Freeman art added to Council collection

Councillor Frank Pardon has gifted a painting by the late Emma Freeman to Council’s art collection.
Since the 1950s, Emma has been as iconic to Noosa as Hastings Street itself. She was one of Hastings Street’s earliest residents and it was here she created many of her art pieces.
Council has now been gifted an Emma Freeman painting in memory of the late local resident who contributed much to the Noosa community.
Cr Frank Pardon gifted the works and said it was fitting Council own an Emma Freeman piece, given her key role in seeing Council’s Noosa Regional Gallery established.
“After she died I asked if Council had any Emma Freeman paintings. While Council did have one of her resin sculptures, surprisingly we didn’t have any of her paintings,” Cr Pardon said.
“So it’s a real pleasure to be able to donate one of Emma Freeman’s paintings to Council as a lasting memory of her. She was such an iconic person, particularly in the art world.
“Emma was one of a group of passionate locals who really drove the establishment of a Noosa Regional Gallery.”
Emma Freeman was an artist and environmentalist who created in many forms. She was a painter, sculptor, author and playwright. Her works appear in collections in many different countries.
Arriving in Noosa in the 1950s, Emma Freeman was one of Hastings Street’s earliest residents and it was where she produced many of her paintings.
The painting has been added to Council’s corporate art collection.