From moulding clay taken from the banks of the Brisbane River at a very young age, to more than 300 carved artworks around the sandstone cloisters of The University of Queensland's Great Court, UQ sculptor Dr Rhyl Hinwood has had a dynamic career.
Some of her most celebrated pieces will feature in a one-hour documentary premiering tonight (Wednesday, November 26), produced and directed by Jim Henry.
The Art of Rhyl Hinwood showcases some of the artist's many commissioned sculptural works; from early childhood sand sculptures on the beach at Southport to the larger than life-size bronze "Man From Snowy River" on the Gold Coast, the RAAF Memorial in Brisbane's Queens Park and the Australian Coat of Arms in the House of Representatives in Parliament House in Canberra.
As Dr Hinwood said the film only scrapes the surface of more than 30 years of creative endeavour.
"It just really touches the tip of the iceberg," she said.
"I've enjoyed being a sculptor very much."
The film includes footage of UQ's Great Court Race, capturing images of the grotesques above the sandstone cloisters as the runners take to the track below, as well as carved monumental portraits at Wordsmiths - the Writers' Cafe, on the St Lucia Campus, which honour significant authors published by the University of Queensland Press (UQP).
In 2001, Dr Hinwood was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy for her outstanding contribution to the University and to the visual arts in Queensland and in 2006 was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
Her work is included on the Registers of Queensland Heritage and the National Estate.
"Carving in the Great Court of UQ has been one of the most important experiences in my life, it's been a most demanding and rewarding project," Dr Hinwood said.
The film also features photographs from Dr Hinwood's personal collection, footage of a guided tour around Brisbane's Roma Street Parklands, and the production of a very large Helidon freestone artwork for the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens on the Sunshine Coast.
The Art of Rhyl Hinwood will premiere at Hinwood's personal studio at Kenmore Hills in front of about 30 invited guests.
"The studio is the tidiest it has been for quite a while," she said.
It will also be shown to the Queensland Potters' Association and the Churchill Fellows Association of Queensland, of which Dr Hinwood is a member.
Media: Eliza Plant at UQ Communications (07 3365 2619)
