A NEARLY forgotten sand portrait of former Maryborough Mayor Alan Brown has recently resurfaced during the clearing and cataloguing of late artist Terry Tomlin’s extensive collection.
The portrait was discovered at the Gungaloon property where Tomlin lived with his wife, Noela, prior to her relocation.
Noela recalls Terry painting the portrait of Alan Brown, though she can’t remember the exact year.
She believes the artwork was once part of a “Bush-Bash” event, where it was carried and displayed at various towns and watering holes.
Despite the rough treatment it likely endured, the portrait remains in remarkably good condition.
Terry Tomlin, born in Gayndah in 1935, had a deep admiration for Alan Brown. Brown was elected as a Maryborough alderman in 1979 and became mayor in 1991.
He held the role until 2004, overseeing significant developments such as Station Square, the Brolga Theatre, the Correctional Centre, CBD beautification, and the effluent re-use scheme.
In 2005, he received an OAM for his contributions to local government and the community.
The portrait was recently donated to the Brown family in an emotional meeting involving three generations.
June Brown, Alan’s widow, and the family were moved by the likeness and have found a special place to display it.
Terry Tomlin’s journey as an artist began in childhood.
He met Noela in Hervey Bay in the early 1960s, and they married in 1962, raising two sons, Jim and Alan. In 1971, the family moved to Tin Can Bay where Terry worked in a sand mill.
Fascinated by the coloured sands, he began using them in his artwork, which became locally popular.
His artistic exploration extended across various mediums and subjects, including aviation, historical scenes, and portraits.
His legacy lives on in Maryborough, where several of his pieces are displayed, including murals and historical paintings in public spaces.
Terry’s final sand paintings can be viewed and purchased at The Beach House Hotel on The Esplanade in Hervey Bay.
Those with artwork by Terry Tomlin are invited to contact Meredith Cox at 0438 732 680 or email mcc53@outlook.com to contribute to the ongoing catalogue of his work.
