After a short battle with cancer, one of South Africa's respected artists, described as a "visionary rebel with a cause", has died.
Barbara Jackson, 60, life partner of world-famous "functional art" creator Carrol Boyes, died at the home she shared with Boyes and their daughters Kim Jackson-Meltzer, 34 and Martine Jackson-Clotz, 31, on Saturday morning.
Jackson was a well-known artist, famous for her ceramic pieces and her work with crafters in Cape Town's townships. She had exhibited her artwork in the UK, the US, France, Holland, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
Her work is displayed as permanent collections in the South African Cultural History Museum in Cape Town, the Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa House in London, the National History Museum in Taipei and Musee des Arts Decoratif, in Montreal, Canada.
Together with Shirley Fintz, both passionate collectors of African beadwork and art, she created a non-profit income-generating bead project Monkeybiz in 2000 for a community of more than 450 bead artists.
These artists, many of whom were sole breadwinners, create unique, signed artwork to sell while the profits are funnelled back into Khayelitsha, Philippi and Mandela Park.
"During the last few years she felt very responsible for all the women who were involved in Monkeybiz. One of her dreams was to have a travelling exhibition," her daughter Jackson-Meltzer said.
"She connected to the person on the street as well as the celebrity. She was herself. She never attempted to be anyone else and she always followed her heart," she said.
The family held a private funeral for Jackson on Sunday.