Rhyl Hinwood facts for kids

This memorial in Brisbane was carved by Rhyl Hinwood.

Rhyl Kingston Hinwood (born in 1940) is a famous sculptor from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She has created more than 700 public artworks. In 2006, she received a special award called "Member of the Order of Australia" for her art and for teaching others.

Early Life

Rhyl Hinwood was born Rhyl Jones in Brisbane in 1940. Her father, Reuben Morton Jones, was a secretary, and her mother, Edith May "Maisie" Rouche, was an artist. Her parents always encouraged her interest in art.

Rhyl went to Yeronga State School for primary school. She then attended Somerville House for high school. It was at Somerville House that she discovered her passion for sculpture.

After finishing school, Rhyl studied art at the Central Technical College. She learned from teachers like George Virine.

Her Art Career

From 1958 to 1962, Rhyl worked as an artist at the Queensland Natural History Museum. She left this job when she got married. However, she continued to create her art.

Carvings at the University

In 1976, Rhyl won a national competition. She was chosen to finish a set of carvings at the Great Court of the University of Queensland. Other artists had started these carvings between 1939 and 1952.

Since then, Rhyl has created over 250 artworks for the university. She also carved sculptures for the university's Wordsmiths Cafe. These carvings were inspired by books from the University of Queensland Press.

Special Awards and Projects

In 1986, Rhyl Hinwood won a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship for sculpture. This was a special grant that helped her with her art.

In 1987, she was chosen for a very important project. She created the ceramic Australian coat of arms for the House of Representatives. This is located in the Parliament House in Canberra. It was the first artwork made for Australia's new parliament house.

In 1993, a documentary called In pursuit of excellence was made. It celebrated Rhyl Hinwood's amazing artwork.

In 2001, the University of Queensland gave her an "Honorary Doctor of Philosophy" degree. This was to honor her great contributions to art in Queensland.

In 2012, Rhyl created a database of the university's sandstone carvings. In 2016, she helped update a book for visitors. The book was about the Great Court and was called Carving a history: A guide to the Great Court.

In 2021, the University of Queensland published a book written by Rhyl. It was her memoir, called A sculptor's vision – Creating a legacy in stone.

Personal Life

In 1962, Rhyl married and changed her name to Shepherd. She had two children.

After 1975, Rhyl married fellow artist Robert Hinwood (1930 – 2023).