Tyson Randall Evans was born on 17 May 1982 at the Salvation Army Hospital, ‘Boothville’, Windsor Brisbane. He was raised at Clontarf Beach on the Redcliffe Peninsula. He achieved great things against great odds.
From birth, he was unable to bend the top knuckle of his right thumb and had a considerable tremor in his right hand. At the age of five, he underwent heart surgery.
At nine, Tyson took up a one-year scholarship to study at the Queensland Art Gallery, after which he chose to continue learning with his mother, a private art teacher. He enjoyed working in pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolour pencils.
Tyson’s achievements were extraordinary. He wrote stories and poetry, was involved in speech and drama and was Dux of Grade 9 at Grace Lutheran College. As a sportsman, he represented his school in athletics, held the Royal Life Saving Bronze Medallion, was a member of the college open rugby league team, and as a member of the Clontarf Beach Life Saving Club, Tyson and his brother Peter would help on Saturdays with the disabled swimming group at Woody Point. He was a keen kayak paddler and a member of the Newport Waters Canoe Club Junior Team which won the Brisbane Valley 100 race in 1996. He also achieved honours in pianoforte, a certificate of Distinction in the Theory of Music and enjoyed playing the clarinet.
Tyson was a Lance Corporal in the 3rd Redcliffe Boys Brigade Company, a Sunday School teacher at Clontarf Beach Baptist Church and a Duke of Edinburgh Awardee.
Tyson exhibited and demonstrated painting techniques at art shows, and he won several prizes at the Redcliffe Show and with the Redcliffe Art Society. At the 1995 Caloundra Arts Festival he met Michael Oberfofer who encouraged him to follow his dream of becoming a wildlife artist, and in April 1977, he began to concentrate on becoming an exhibiting member of the Wildlife Artist Association. The Blue Iris Art Gallery at Palmwoods recognised his outstanding talent and regularly displayed his work, and five of his works were accepted by the Call of the Bush Gallery at Nambour. He held a solo exhibition at the Peninsula Coffee Lounge at Kippa Ring and exhibited at the Scarborough Fair Art Gallery.
Tyson Evans passed away in a tragic motor accident at Clontarf on the 29th of August 1997 when just 15 years of age. Tyson was a joy to be around as he oozed positivity, humility and a love of life. He communicated freely with all ages and had a special place in his heart for those with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses.
As a tribute to Tyson, in 1998 Dawn Oelrich from the Redcliffe Art Gallery, Tricia Reust from the Redcliffe Art Society, private art teacher and an artist and John Robinson from De La Salle College and an artist put together an exhibition of his works (some 40 pieces) and held in the Redcliffe City Entertainment Centre.
Tyson celebrated life and left a wonderful legacy through his artistic brilliance.
The Tyson Evans Art Scholarship was established in 1999 with the purpose of being a permanent memorial of his remarkable abilities and as an encouragement to other young people in their creative careers.
Initially the Scholarship was funded through the sale of posters of his final artwork ‘Sandhill Crane (Unfinished)’. Through the public’s generous support an initial $3000 was raised for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 $1000 Scholarships however it was the grant of $20,000 from the Commonwealth Government Federation Community Projects Program which cemented its future. From 2002, $3000 per year has been given to help further young artists.