Why Yandina's Bill Gissane became an art framer

25 May

Community Profile Bill Gissane, Yandina Art & Framing

Birth date and/or star sign: I was born before star signs were invented!

The last TV show or movie you loved? Paris, Texas directed by Wim Wenders. A fantastic exploration into the complex, crazy way relationships are never fully resolved. The soundtrack by Ry Cooder is an absolute knockout – and it’s all set in in the US but filmed through a European eye. I’m also a devotee of submarine movies – Run Silent, Run Deep, Destination Tokyo and Das Boot are top of my list.

One thing on your bucket list? I love sailing and would love to circumnavigate our continent.

Best advice you have ever received and who did you get it from? Alice (who is the boss at Yandina Art and Framing) usually gives me free advice along the lines of: “Get back to work and stop annoying the customers with endless chatter”. Second best advice was from my old man: “Never back odds-on”.

What has been your most memorable moment? Being present at the birth of Marcus – the first of our four children (at the risk of not being fair to the other children, they were exciting too, but there can only be one first).

What’s one thing you love about your job? If you’re not learning, you’re not living, you’re just existing. In this late career change I’m learning every day from some wonderfully generous people.

What would your friends/family say is your most annoying habit? I’ve never seen a distraction I didn’t enjoy chatting about.

Something people don’t know about you? They may not know I was a steelmaker with BHP for twenty years and hold a degree in Materials Engineering (Metallurgy) or that I was a partner in an Australian-owned business that serviced the global oil and gas business and we were considered as number one in our sector. As a result, I was able to see countries and areas most people would never have heard about. They may also not know my wife Anna and I lived in Houston, Texas before I retired the first time and moved to the Sunshine Coast. Many do not know that I have been an active member of the Labor Party for forty years and stood as a candidate on a number of occasions right here on the Coast and Hinterland.

What one thing would you like to see happen in the local area? I would love to see Yandina and the nearby areas recognised as a vibrant cultural hub for the arts in all their forms and extend from the First Nations to the contemporary.

Best local activity & why? Exploring the culinary delights around the historical part of Yandina. The coffee, food and conversation is always a joy.

Best thing about your town (apart from the people)? We haven’t lost the physical vestiges of the post-colonial era so it is a fantastic way of starting conversations about who was here before and what they did – and that can cover tens of thousands of years. All while Mt Ninderry watches over our river valley.

Is there a local business, community group, club or person you’d like to give a shout-out to? My colleagues at Business Yandina (formerly the Yandina Chamber of Commerce) would be very annoyed if I didn’t acknowledge the fantastic work they do in representing the interests of the local business community.

Your question (what haven’t we asked that we should know about you?): The most frequent question I’m asked is why am I in an art and framing business in Yandina. My wife and I originally bought the business from long time identity Brian Curry for my aforementioned son Marcus. He was badly injured in a violent, unprovoked attack which rendered him unable to work. Fortunately, he has recovered and is now back working. In the intervening four years, Anna and I linked up with Alice Graham who is our business partner and together we have forged what we believe is a real gem. I also now have a Certificate III in picture framing which was not something I was expecting to add to my other qualifications. It all adds up to – Live and Learn!