Bupa Bendigo's Ken Heffer finds new passion for arts, painting at 75

At 75 years of age, the Bupa Bendigo Aged Care resident now spends his days painting and creating, something he never thought he would do.

Mr Heffer uncovered his passion only 12 months ago and now turns out a painting a week.

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"I started off slowly ... but I think I've improved over time," he said.

"With encouragement of the staff here, they really pushed me along to continue painting because I would have given up with it.

"I quite enjoy it now and it passes the time away and it's good."

Mr Heffer said he originally started painting to pass time and keep motivated.

"When I came here I had nothing else to do and I had lots of books but I wanted to do something different," he said.

"So I started sketching a lot and I thought I would have a go at painting.

"I mentioned it to a friend that I wanted to start painting and they went out and got me a canvas.

"I like to keep myself occupied, it's important. I have always liked doing creative things like this and I never had the time or opportunity to do it."

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Mr Heffer has not had any formal training and is entirely self-taught.

The former manual worker said his favourite things to paint included scenery, birds and mammals.

"I really enjoy it now and I wished I started a little earlier," Mr Heffer said.

"I have never dreamed that I would get this good at it and I never imagined that people would like them as much as they do."

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