Winner thought of parents

By Kath Gannaway
DENISE McArdle’s first thoughts were of her parents when she was announced as one of three prize winners at the Yarra Glen Art Show.
“My parents passed away when I was young but all through my childhood they dragged me around to art shows every weekend,” she said.
“I hated it, but the first thing I thought of when they called my name was ‘my parents would be so proud’,” she added.
Ms McArdle’s winning painting was of a rural scene at Dixons Creek. She moved from Dixons Creek the day before Black Saturday to a new house on Mt Slide Road, Kinglake.
While she didn’t lose any works, she did lose quite a lot of art equipment as the fire swept through.
It is her third Yarra Glen Art Show and she said while she hadn’t made up her mind about entering this year, it had served to take the focus of everything that was happening after the fires.
Ms McArdle started painting in 2005 when her art teacher Bruce Graham encouraged her with the words … “have a paint … it can’t hurt”.
She did have a paint and as she puts it, hasn’t stopped having a paint ever since.
Ms McArdle joined local artists Margaret McLoughlin and Peter Allen as joint winner for works which best depict the Yarra Valley.
Art show co-ordinator Yve Hart said the show had, once again been a wonderful success, attracting more than 2200 visitors, selling close to $30,000 worth of art and raising funds for local CFA brigades and the Good Friday Appeal.
“The auction to raise money for the CFA was great fun. It was just good to see people from this area who I have not seen smile for a couple of months with a smile on their faces and enjoying themselves,” Ms Hart said.
Dixons Creek, Yarra Glen and Christmas Hills fire brigades will benefit from the $2700 raised through the auction.
Mrs Hart said it was rewarding to also hear so many comments during the show about the high standard of the exhibits, the diversity and the reasonable price structure.
The art show itself was also a beneficiary of goodwill with the Mount Evelyn and District Bendigo Bank presenting a cheque for $3400 to Ms Hart to help replace art show banners, signs, and other equipment lost in the bushfires.
The exhibition, the eighth annual show, was held at Balgownie Estate over Easter.