Colour and Light

Hi there,

Welcome back to “Your Canadian Senior Moment”! Today, we’re delighted to share an inspiring personal story from one of our subscribers, a testament to pursuing passions at any age. I met Ross about 24 years ago online and though we’ve never met face to face we’ve become close friends and correspondents. Here’s his story of how he combined a hobby with a passion that paid off big.

Yanchep Lagoon – Oil on Canvas – 45cm x 30cm. 2023 – Artist Ross H St Quintin

Phthalo blue oil paint stained the fingers of my right hand. Plastic gloves could have prevented such happenings, but I hate the sensation of plastic against my skin. So, I don’t wear gloves, and the result is colourful fingers. Tearing a paper towel off the roll attached to my easel, I wiped the worst of the paint from my fingers.

I carried my three paint soiled brushes to the kitchen sink, applied dishwashing liquid to both hands, then scrubbed vigorously, until most of the “blue” stain was eradicated. Next, I rubbed detergent into my brushes and placed them, bristles down, to soak in a jar of water. I work with water soluble oil paint that washes out in soap and water. No stinking, pungent, cleaning spirits for me.

I returned to my workroom. I don’t call my collection of paint tubes, brushes, and easels an art studio. Too pretentious. This room was once my office, furnished with a desk, filing cabinets, and computer equipment. For ten years I diligently carried out audits of complex self managed superannuation funds in this front room of my home. For twenty-five years prior to that, I was a self employed Certified Public Accountant. Prior to working from home, I had occupied a professional suite in a commercial centre. At age sixty-eight, in 2011, I called time and retired. No more long days auditing financial accounts. Travel and art would replace my tedious work regime.

Fourteen years later, in 2025, I had realised my ambitions to travel and study art. My wife and I toured Canada, America, and Europe, and enjoyed six fabulous cruises.

In 2011, I discovered the world of online art tuition and began studying the oil painting techniques of William (Bill) Alexander, and a Queensland artist, Wayne Clements. Both of these talented artists provide numerous videos about oil painting using the “big brush”, wet on wet technique.

Back in my workroom, a 90cm x 70cm (three by two foot) canvas stood on my easel. I had begun the significant task of painting this large canvas five days earlier in mid-February 2025. The scene was based on photos I’d snapped while on holiday in the delightful Southwestern Australian town of Augusta, in 2024. My Wife Jan and I drove to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to enjoy a picnic lunch. We parked to the north of the lighthouse. After walking a short distance along a rocky path, we came across this beautiful stretch of rugged coast. I decided to do an oil painting of this scene to enter in the 2025 City of Wanneroo Annual Art Awards.

Cape Leeuwin Rocky Coast; Oil on Canvas; 90 cm x 60 cm – On Exhibit at the Wanneroo Art Gallery

Standing back from my canvas, I carefully examined the scene. Was my painting good enough to be approved by the Art Director as an exhibit in her gallery? Only one hundred and fifty entries would be accepted because of space restrictions. Many more paintings than this number apply for entry. I decided my work was up to standard and submitted my application. My entry was approved. Now, in July 2025, it’s on display in the Wanneroo City Art Gallery.

Prior to my retirement, fifteen years ago, in 2011, I didn’t possess the expertise to paint a canvas comparable to “Cape Leeuwin Rocky Coast”.

I displayed no artistic talent at either primary or high school. Perhaps because I hated school because of the mean, sadistic teachers I encountered. However, starting in my twenties, I’ve dabbled, on and off, with art. I enjoyed sketching outdoors, with pencil and watercolour during those early years, and still do.

During my forties, I borrowed art books from my local library and taught myself how to paint on canvas using oil paint. Unfortunately, that was back in the 1970s, prior to the invention of water-soluble oil paints. The horrid, acrid aroma of spirits I used to thin oil paint and washout brushes proved overwhelmingly pongy. After several months of complaints from my family, I abandoned my initial adventure into oils and returned to watercolour!

At thirty-five I attended watercolour lessons, three hours a week, at a local community centre for three months. My teacher was a talented artist, keen to pass on her knowledge. My watercolour painting skill improved immensely as a result of her lessons.

That was to be my final attendance at face-to-face art lessons due to an extremely busy professional work life. From age forty until I retired twenty-eight years later, I rarely found time to paint. I sketched using pencil and charcoal and painted with watercolour when on holidays. My desire to sketch and paint never left me.

Now, in 2025, this young minded, eighty plus artist managed to produce a painting titled Cape Leeuwin Rocky Coast. Three earlier oil paintings had been exhibited at the Wanneroo City Art Gallery prior to the covid pandemic closing down such events from 2020 until 2024. My painting, titled “Forest Glow” (see below), was exhibited in 2018.

Forest Glow – Oil on Canvas – 46cm x 30cm Exhibited at the 2018 Wanneroo City Art Exhibition

I continue to study both Alexander and Clement art lessons. There is always more to learn in order to improve and excel, no matter one’s age! Retirement allowed me, at long last, to achieve my ambition of becoming an amateur artist.

Share Your Artistic Journey!

What an inspiring story of rekindling a lifelong passion and achieving new ambitions in retirement! This tale of embracing art, despite earlier challenges and a demanding career, beautifully illustrates that it’s never too late to pursue what truly moves you.

Have you discovered a new hobby or returned to an old passion in your senior years? Did you face initial obstacles, or find unexpected joy in a creative pursuit? We’d love to hear about your own “becoming an artist” moments, or any journey that has enriched your life recently. Share your story in the comments below – your experiences truly inspire our Canadian Senior Moment community!

Warmly,
Bill and Marilyn
Founders of Canadian Senior Moment