A Geelong-based textile artist, inspired by the wartime heroics of her father-in-law, is staging an exhibition at the Kyabram Town Hall.
Jan Preston’s Courage & Determination exhibition was inspired by many stories shared by her husband Michael’s father and will continue at the Kyabram Town Hall until April 29.
The timing of the exhibition is in keeping with the memorial walk Anzac Day poppy display, which is part of Kyabram’s memorial to those who served in wartime.
Jan, a quilt maker, textile artist and tutor who grew up in Victoria and has been making quilts and textile art works since the 1980s.
After beginning in the traditional form, Jan is now creating her own designs in a more contempory and innovative way.
She is not only an award-winning artist, but also a tutor and inspirational guest speaker to groups within and outside the textile arena.
Bill Preston was taken prisoner by the Germans at St Valery, France, in 1940 and first laid eyes on Wilf Wyatt when they became “guests” of the enemy.
Both men were posted to France as part of the British Royal Horse Artillery’s 51st Highland Division.
Only month’s into the war they were marched to Holland and then moved around the Stalag working camp prisons between Germany and Poland.
Wilf shared his plan to escape with a Polish girl (Halinka) he had fallen in love with.
Bill, who initially agreed to the idea, discovered he had a son at home in Wolverhampton (England) and decided to stay captive.
Wilf Wyatt escaped with another prisoner and they were harboured by Halinka’s parents, with her father being a member of the Polish resistance.
Halinka and Wilf were married soon after, but they were separated in the confusion at the end of the war and Wilf Wyatt went home to Manchester alone.
Months later Halinka smuggled herself through Poland and Pragur carrying only her marriage certificate and they were reunited through the Red Cross.
After the war Wilf and Halinka lost touch with Bill, but they did not forget each other.
Bill and wife Freda migrated to Australia in 1970 (hence the swallows) and soon settled in Shepparton and later Albury, while Halinka and Wilf still lived in England.
Bill Preston made a decision to write to the British newspapers asking if there was anyone who knew of Halinka and Wilf Wyatt.
To his surprise within a short time a letter arrived from their son to say that they were alive and well.
There was a surprise reunion planned for them to come to Australia between both families without Freda and Bill’s knowledge.
A Sunday family gathering was planned, and, down the hallway walked Bill’s long-lost mate Wilf Wyatt and his wife Halinka.
Bill then 78, Wilf, 75, and Halinka, 70, were reunited, embraced in their own memories, tears, stories and laughter.
In March 2000, Jan undertook an eight-month artist residency in the rural community of Deans Marsh to produce new stage curtains in a mural form.
The original curtains are now housed in the Victoria Museum. She has exhibited at San Francisco Quilted Journeys Textile Exhibition at Fort Mason and was involved in a Cultural Exchange Art Exhibition in Turin Italy.
In 2005 Jan travelled to Waterloo, Canada, as an invited tutor and representative of Australian Quitter’s Association. Selected works have travelled to San Francisco, Canada, Japan, France, New Zealand and the Pacific International Quilt Festival, Santa Clara, California.
Having been diagnosed with MS 30 years ago, Jan has used her craft to inspire others.
An ambassador for the MS society for 15 years, she was honoured with three awards for outstanding community and quilting involvement.