Life’s journey is often a long, winding road, leading us through unexpected turns and sometimes forcing us to set aside cherished dreams. We tell ourselves that there will be a ‘someday,’ when we can finally pursue those passions we once held close.
Yet, as the years accumulate, those aspirations can become buried beneath the weight of responsibilities and the demands of daily life. It’s easy to believe that time has passed us by, that the opportunity to chase those long-held desires has slipped away.
However, the truth is that the years are not a barrier, but rather a vast canvas upon which new beginnings can be painted. One remarkable individual is showing us that age can’t stop us from pursuing our dreams.
At the venerable age of 96, Brian Heydon is living proof that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. This remarkable nonagenarian is about to dazzle the central Victorian town of Castlemaine with his very first solo art exhibition, aptly demonstrating that age is no barrier to new beginnings.
Heydon’s journey into art began 15 years ago, when he decided to rekindle his long-lost love for painting.
‘Painting has given me a new life. I wish I’d started 20 years earlier, because you’re always learning and I needed another 20 years to do it,’ he said.
As Heydon admits, transitioning from the structured world of law to the free-flowing creativity of oil painting was ‘quite a step.’
‘You have a lifetime’s experience behind you and there are all these little things piled up in your memory that you can express,’ he said.
Brian’s artistic spark was ignited in the 1960s while living in Kent, England. However, when he returned to Australia, the demands of raising five children and his legal career meant his passion for art had to be shelved.
It wasn’t until his retirement at 70 that he could finally give his artistic inclinations the attention they deserved.
Learning to paint at his age wasn’t without its challenges. The late Delphine Cruikshank, a local artist, mentored Heydon, taking him back to the very basics with two years of still-life training.
‘I was bored out of my brain, but I realised, of course, you’ve got to learn the foundations of painting, like any other trade’, he said.
Persistence paid off, and the moments of satisfaction he found in his art made all the hard work worthwhile. Now, under the guidance of his current teacher, Scottish artist Robert Maclaurin, he is ready to share his work with the world.
‘I’m a bit nervous about it, actually. Art is so subjective. What I find exciting might bore you to tears, so having my work on display is going to be interesting,’ he said.
Influenced by French impressionists, particularly Paul Cézanne, Brian’s style is a testament to the enduring legacy of these masters of colour and light.
His exhibition, ‘Sinuous Impressions’, promises to celebrate a rich life and a bravely pursued talent.
Despite reaching this exciting milestone, Brian Heydon isn’t one for setting lofty goals for his painting career. He’s content to take it one painting at a time, finding joy in the process rather than the outcome.
‘You do get conscious of age, the things I can’t do anymore. But the sun is shining, God’s in heaven—all is right in the world,’ he said.
Brian’s attitude towards his age is refreshingly nonchalant.
‘The birth certificate says that,’ he remarks about being 96. ‘I don’t feel it.’
‘Sinuous Impressions’ will be displayed at the Phee Broadway Foyer in Castlemaine from March 27 to May 5.
Have you or someone you know taken up a new hobby or career later in life? Tell us about it in the comments below – we’d love to hear your stories of reinvention and discovery!
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