penwhaupell, in the North Burnett Shire, Zarabella studied art at Fairholme College in Toowoomba, winning the Most Promising Young Artist award in 2019.
Zara painted her way through Uni and graduated in 2024 from the University of New England with a Bachelor of Media and Communications. She was also the JCR Social Club president of St Alberts College Armidale; the first female in 20 years to be voted into this position which caused quite a stir!
Zara has fully embraced her passion, creating original Australian art that captures the beauty and vibrancy of country life.
Beyond her art, Zarabella loves living and working in her Maranoa rural community. Currently, on Tuesdays, she works for the Maranoa Shire Council, writing up the Roma sales report, and on Mondays, penning cattle at Roma, the biggest sale yards in the southern hemisphere. She also takes the time to occasionally help out with mustering at home with her Dad on Penwhaupell.
After 12 months of full-time work for the Maranoa Shire council in the Media department, Zara made the decision to become a full-time artist in July this year. Her life in rural Queensland brings her a lot of joy and reinforces her commitment to supporting rural communities. To date, Zara has raised more than $15,000 for charities such as RFDS, Farm Angels, Western QLD Floods, Roma Hospital Auxiliary, Laughlin Hughes Foundation at the Roma Young Beef Producers, Active Farmers, local rugby clubs, Cancer Research and Mt ISA Country Women's Association.
Zara said: "I love being able to give back to these rural communities who support me, so I can live my dream of being an artist. I have such gratitude for all my supporters and particularly my family".
At the Opening of her first solo exhibition, at Gayndah Art Gallery, Zara gave the following speech:
“This exhibition is an ode to the bush and its people, and you will find many of the artworks, and the titles themselves, are nods to bush poems, classic Australian films and good sayings.
Painting brings me so much joy, and it is my hope that my artworks will serve as a joyful reminder wherever they may hang.
A massive thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who keep this gallery going, your support and guidance has been outstanding, and I’ve learnt a lot in this process.
Much of my inspiration comes from Penwhaupell, the property where I grew up just 40km outside of town. From a young age mum and dad encouraged us kids to be creative and have put up with me getting paint and pencil on just about all the furniture, sorry mum!
And of course there is my beautiful late grandmother, Paddy who many of you know was an amazing artist and potter. Not only do I paint like her, but I’ve always been told we look just the same.
To the rest of the family, I thank you for your support and for being my toughest art critics.
There is one more person I would like to thank and that is my good friend and landlord Georgia. When I came home from work one day and told Georgia I wanted to quit my job to go full time with my art, she was the first to say go for it. Not everyone would let you start a business in their garage and allow me to use the house as a gallery space. Thank you so much.
Not many people can say they are doing their dream job at 23, and this is possible because of you all, everyone who has purchased an artwork, shared a post, followed my Instagram or come to my very first solo exhibition opening here today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please enjoy the art.”
Her exhibition “Romancing the Land” is, as Zara said, an ode to the bush and its people. From sweeping mountain ranges to tough stock horses, this is a colourful collection of artworks that do indeed romanticise the bush.
Working predominantly in acrylics, Zarabella is a self-taught artist who uses “pops” of colour to reflect the beauty and vibrancy of rural life.
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However, Zara doesn’t limit herself to rural scenes. Among her still life creations, the colourful prawn collection has been snapped up, individually and as a collection, by everyone from friends (and the author of this piece!), shop owners and cafes to interior designers. Likewise, her brightly coloured fish, adorable rabbit with red shoes, washing on the line (Zara’s rugby union strip included), floral displays and love ducks show just how much fun Zara has with her painting!
Zarabella’s talent was evident at an early age. In 2012 an Art Competition was held to celebrate the opening of the Gayndah Art Gallery, when Zarabella was in primary school. Zarabella was the winner of the Junior Art competition, and this encouraged her at an early age to have big dreams of being an artist, dreams that are now being realised.
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We wish Zara every success for the future and will be following her progress with much interest.
Zara has her website almost ready to go but, in the meantime, if you would like to purchase or commission an artwork from Zara, you can contact her through her Facebook page Zarabella Bambling Artist; her Instagram page @zarabellasartgallery.
Visit Zarabella's fabulous new website: zarabellabamblingart.com or by email: zarabellabambling@gmail.com
Christine Benham
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Christine Benham is a wonderfully talented, vibrant artist, and a registered secondary and tertiary art teacher. For the first time, Chris is offering an online Art course designed especially for Home Schoolers and Creative Enthusiasts, teaching the essential core skills through the 8 elements of design. ​​​​
In Chris Benham’s own words:
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“The BRUSHES WITH HEART ACADEMY grew out of a need to find meaning in my life after the death of my husband in 2019 and the breakdown of the family business partnership. I discovered my creative spark again after much help and concern from my friends, children and grandchildren.
It was a rough journey that seemed to have no light at the end. It's said that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but it takes time and a lot of soul searching. I'm hoping I may be able to help other people who have lost their way to partake on a journey of self-discovery that may only need a vision, a blank canvas and some dear friends.”​
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Learn more about Chris and Benyenda, her beautiful home among the citrus orchards, and her innovative Art Course at www.benyenda.com/creative
or have a look at Chris's Instagram profiles:
Chris Benham's Mural for the 2025 Orange Festival
SUSIE CAPEWELL AND WENDY KIRK
Susie Capewell and Wendy Kirk have been two of the main driving forces behind the success of Gayndah Art Gallery since it opened in 2012.
Both have held a variety of positions with Friends of Gayndah Gallery, the volunteer group that runs the Gallery, as well as contributing artworks to exhibitions and organising workshops.
Susie continues to hold workshops, paint and sip, and private tutoring sessions in the North
Burnett Shire and is planning to hold workshops at Gayndah Art Gallery this year.
Wendy, who lives a short walk from the Gallery, still helps out from time to time and whenever she is available, will help with exhibition installation and with catering for Opening Events.
Today, both artists have handed over the reins to others and are now relishing the time to enjoy their own artistic journeys.
The Gallery and the Gayndah Community owe these ladies a huge debt of gratitude for the many, many hours they have contributed towards making the Gallery the success it is today.
Susie Capewell
Australia Day Senior Cultural Award 2019
Wendy Kirk
Australia Day Senior Cultural Award 2016
SUSIE CAPEWELL
Susie Capewell is a Visual Fine Artist who has been following her Art journey full time for 15 years. Susie’s home is Gayndah in the North Burnett Region of Qld. She is married to Mark and has 2 adult sons Jim & Tom. Having always loved drawing & upon moving to Gayndah in 2006, she decided to pursue her passion and dreams of creating a career around something that she loves!
At the start of her journey Susie took private Tuition Classes in Graphite Drawing which would become the foundation to exploring other mediums and the introduction of colour using Soft Pastels. Her first Solo Exhibition was in 2014 and to date she has held 6 solo and many combined Exhibitions over the years. Her Greatest achievements include a commission from local council which was gifted to Zonhoven Council in Belgium, winning the Alexandra Award at the 2018 Australian Pastel Society’s Inaugural Pastel Expo and being awarded the Senior Cultural Award at the 2019 Australia Day Awards.
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As a qualified Teacher’s Aide, Susie has conducted many art classes at Schools throughout her region. Always an active Community advocate and volunteer, she held the position of Co-Ordinator/Curator at the Gayndah Art Gallery and has been the Fine Arts Steward at her local Show for 6 years. She has judged several local Art Competitions.
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Susie has completed five funded Public Art Murals, three in her hometown of Gayndah, one in Mount Perry and one as part of a joint mural in Mundubbera. She also painted one of the Gallery’s roadside signs. However, her greatest passion lies in pastel portraits of People & Animals, and her love of old historical vehicles and buildings. She recently took time out to explore Australia with her husband Mark in a caravan and is now starting to capture its beauty in Landscape painting.
Paint and sip sessions with Susie Capewell
The mural on the wall of Gayndah Real Estate was funded by Rural Aid
Arty Parties with Susie C
“In 2017 I wanted to diversify my business and thought why not bring Paint and Sip to regional towns. this was just starting to be popular in the Cities and a great social & wellbeing activity. My methods are a little different, where the party is held at a host’s home, the host paints for free as they provide the nibbles!!
"Participants also get to choose from different subjects to paint so everyone has a different painting to take home. This is a great way to introduce people to something that they might consider taking up as a hobby. Parties are best held morning or afternoon- nighttime if good light is available.”
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Working with Children & Disabled
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Susie has a certificate 111 in Children’s Services and has been employed as a Family Daycare Provider, Teacher’s Aide and Project Officer for working with Vulnerable Children. She has also worked specifically as a support worker with the NDIS to deliver Art Therapy lessons to Children and Adults with Disablilities.
Delivering Children’s Art Workshops during School and Holiday time has been another passion of Susie’s. In small communities it has provided a vital gap in enhancing Children’s creativity.
Susie can be contacted on 0488 612 888 or susiecapewell@gmail.com
The link to her Facebook page is:
WENDY KIRK
“I started my artistic journey in Hervey Bay, attending oil painting lessons with my daughter, Hayley. Before that, my only artworks were Christmas window paintings for the Electricity Board’s Gayndah office.
Since the opening of Gayndah Art Gallery, I became involved with the Gallery committee and broadened my art experience, attending workshops to learn acrylic, graphite, pastels, water colours and hebel sculptures. I hope to be able to spend more time developing my techniques in all these mediums”.
More recently Wendy has attended workshops to learn about Polychromos (oil colour pencils) and is exploring the use of these too.
Over the past 14 years, Wendy has mentored a number of novice artists for a variety of charity art auctions around Gayndah. Wendy is happy to mentor any aspiring new artist who would like to get started on their own journey.
Trevor Kirk. By Wendy Kirk, graphite
Adcock Gorge, WA
photo courtesy of Susie Capewell
Les Sandow by Wendy Kirk, sepia
Peter Shadford - Pastels
During Covid, Wendy took photographs along the Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail to paint and draw from at home.
Wendy can be contacted through Gayndah Art Gallery.
THE SCHOOL HUT POTTERS – GAYNDAH
The plaque on the left, which is fixed to the outside of the existing Potters Hut, was made by Joy Spry.
The kiln loaded and ready!
For over 30 years, the School Hut Potters in Gayndah have been working with clay, turning out amazing creations. Their sessions take place on Wednesday mornings, starting at 9am, at 11a Queen Street, Gayndah.
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Pottery sessions are $15 each, plus the amount of clay you wish to purchase, which covers your glazing and firing. A yearly membership fee of $36 is due at the end of each financial year, and is calculated at $3 per month.
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The potters work in a delightful, if spatially challenged, building. In 2025, after ten years of fund-raising and a successful grant application, they are thrilled to have an additional new building. There is still work to be done to make it ready for use, but it will be a huge step forward for these amazing, talented creatives.
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So, come along and join in the fun! Someone will show you the ropes and you definitely don’t need to be an expert. As one of the ladies put it: “If you can roll out pastry, you can work with clay!”
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For any further inquiries, please contact Barb on 0427 612 218 or Shirl, on 0427 611 898.
The new shed in its infancy. Jimmy Bryant is currently working on the electrical needs. The picture on the right gives a better idea of the inside space and with two large roller doors, there will be plenty of natural light.
Some of the potters at work, including Shirl and Barb, second and third from the left. Note the blackboard: “You are stronger and more intelligent than your clay!” And note the rolling pin!
JOY SPRY
Locally born, Joy Spry has pursued her love of craft, painting and pottery most of her life, winning several prizes for her work along the way.
Settling in Gayndah with her husband Lawrence, Joy has taught art, sewing and pottery at local schools, inspiring younger generations with her passion for art. She has travelled widely judging competitions at many shows and exhibitions. Joy has also illustrated a children’s storybook and film for TV.
Joy has a variety of her arts and crafts items for sale in our Artisans Alleyway, including her much loved aprons, which can be made to order, like the one that Amy Wood uses! Her colourful bags are frequently seen being put to good use by shoppers around Gayndah.
“Joy painted two of our beautiful, eye-catching roadside signs last year, which can be found near the Bon Accord turnoff a few kilometres out of town. Joy is pictured in her “garage studio” when we arrived to pick them up!”
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Proud to be a wife, mother and grandmother, Joy views Gayndah and its beautiful surrounds as “An artists palette, if ever there was one”.
Joy can be contacted through Gayndah Art Gallery.
AMY WOOD
AMY WOOD recalls when she was starting out on her art journey that CHRIS BENHAM was a mine of information and advice, and encouraged her to take her art seriously.​​
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Amy is also a hugely talented artist, using mainly oils and acrylics and painting scenes from the country around Gayndah that she knows and loves. She has won numerous awards over the past few years, including first prize in the Open section of the Gallery’s 2023 Orange Festival Art Competition. The winnings were spent on setting up her website, which tells you there is a serious intent to further her artistic career.
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Check out Amy’s art and pottery on her website and sign up for her blog and Newsletter to follow her on her journey...
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Pottery is possibly Amy’s favourite creative process and she is working on a new collection, using the kiln she built herself, at the shed in her back yard.
Some of this pottery will soon be on sale in and around Gayndah and through Amy’s website.
From Little Things
Say The Word Boss
Seagulls
ART TRAIL
Over time, the Galleries and Art Groups in the North Burnett Shire are proposing to establish a recognisable Art Trail, from Mount Perry, Biggenden, Gayndah and Mundubbera, through to Eidsvold and Monto, identified by signs with a variation of the following logo:
In the meantime, visit North Burnett Regional Council’s website for information on the arts scene within the Shire, at northburnett.qld.gov.au/art-trail
Further information on the arts scene in the North Burnett can be found on the Facebook pages of the following:
School Hut Potters (Gayndah); Arts North Burnett; Biggenden Arts and Crafts Centre; Mundubbera Regional Art Gallery; Monto Museum of Art; Monto Art Group and also at Monto, Ridgey Plains Art Gallery.
We are thrilled to announce that all five of our roadside signs have now been installed on the approaches to Gayndah.
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The card below has been reproduced in A5 size to include all of the paintings to be found on the roadside signs, so keep an eye open for them.
