Art's country woman's pet love

LIZ BROOK/Central District Farmer

ARTISTIC STYLE: Jackie Williams demonstrates her use of pastel at the recent Settlers' Day in Feilding.

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Central Districts Farmer

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"She's the best in Australasia, and that's a fact," Howard Williamson told Liz Brook when she went to interview his wife Jackie about her art.

The bronze huntaway dog beside State Highway One at Hunterville and the silhouette of the drover and dogs at the entrance to the Feilding saleyards are two of the more visible examples of Jackie Williamson's art.

Many of her paintings in oils, pastels, acrylic, sketches and cartoons hang in collections in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. A rural artist with a love of horses, and an amazing talent to capture the spirit and mood of animals comes through in her work. A commissioned work of a bronze sculpture of a Charolais bull, the Rusty Trophy, is presented by the New Zealand Charolais Cattle Society in memory of HL (Rusty) McIntyre to the Champion Charolais bull each year at the Beef Expo.

Commissioned works mainly of horses hang in many homes including Tom Lowry, of Okawa Stud, and Sir Patrick Hogan, of Cambridge Stud.

Her lively images of horses and equestrian events include polo, pony club, A&P shows, racing and thoroughbreds often along side their owners or stable hands.

At just four years old she was drawing. "Horses were my friends."

Brought up on a Hunterville farm, she rode to school, took part in local sports meetings, pony club, hunting and shows.

"All my friends had a pony."

After college she spent two years at Ilam School of Fine Arts at Canterbury University.

Her work has been exhibited in New Zealand, Australia, and England. Her cartoons have been published, some of them quite political, especially during the 1980s.

"Jackie's work is well known in racing circles," Mr Williamson said.

"But it is not just horses, people, portraits, and landscapes."

In March 1953 Jackie Laurie (as she was) was asked to judge the Waituna horse sports. That same weekend Howard Williamson was home from Gisborne. They met, they danced that night, and he did not return to Gisborne. The following year they married. "My lovely hunter became a farm hack. We married before dressage took off. Then after two babies I took a course in dressage, it helped me with my art." She said it gave her a better feel for the movements and style.

They went on to have six sons, and although some are involved with farming, none are solely farming. One son, Dougal, was tragically killed in Namibia.

They have 18 grandchildren and there are "a heap of girls" among them.

Recently the pair built a new home with a large studio for Jackie, a large garden and many specimen trees that reflect Mr Williamson's love of trees and provide a sheltered environment for their home and garden.

- Central Districts Farmer