Jan Williamson is a professional artist who resides on the Sunshine Coast, and specializes in portraiture and figurative work.
As one of Australia’s premier portrait artists, Jan’s work involves intimate studies of children and people engrossed in their own world, oblivious to the influences around them.
Her portraits have been selected as finalists in the Archibald Prize, Portia Geach, Salon de Refuses, Shirley Hannan, and Portrait Artists Australia exhibitions.
Her subjects include:-
Tom Carroll, Australian and International surfing champion.
Jenny Morris, singer/songwriter. This portrait won the Archibald Packers prize and People’s Choice in both Sydney and Melbourne.
Rachel Ward, actor/writer. This portrait also won the Packer’s prize.
INXS’s Andrew Farris, musician/songwriter.
Wayne Bennett OAM, Australian Rugby League Coach.
Emeritus Professor Patrick de Burgh OAM.
David Williamson, Australia’s leading playwright.
Collette Dinnigan, Fashion designer.
Anne Geddes, Photographer.
Sue McPherson, Sunshine Coast Artist and Teacher.
Jan is a finalist in the 2009 Archibald Prize with a portrait of Nancy Kunoth Petyarr, one of the senior indigenous artists from Utopia, NT.
Jan is also a foundation, exhibiting member of Portrait Artists Australia, an association launched in 2001 to promote portraiture in Australia.
Commissions
Drawing and painting people has always been Jan’s passion, and her portraits have been commissioned in the United Kingdom, Japan and the U.S., with many works also in private collections, locally and overseas.
Her painting of Mother Mary McKillop was purchased by the Marist Brothers and hangs in the original College Chapel at Ashgrove in Brisbane. Another large work depicting Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers order, hangs in the foyer of Marist College, North Sydney.
Jan’s portrayal of “Mary of the Southern Cross” was the winning entry in a competition for an Australian “Mary” held by the Diocese of Toowoomba in Queensland.
Jan’s painting of “The Bear’s Tree”, won the Peoples’ Choice Award in the North Sydney Art Prize in 2001 and was purchased by the North Sydney Council.
Jan has been hung twice in the Archibald Prize. Firstly in the “Sporting Archibald”, with a portrait of Tom Carroll, Australian and International Surfing Champion. The portrait has been purchased by Quiksilver and now hangs in their corporate office.
Secondly this year, with a portrait of singer-songwriter, Jenny Morris. This work also won Jan the “Packer’s Prize” and “The People’s Choice Award 2002″.
Jan’s portrait of “Emeritus Professor Patrick de Burgh, OAM” was a finalist in 2002 Portia Geach Memorial Award.
Jan is also a foundation exhibiting member of the Portrait Artists of Australia – an association launched in 2002 to promote portraiture in Australia.