2010 Gallery

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Peaceful Reflections
Sunbury, Victoria, Australia

Michael's letter to his GAP partner, Gisella Schilling in Germany:

"I hope my picture has arrived safely. I have called it 'Peaceful Reflections'. It is an oil painting based on some scenes from a place called Lakes Entrance – a holiday resort in eastern Victoria, Australia.

I am a retired mining engineer, (aged 73), and took up painting when I retired. My older daughter gave me a set of water colours for my 65th birthday. They sat in a cupboard for a while. I eventually decided to do something with them and so enrolled in a course for painting in water colours.

I subsequently did some more training in water colours and then progressed to oils. I now prefer to paint in oils because it is easier to correct mistakes!

I love painting and have converted a room in the house to become a studio. The photographs of me were taken in the studio.

On a personal note I am married, (my wife and I have just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary), and have four children: two girls and two boys.

My late father commanded an artillery regiment during the second world war and fought Rommel's Africa Korps in North Africa. After the war he traveled on business to Germany and was made an honorary member of the Africa Korps. War was very gentlemanly in those days!

I am looking forward to receiving your picture and in finding out more about you."

Yours sincerely, Michael Houston