John Wemyss and his artwork – photo submitted

Prince George, B.C. – A local resident is putting on an art show at the Prince George Public Library the entire month of June.

John Wemyss says he’s donated 40 paintings with all proceeds going to Prince George Hospice House.

“My wife passed away in 2009 and I went into a very deep depression,” says the retired banker who first picked up a paint brush shortly after his wife died. “They (Hospice House) were so good to me plus they’ve continued with grief counselling through the years.”

In fact Wemyss says painting has proved a source of “therapy” during the grieving process.

“I’m 86, I do my yard work and my paintings to carry on.”

He adds it was only just recently he felt confident enough to present his paintings to the public.

“If you saw my paintings three years ago you would have wondered. I practiced every day and my work turned around in the last two years.”

And Wemyss is delighted his art work will go towards a cause he believes deeply in.

“I was just devastated when I lost my wife. She had a stroke. We had a very happy and strong marriage, but life has to go on and Hospice House has helped me do that.”