Nambour artist Christopher Eccles remembered following heart attack

The family of a much-loved Queensland artist who died from a sudden heart attack soon after a devastating workplace incident has spoken of their grief as they adjust to life without their ‘best mate’.

Nambour artist Christopher Eccles remembered following heart attack. Picture: GoFundMe.

A beloved Sunshine Coast artist is being remembered for his ‘colourful ways’ and ‘larger than life personality’ after tragically dying of a sudden heart attack two days after Christmas – leaving behind his loving wife and two children.

Christopher Eccles, a Nambour artist and professional painter, sadly died of a heart attack on December 27 last year.

He leaves behind his beautiful wife Pia Eccles, 42, and his two children, Enny, 18, and Dennis Eccles, 19. His family still lives in Nambour.

His devoted wife said they were adjusting to a new normal, but it was heartbreaking.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” she said.

“He was my best mate. He was very colourful and bold.”

The 48-year-old creative was involved in a serious work accident in April last year.

Christopher and Pia Eccles. Picture: Facebook/Pia Eccles.

He was painting on a ladder when it suddenly gave way underneath him.

Mr Eccles fell from a great height to his knees. His wife said he shattered one of his knees and chipped a bone.

He was confined to a wheelchair for six months, then used crutches, and had graduated to a walking stick by his death.

Days before his death, doctors had told him it would be another six months before he’d be able to drive again.

His wife said his heart attack was caused by a genetic condition.

“We weren’t aware that he had any heart issues,” Mrs Eccles said.

Pia and Christopher Eccles. Picture: contributed.

“He was a very healthy and active man. It came out of nowhere.”

The artsy couple had been together for 22 years. Their 16th wedding anniversary was on January 11.

“We met in Richmond (Victoria) through a mutual friend when I was 20,” Mrs Eccles said.

“We moved to Nambour in December 2019. We really loved it and found it very gritty and artistic.

“Then when Covid happened he (Mr Eccles) started really throwing himself into his art.”

Mrs Eccles said he had a close friendship with fellow Sunshine Coast artist Julia Haggarty.

“She helped keep him motivated with his art through everything,” she said.

“Even after the work accident he stayed so positive and motivated and was still in his art studio painting and out socialising with the community.

Christopher Eccles. Picture: Facebook/Pia Eccles.

“He had a tattoo across his chest that said ‘small man big mouth’ which really summed him up well. He was only five foot four but he was larger than life.

“He was very colourful and community based. He pushed our community to do better and be more active. He loved Nambour so much.

“Within six months of living there we’d met amazing people and were very busy in the community, always seeing bands and art exhibitions.”

Mrs Eccles said her late husband was always creating small-scale art, but he had recently done larger art, walking tours, and even street art.

Pia and Christopher Eccles at their engagement party. Picture: contributed.

“His art was very bold,” she said.

“He loved what was. We collected vintage furniture and he had more than 100 boomboxes. People gave him tapes and he started painting them and sticking them up around town.

“It was all about sustainability. He looked into single use plastics and then started making art out of those plastics.

“He’d turn them into robots, ray guns, flowers and more.

“Most recently he was venturing into a new stage of his art. He was going to start doing giant food for an event at Flaxton Gardens – giant lamingtons and licorice all sorts and more.

“He was really getting out of his comfort zone.

“We’re both quite passionate about the environment. Everything and anything that was going to landfill he wanted to run into art.

“He was very creative and talented.”

Pia and Christopher Eccles. Picture: contributed.

Mr Eccles was selected as an artist to be featured in Sunshine Coast Council’s art program ‘The Keeper Project’.

The Keeper Project is a live public art project where artists work in a temporary role as observer, collector, maker and storyteller within their community. The Keepers are archaeologists of stories.

One at a time, each of the artists takes the role of The Keeper for a period of three weeks, before passing the role on. During this time, they have a chosen ritual that they will repeat, occurring at a particular place, at a particular time in the public realm.

Eleven Nambour based artists were chosen to act as Keepers. Each artist will be present in the Nambour community for three weeks over a nine month period.

Mrs Eccles said herself and her children would be taking part since her husband’s tragic death from February this year.

You can support the Eccles here.

Originally published as Nambour artist Christopher Eccles remembered following heart attack