Living with the UWO Tribe

The magic of the UWO people. Click to enlarge.

For my father, his workshops were his passion. He enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow painters who had traveled with him to various locales over the years.  He had no plans for retirement, and I believe had he been able to do so, he would have continued to travel and teach to the end of his life.  

COVID-19 ended his workshops as travel restrictions came into effect.  Like so many people, he suddenly found himself without work.  Many of his students were past retirement age and considered vulnerable to the virus.  Even without the restrictions, who would sign up for a painting workshop when the world was seemingly falling apart before our eyes?  

When I last visited my father in the fall of 2021, he had clearly lost a lot of the exuberance and energy that he always had.   Most of his decline can be attributed to age, but the stress of his career vanishing before his eyes and the COVID lockdown certainly played a role.  (more…)