I would like for you to meet Harry and Jackie Hansen, if you have not already done so. They bought the Owen Drake place south of town on Highway 281 and moved here in August of 1977. You will have a much better chance to meet and visit with them now that they are opening the Central Texas Art Gallery on the west side of the square.

 

I can’t keep from asking people where they are from, so found out that he is from Fort Worth and she is from Los Angeles area. Harry is a pilot and Jackie was a stewardess and this gave them the chance to meet in the friendly skies over America . Harry is still an airline pilot for the Continental Air Lines with his headquarters being at Houston , and his routes take him all over the United States and into Mexico . He commutes between here and Houston in his own plane.

 

Harry has had some contact with Hamilton for a number of years. Soon after World War II, he became acquainted with A. G. Thompson through their common interest in aviation.  He also came down here dove hunting several times, all of it creating an interest in this area.

 

Since Fort Worth is out where the West begins, Harry got into the ranching business at Smithfield in 1962 and has been raising Hereford cattle since then. They bought their first place in Hamilton County near Olin, then they bought the Owen Drake place and now have the Ivy Blansit place which lies across 281 from the Drake place. He has also leased the Harold Jones place, so now has a fine place to run their Hereford cattle.

 

The Hansens have three children, JoAnn, who is a junior in Hamilton in Hamilton High; Ronnie, an eighth grader, and Mike, in the second grade. JoAnn has shown cattle in the Youth Stock Show and has taken part in several of the school’s athletic activities. Ronnie also takes part in school athletics.

 

Harry and Jackie are now venturing into something they have had an interest in for a long time-art. Jackie paints with oils and water colors and also works with china.  Harry

spends some of his time at home doing bronze sculpturing. Both of them have some of their work on display at the Central Texas Art Gallery which is just south of the Jordan Pharmacy.

 

You should take some time to drop by and see the works they have on display. They have many types and sizes of paintings; they have china and ceramics, handcraft and other things that an old country boy doesn’t know what to call. The thing that really caught my eye was some bronze sculpturing done of western characters by Jack Bryant of Springtown. So much action is portrayed, and every little detail is so real, you can almost see what the character is thinking.

 

They have paneled one side of a room with old lumber from the Blansit barn and have used some of the lumber for shelves, and with the addition of some other items, have created the atmosphere of a nice art gallery.

 

You must go by and see it.