A passion for painting

After years away from the art studio, Roy Beattie has rediscovered his passion for painting since moving into Halcyon Greens (QLD).

"When I paint, it's almost like I'm in a trance," he said.

"I see it, I play with it, I put music on and have a bop to it while I paint. I could do it for hours and hours."

Despite being quite good at art in high school in his native Belfast, he hadn't picked up a paintbrush for decades as he worked his way around the world as an engineer designing slurry pumps.

It wasn't until he moved to Halcyon Greens (QLD) with wife Anne three years ago, that he returned to the art studio.

"I never had time to do it when I was working and after I retired I told myself that I'd start painting or write a book," he said.

After joining the burgeoning art group, Roy threw himself back into art with gusto.

"I tried everything, portraits, caricatures, I did a series on Africa and have painted a lot of abstracts and I try to use different materials," he said.

Roy has become quite successful, selling a number of pieces and now also takes commissions.

"I'm just loving it and my wife says they should bring my bed down here to the art studio, I'm here so much," he laughed.

"I said that I could be at the pub drinking instead."