Passionate About Painting
It’s never too late to pursue your dreams in life
In 1986, my husband Imre, who is Hungarian, and I (who am German) decided to have an adventure. We left our home in Switzerland and came to Canada in order to raise bison. We had no knowledge of farming or animals—except for our dog!
We had lived in beautiful Switzerland, where we raised our two children, Christina and Christian, for 23 years. What a di erent world it is here in Canada. So large, and not many people in Saskatchewan for its size, but the one million-plus that do live here are the friendliest people in the world. They always smile at you.
All went well, and we retired in 2000. At that point, I had time to pursue my secret passion, painting. My former training as a goldsmith had given me skills in designing, but not in painting.
Nevertheless, after some frustration, I got the hang of it and soon people were asking me to do paintings of their pets. Although I do paint on commission, I prefer to paint what I choose, and I really enjoy painting wildlife. I paint with acrylics on any type of surface I can find, including canvas, rocks, wood and even my walls! Imre and I downsized our living situation and now live in a small house, so my “art studio” is a space that measures about 2 metres by 2.5 metres, but that in no way dampens my enthusiasm. I like to challenge myself!
For all you seniors out there, give it a try. I was 60 when I started painting and now at 76 I am still passionate about it. It gives me so much satisfaction and my children are so proud of me. They will inherit my paintings when I am gone—that is my legacy to them.