Wood from a Moreton Bay fig that was felled to make way for the Legacy Tunnel is the foundation of Flamenco Fire, a sculpture that has won Queensland’s inaugural Minister’s Award for Fine Arts at this year’s Ekka.
Arts Minister Ian Walker today congratulated Peter Steller of Wellington Point, a sculptor who uses a chain saw and power tools to shape his work, which he painstakingly finishes by hand.
'Peter is the president of Sculptors Queensland, a member of the Wood Turner's Association and a multiple-award winner for the Champion Sculpture at the Queensland Royal National Association Show', Mr Walker said.
'The Minister’s Award is new for the Fine Arts Exhibition, which has been a long-cherished part of the Royal Queensland Show since 1876.
'It’s intended to put a spotlight on our cultural scene, in a place that embodies the spirit of this government’s election promise to deliver the arts for all Queenslanders.
'The Fine Arts Exhibition does a great job in showcasing Queensland’s home-grown artistic talent and the Minister’s choice award recognises one of our talented Queensland artists across the categories of painting, drawing, sculpture and photography.'
This year there were 3070 entries across painting, photography, creative art and craft, drawings and sculpture.
The Ekka attracts more than 400,000 visitors each year and in 2013 there were more than 120,000 patrons through the Fine Arts pavilion.