Award Citation – Honorary Fellows, Palmerston North campus, 14 March 2012 – Paul and
Fran Dibble
As Chair of the Universal College of Learning Council, I am honoured to announce the 2011 UCOL
Honorary Fellow recipients.
The Honorary Fellow is UCOL’s highest Honour and recognises one or more of the following:-
1. An outstanding and distinguished contribution to UCOL or;
2. An outstanding and distinguished contribution to the communities UCOL is a part;
3. An outstanding and distinguished contribution to society in general.
On behalf of the UCOL Council, I am hereby privileged to announce the 2012 Honorary Fellow
recipients, Fran and Paul Dibble. Paul and Fran, could you please step forward.

Paul Dibble is an artist of national and international standing. He has lived and worked in
Palmerston North since 1977, first as a lecturer in painting and sculpture at the College of
Education and since the 1990s as a full-time sculptor working from a foundry at his home in the
inner city.

Paul’s cast bronze sculptures are well known to the people of Palmerston North, with major
pieces of sculpture on display outside the Palmerston North Art Gallery, the Palmerston North
Library, the Regent Theatre, and UCOL’s Princess Street entrance. Recently, Paul donated
another major work to the city and it has been installed across the road from Square Edge.

These are all vivid, beautiful and engaging pieces that have added an important dimension to
Palmerston North city and the community. They help define the city and attract many people to
visit.

Many local people and institutions have acquired works by Paul - we all regard him as one of our
own but his reputation goes well beyond Palmerston North. His work has been exhibited
nationally and internationally. He was chosen to create the New Zealand Hyde Park Corner
memorial, opened by Queen Elizabeth in 2006.

In 2004 Paul was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit and he received an honorary Doctorate
from Massey University in 2007.

Fran Dibble is an artist and respected art reviewer. She is well known in the Manawatu for her
regular reviews and columns on art published in the Manawatu Standard.

Born in the United States, Fran attained a Masters in Science in Biochemistry and Botany and a
BA in Philosophy from Massey University. She was a lecturer in biochemistry and molecular
biology at UCOL before her involvement at the Dibble foundry required her full-time attention.

Fran’s art reflects her background in botany and biochemistry and also records New Zealand’s
diverse range of botanical influences: native flora but also introduced plants from England that
came with the pioneers. She also has a fascination with water and its diverse uses.

Fran is a tireless worker at the foundry, doing all of the paperwork as well as welding and
shelling.

She has also exhibited widely, on her own, but also her work often showing with Paul’s in joint
exhibitions.

Fran is also Paul Dibble’s partner, workmate and champion. She is the author of Paul Dibble - a
book, published in 2002, that covers three decades of Paul’s work.

Paul and Fran have recently announced their plans to move north for the next phase of their
lives and work. The award of this honour allows UCOL to recognise the enormous contribution
they have made together to the heart and soul of this community.

It is now with great please that I present Paul and Fran Dibble with the 2011 Honorary Fellow
Awards.
ENDS.