Just three months before her passing in June 2022, Diane was a finalist in the prestigious Glover Art Prize – arguably Australia’s foremost landscape award – in Tasmania for the second time.

Diane had a fascination for Australia’s historic buildings that have a story attached, as well as a love of old English-style gardens. She largely combined the two for her intended exhibition.

In honour of Diane’s memory, her family are displaying her last works, as well as a collection of other pieces that have not previously been exhibited, plus some old favourites.

The “Legacy” title for the exhibition is two-fold – it not only relates to Diane’s work, but also to the fact that the proceeds from all sales will be donated to local cancer research.

The funds will be passed to Diane’s oncologist Dr Jim Coward, an international researcher specialising in immunotherapy who works from the Icon Cancer Centre at the Mater Hospital in South Brisbane.

Diane would be very happy that her exhibition is being staged at the RQAS, as she was a member here for a number of years and worked shifts as a volunteer from 2015 through 2017.

Diane was a warm, positive person whose love of art was evident from her childhood and which flourished when she was able to devote herself fulltime to her passion over the last decade of her life.

Her full story, biography and previous works can be seen at her website, dianemcdonaldart.com