I was Facebook friends with my Aunt Barbara for many years before I saw her begin to post pictures of her oil paintings, a new creative outlet she picked up well into Life’s Act III, like no big deal. Thanks for inspiring me, Aunt Barbara!. – Eugene.

Over the years I have enjoyed so many different crafts. I started with embroidery as a child. Later, I spent time doing calligraphy, toll painting, ceramics, scrapbooking, counted cross stitch and knitting. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them!

When degenerative arthritis in my neck made all those crafts painful, as you need to look down as you work, it was discouraging. I had thought about trying oil painting for a while. (Oil painting is upright!) When my hubby gave me enrollment in a class for my birthday a few years ago, I was so happy to enjoying creating again without the pain. I took up oil painting about 6 years ago. My painting teacher will turn 89 next month! She has painted all her life and has been a great help.

Mostly I just paint once a week in my three-hour class. I choose what subject I want to paint. Now my teacher is just there for help when I ask for it. The larger pictures take three or four months.

We sailed the Rhine from Amaterdam a few years ago and when this photo popped up on Pinterest I thought it would be fun to try to paint the windmills we had enjoyed seeing. The challenge was the reflections! I finally figured out turning the painting and photo upside down worked best.