WOW IS COMING TO GLADSTONE!
WOW IS COMING TO GLADSTONE!
OUR PLACE EXHIBITION
Blue Mirror Café
Friday 17 Oct – Saturday 29 November
WOW - Women of the World Festival Gladstone is an opportunity to celebrate the rich and diverse creative practice of women and non-binary artists from the Gladstone Region and we are delighted to partner with The Blue Mirror Gallery for an exhibition, entitled simply ‘Our Place’ this exhibition features works in a range of mediums that respond to the changing cultural, social, economic, and natural environment of the Region reflected through the work and lives of women, presenting a true sense of ‘Place’. The exhibition is designed to resonate with both local, statewide, and global audiences through the international WOW network.
ARTIST BIOS
Alix O’Neil
Alix O’Neil is an emerging artist whose luminous watercolours capture character, emotion, and spirit with sensitivity and depth. Born in Malaysia to Scottish parents, her artistic journey began with Chinese Brush Painting, a discipline that shaped her appreciation for fluidity, spontaneity, and expressive mark-making. Accepted into the College of Building and Printing in Glasgow, she instead pursued extensive European travel before settling in Sydney in 1990. Since relocating to Agnes Water, Queensland, in 2021, her practice has been enriched by a close connection to nature and conservation. Her paintings balance delicate washes with bold, expressive strokes, breathing life into human and animal subjects. From the wisdom in an elder’s gaze to the playful vitality of wildlife, Alix’s work resonates with authenticity and emotion. Committed to giving back, she donates artworks to charities and fundraisers, ensuring her art continues to inspire awareness and support for meaningful causes.
Amber Comadira-Smith
Amber Comadira-Smith is an emerging artist based in Gladstone, who's passionate about cake decorating as a form of creative expression. With a background in graphic design, she dived head first into edible artistry in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since. Her work has earned her the title of Australian Cake Decorator of the Year in both 2022 and 2023, and she has been featured in multiple magazines nationally and internationally. Amber's goal is to share joy through her cakes and inspire others to explore their own creativity in the kitchen. Her love for art began as a teenager when she first exhibited in the Martin Hanson Awards in 2008 and later featured in the 2009 Creative Generation: Excellence Awards in Visual Art, showcasing her mixed media work 'Mirror Mirror'. In 2024 she presented her first solo exhibition 'YES, this is cake!' at the Gladstone Hospital Art Gallery, showcasing her realistic food cake creations. Amber is excited to continue growing as an artist and contributing to Gladstone's vibrant creative community.
Anna Maria Andersen (Bartuccio)
I paint under my mother’s maiden name Bartuccio, in her honour, as she passed away too soon. From an early age I have been drawn to light and shadow, always inspired by the beauty of nature and people. My journey with my artwork began over 21 years ago as an inpatient at the Wesley Hospital, where I first picked up a brush and was instantly hooked. Although I don’t consider myself a professional artist, painting is a much-loved part of my life. I create when I feel the time is right, without pressure, and that freedom allows me to truly enjoy the process. I studied drawing and watercolour at Colorado College in Rifle, while living in America, and continue to learn through many workshops, including a memorable one with the late Robert Wade. I’ve been inspired by many old masters such as Sargent, Monet, Van Gogh, and Turner. My works have been exhibited, commissioned, collected overseas, and some I’ve gifted with joy.
Bina Van Haeften
Bina Van Haeften is a textile artist and sculptor situated in Captain Creek near Agnes Water. She works solely with nature materials and combines botanical printing, eco-dyeing, weaving, and the use of natural pigments in both her textile and sculptural works. Bina holds an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design and studied at the European Academy of Fine Arts in Trier, Germany. She is the Founder-director of The Perspective Collective and facilitates art workshops in The Gladstone Region and beyond.
An Artist Residency and art course facilitation at the Himalayan Rilung Foundation in Bhuira, Himachal Pradesh, India in 2024 saw Bina exhibiting her artwork at her first international group exhibition “The Earth My Home” at Gallery Art Positive in New Delhi in January 2025. She has since accepted a three-year contract as a faculty member of the Himalayan Rilung Foundation as their Natural Art Course facilitator. Bina is currently preparing for her course facilitation in India in October, her solo exhibition “BIOPHILIA” at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum (30/08/25 – 11/10/25), and her exhibition in January 2026 at the India International Centre in New Delhi, under the aegis of the Himalayan Rilung Foundation.
Christine Holden
Weaving and entwining man-made fibres into contemporary sculptures, award-winning local artist Christine Holden, turns what most of us see as rubbish into beautiful art, enforcing her ideals of recycling and sustainability. Christine says her art practice, which includes weaving and assemblage work, is both “her meditation and exhilaration”…a perfect balance. Through thorough investigation and experimentation with marine debis and plastic waste, Christine’s ethical art is a direct result of this balance
Cynthia Gregg
Cynthia Gregg is an expressionist style visual and performing artist. Originally from Mackay, and currently based in regional Central Queensland, Gladstone. Living with CPTSD she has found great value and importance in the arts in the role of documenting and contributing towards the recovery of those with complex mental health conditions. For many years she has used art and specifically the medium of acrylic painting to help process the difficulties that herself and others may experience. Cynthia firmly believes that there is value in sharing her work - which turns moments of vulnerability into something that acknowledges the beauty of life despite challenges.
Cynthia is a proud member of the Sunshine Squad artist collective, a member & volunteer at ARTmatters Gallery, and a long time Crossroad Arts supporter & performer. She greatly enjoys painting murals, revitalising & activating city spaces with art, wearing elaborate costumes at any opportunity, and conducting live painting demonstrations which capture specific moments in time.
Denise Wild
Denise Wild is an established Captain Creek artist who studied visual arts full time in Frankston, Victoria and now has over 40 years’ experience in various arts fields including tutoring the arts to all ages. Denise’s visual art and writing skills have been recognised with awards and has featured in exhibitions in Gladstone, Mackay, Central Queensland and the Discovery Coast including photographs displayed at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. Drawing inspiration from the natural diverse landscapes of the Discovery Coast where Denise captures the patterns of the tide, the textures of a tree or the colours of the atmosphere. Denise also has a passion for creating artwork for children. With 13 years’ experience creating the weekly children’s page for Central Queensland News and recently creating a colour in book for the Agnes Water Museum. Currently, Denise is working on several children’s picture books inspired by her grandchildren.
Jenny Fournier
Since relocating to Gladstone from Aotearoa/New Zealand in 1996, Jenny has been actively involved in her local art community. As a self-taught multidisciplinary artist, her practice includes sculptural assemblages, painting, life drawing, illustrating, aerosol-stencilling and printing. An avid up-cycler, many of her creations both utilise and make connections between natural and man-made found items, often channelling her interests in environmental awareness and surrealism.
Jenny has tutored art to all ages and taken part in various public art projects, events and workshops over many years. Last year she held a successful solo exhibition Unearthly/Unearthed at Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and her quirky interactive installation, Revolving/Evolving was accepted into the Swell Sculpture Festival on the Gold Coast.
From her studio, she currently facilitates Life Drawing sessions, providing a safe space for adult models of all genders, ages and shapes to feel positive about their bodies, plus artists of all abilities to enhance their drawing skills. .
Jessica Harrison
Jessica Harrison is a mixed-media artist based in Central Queensland, working with acrylics, collage, gouache, inks, and a range of other mediums to create expressive, layered works. She began her art journey as a form of personal reflection and therapy when words could not fully express her internal thoughts. Over time, this practice emerged as a distinctive style that uses vibrant colour, texture, and symbolism to explore resilience, emotion, and the deep connection between humans and animals.
From 2017 to 2023, Jessica pursued a self-directed practice of experimentation and independent study before commencing formal training. She is currently completing a Diploma of Visual Arts at Central Queensland University, where she continues to expand her technical and conceptual approach. Jessica exhibits regularly in regional shows, with works held in private collections across Australia. In September 2025, she will launch workshops designed to foster creativity, confidence, and self-expression in others.
Kay Adie
I have always loved to draw and studied Senior Art way back in 1979. I may have been known for drawing caricatures of some of my schoolteachers and lecturers at college but my decision to try evening art classes with Irene Sparks in the early 2000s really reignited my love of art. Reconnecting with art classes in Gladstone and various workshops has been a major boost for my confidence in creating art works. I particularly love the unintentional patterns and shapes created while working with ink and the comical birds that make surprising appearances on the page. Sharing skills, advice and laughs with likeminded people, hot chocolate and homemade cake is a great way to be creative.
Leanne Cole
Leanne Cole is a visual artist living in Tannum Sands, Queensland. Her art practice centres around watercolours and printmaking, in particular reduction lino prints, which showcase her interest in the natural environment and the world around her.
In 2025 Leanne completed a Diploma of Visual Arts through CQU Rockhampton. Recent exhibitions include a group exhibition at The Gladstone Art Gallery and Museum in 2025 and a solo exhibition at The Gladstone Art Gallery and Museum in 2021.
Leanne has been awarded art prizes in the 1770 Art Show – Works on paper (2025) The Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards, Gladstone - Works on Paper (2019) and Local Artist Award (2014) The Gladstone Art Gallery and Museum hold two of Leanne's works in their collection.
Libby Marsh
Libby Marsh was raised in the Boyne Valley in Central Queensland and so all things bush orientated - its people, landscapes and critters - have fired her artistic bent. Throughout childhood she sketched and painted consistently however the early years of marriage and family made artistic endeavours well-nigh impossible. Later, employment in primary school libraries presented the opportunity to work creatively with children. It was these years that developed her artistic talents further. In recent years Libby has enjoyed the company and friendship of a wonderfully supportive art group. Under the mentorship of a dedicated and talented artist, Libby has embraced a wide range of mediums and techniques to produce a diverse portfolio.
Linda Ebenestelli
Linda Ebenestelli was born in Stanthorpe and grew up on farmland in the small rural area of Thulimbah. Linda is a multidisciplinary artist mainly working in oils, watercolours and pastels. Her work is heavily influenced by nature and a strong passion for preserving Australia's unique fauna and flora. Since 1999, Linda has attended more than thirty art related workshops and has studied Visual Arts through Central Qld TAFE. She has volunteered as Workshop Coordinator for Art Matters where she has also conducted visual arts workshops. Linda currently volunteers at Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum and at Art Matters. Linda has held many exhibitions locally, at Rockhampton TAFE and The Art Factory Gallery Brisbane. Her most recent being at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery in 2025.
Linda has received awards and recognition including first place in the three-dimensional section of Castaway Art Competition, an acquisition at the inaugural Community Arts On Goondoon Art Competition and more recently People’s Choice Award at LuminArt Awards.
Lu Kane
“My name is Lu Kane, and I’m a mixed-media illustrator based in Gladstone. I’ve been drawing since I was two, my first canvas was a chalkboard and I was obsessed with sea life, birds, and rodents. I’ve never really strayed from those early loves.
My work explores creatures, fantasy, and soft emotional storytelling, sometimes touching on heavier themes. I draw inspiration from nature, childhood sketchbooks, and character design. As a neurodivergent artist, my process is intuitive and rooted in storytelling.
I work across many mediums. Each piece starts in pencil, pastel, or watercolour, then is scanned and finished in Procreate (an app I use to draw) where I preserve traditional textures. Sometimes I reprint and layer more media by hand.
I’ve spent years studying anatomy through portraiture and even pursued health and fitness to better understand the body. I’ve exhibited locally, sold work online, and dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator!”
Lucinda Gibson
I am Lucinda Gibson, an emerging artist based in Gladstone. Creativity has been a part of my life since childhood, but it wasn’t until my children had grown that I fulfilled my lifelong dream of dedicating myself fully to developing my artistic practice.
My work reflects a deep passion for capturing the beauty and wonder of the world around us—whether in nature, people, or animals. I am continually exploring new techniques and materials, applying them across paper and canvas to bring fresh expression to my art.
Watercolour is my first love, a medium I have worked with the longest and feel most confident in. More recently, I have expanded into acrylics, oils, and mixed media, enjoying the freedom and possibilities they bring to my creative journey.
For me, success is found not only in creating works that connect with others, but also in the ongoing growth, joy, and fulfilment that art brings to my life.
Marj Rampton
Raised in the quiet countryside outside Bundaberg, Marj Rampton found her earliest companions in a pad and pencil. With birds, animals, and forest as her subjects, she brought her imagination to life through drawing from a young age. Life’s chapters unfolded with marriage, three daughters, and a growing legacy of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For over five decades, Marj nurtured her creative spirit as a beloved dance teacher in Gladstone, inspiring generations through movement and expression. Now retired, she has returned to her love of art, under the expert mentorship of renowned artist and tutor Irene Sparkes. With renewed passion, Marj continues to explore and celebrate the beauty of creativity in all its forms.
Oki Rose
Oki Rose is a predominantly self-taught artist, currently living in a small rural location in Central Queensland with her husband Brian and beloved elderly dog Mack. Watercolour is her passion - the spontaneous character of the medium allows her to develop a sense of mood and atmosphere in her work – although she does enjoy exploring other media. Growing up on islands off the Queensland coast meant her world was one of sea and sky and natural beauty, and nature in all its magnificence and minutiae has continued to inspire her and inform her creativity, and is most often the subject matter reflected in her creations. Oki has shared a very successful two person exhibition at the Blue Mirror Gallery in Gladstone, and regularly takes part in local competitions and exhibitions where her paintings sell well
Rebecca Cunningham
“I see performance art as a way of living utopia in the moment, offering a space of pause, a place for personal meta-physical transformation.” Rebecca Cunningham is an Australian curator, sound, and performance artist living and working on the lands of Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng, and Taribelang Bunda First Nations peoples. Cunningham is a founding member and co-director of the Artist Run Initiative – exist having curated a number of events in Brisbane including MUSICIRCUS (2004), FLUX-US (2006) and CHAMBERS (2007), “exist in 08: an international live art event” (2008) and “exist-ence” (Jan & Nov 2010, Oct 2011, June-July 2013). Most recently Cunningham is the curator and creative producer of the Gladstone Art Science Innovation Fest (2025). Cunningham holds a PhD Business, BA Honours (Creative Industries Interdisciplinary), BMus Performance and has also performed locally and internationally, from Ipswich to Paris. The ongoing artistic exploration “Climate Change Synaesthesia” seeks to find new ways of knowing via all the senses
Tatiana Zuluaga García
I am Tatiana Zuluaga García, born in Colombia and currently living in Gladstone, Australia, with my husband and our two children. I am an architect by training, and since my youth, painting has been my way to connect with myself.
Over the past two years here in Gladstone, I have devoted myself more deeply to art, beginning my journey with exhibitions at The Blue Mirror Gallery and creating my own project “DO ARTZ – VIVIR BONITO”, as a space where I want to express my feelings and thoughts through painting and my philosophy of “live beautifully”.
Art has been my way of processing and embracing life in another country, has become a refuge—a way to understand a new place, to rediscover myself by doing things I never imagined—and to accept a new version of who I am. Every piece I create is part of my skin and my transformation. I seek beauty in everyday life, in family, femininity, and nature.
Yvonne McNelly
First and foremost, I am a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend — roles that bring deep joy and meaning to my life. I also hold a strong passion for the arts and my community here in Gladstone.
My creative journey began early, inspired by my mother, a talented dressmaker. I remember watching her work at her old Singer treadle sewing machine, stitching clothes for our family. By the age of twelve, I was sewing my own clothes — a joy that has stayed with me throughout my life.
Over the years, I’ve explored a range of creative outlets including photography, ceramics, patchwork, gelli printing, and alcohol ink painting. Since retiring from the workforce, I’ve embraced the freedom to dive deeper into my art, particularly through fabric — its textures, colours, and the magic that unfolds when you experiment and break the rules.
I’m proud to be part of ‘Scope to Sew’, a local group that transforms donated fabrics into patchwork quilts for people in need. It’s a meaningful way to combine creativity with community service — and it’s incredibly rewarding to know our work brings warmth and comfort to others.
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