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2 Friday, September 9, 2022brooklintowncrier.com An uncle who'd owned a few successful businesses also collected art. He once invited my newlywed wife and me to select something from a closet in his Montreal penthouse as a wedding present. At the time, he was into Japanese drawings which dotted the living room walls. But the piece we chose from the stack leaning against his overcoats wasn't a total gift as we had to pay for the print by an obscure French painter. Still, it was a darn sight cheaper than the Matisse painting. He ended up selling it all to pay for an upscale lifestyle, leaving nothing to anyone, including four children from two marriages. Interesting uncle; crappy father. It was from him I developed a love of art, though sadly without the income to afford what I liked. Yet I've long harboured a deep appreciation for artists and musicians who enrich the world with their gifts. A purchase So when I learned Brooklin is the home of an accomplished painter, I had to investigate. First, the end of the story. I bought an original piece from him as well as three small prints for my grandgirls. When I brought it home, the painting practically hoisted itself onto the wall. Al Herrington's life story has more twists than could be recounted in a mere newspaper column. Consider this extremely shy child, born in Orillia who grew up in foster care. At age 10, his teacher asked him to draw something else because his first drawing of flowers was suspiciously good and she'd assumed it was done by a classmate. He completed the drawing, leaving the teacher aghast at his talent. (That drawing became his first painting, done on the back of a Milk of Magnesia box, dated 1946. It was only recently framed and hung on his living room wall.) Social worker's help Herrington, now 87, recalls, "Somehow the word got back to my social worker that I could draw. She took me down to Yonge Street. She bought me all sorts of stuff. Pencils, pens, oils. A nice box to put my paints in. She loaded me up with all sorts of stuff and took me back to where I was stay- Less than half the picture by Richard Bercuson Portraying nature's wonders in art ing with an older Scottish couple." He completed his first oil painting commission at age 15 and by 17 was hired to do pen and ink sketches of historical buildings in north Toronto. Then, with eyes on a career in electrical project design and engineering administration, he stopped painting after taking four years of high school art classes. In fact, when he got married, his wife Doris didn't know he was an artist until years later. Herrington says their three children never saw him paint. Blessed with energy to burn and a self-professed proclivity to chat, his life during the painting-less years was full. His family lived in south Whitby at the time and he and neighbors were active in the community while he helped organize events and coached minor hockey. Starting again Then, two years before retiring at age 59, he resumed painting, taking his art to festivals and shows all over Ontario where it often won awards. One larger work, "Watson's Marsh," was painted to honour a late friend, Jack Watson, with prints sold as fundraisers. It's also significant for him as its creation marked his return to active painting. It hangs in his living room, facing that first one from 1946. "I had to produce enough art to be in those shows," he says. "I really had to work at it for a year to get enough." A lover of nature, his work festoons his home including a studio packed with his art and prints. Attention to detail "When I was young," Herrington explains, "I painted in a much looser fashion. I don't anymore. My brain became conditioned for detail, detail, detail. I love nature. I developed an artist's eye." As to his love of birch trees that feature in much of his work, he states that people ask if it's difficult to paint them. "Maybe if it's your first or second. Not so difficult if you painted thousands of them. It's like everything else in life. You get better at it. You learn from your mistakes." I stroll about his house and studio, gawking. An unfinished painting he plans to return to sits on an easel. When it's done, I'd like to see it. Our house has room for another Herrington. (See photos on page 8) Monday - Thursday 9:00am-7:00pm Friday 9:00am-5:30pm Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm Sunday Closed SALES (905) 721-6599 SERVICE (905) 721-6588 PARTS (905) 721-6577 445 Winchester Road East, Brooklin Financing Available AS LOW AS 3.49% with $0 down Reserve Your Vehicle! 1201 Dundas St. East, Whitby SALES 905-668-5846 SERVICE 905-668-8871 PARTS 905-668-8853 Top Dollar for your Trade Order your New Hyundai today! (We will secure your rates with Hyundai's PROGRAM PROTECTION!) Order your Pre-Owned Car with us! Contact us or come into the dealership for details!Order Sierra 1500 2.7 Litre ORDER YOUR PRE-OWNED CAR WITH US!