Yesterday, my dear friend Sandy turned 100 years old. A whole century of experiences, changes, laughter and love—all wrapped up in one remarkable life.
I called to wish him a HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY and I asked him how it felt, being 100 years old. And he said, just like any other day. I smiled and thought, Sooo Sandy!
I met Sandy through Scottish Country Dancing. He asked me to give him tutoring on the finessing of the dance and, being keen as I was about all the nuances of SCD, I accepted. This was the start of our long and wonderful friendship. Once I moved from Salt Spring Island to Victoria, any time he had errands to do in the city, we would meet for breakfast and catch up. It was at one of these get togethers that I snapped a photo that would become a painting for the DK book Artist’s Drawing Techniques and which I featured in this blog post about painting backgrounds.
Soooo I got to thinking about being 100 years old and, as I pondered the wonder of Sandy’s magnificent milestone, I realised that I could actually relate his longevity to art-making.
Bear with me.
We can all agree that living to 100 years old is no small feat! Along with things like good health, a positive outlook on life, and genes, it also takes resilience, adaptation, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace change. One could say that those last on that list are qualities that also define a lifelong artist.
What does it take to keep going, to keep growing, to keep making?
Like life, making art isn’t always easy. Whether we realise it or not, every time we pick up a brush or pastel stick, we’re engaging in a process that mirrors the long arc of a well-lived life.
Over a century, the world changes—just as an artist’s work does. Styles shift, tools evolve, and as we grow more confident with experience, what once felt impossible becomes second nature. Sandy has seen it all, from rotary phones to smartphones, from black-and-white television to streaming services. Those who reach 100 (and those who stick with art for decades) know that adaptability is key. I’ve always admired how Sandy approaches life with an openness to change, whether it was learning new steps in Scottish Country Dancing or adapting to the latest technology (he’s a whiz on his iPad!). That same spirit is what keeps artists growing, too. Artists who embrace change, who actually relish change, whether it’s a new way of working, a different subject, or even a fresh way of seeing, tend to stay engaged and inspired for the long haul. Soooo necessary!
No one wakes up one morning suddenly 100 years old, just like no artist wakes up a master. The whole thing is a slow accumulation of choices, experiences, learning, and doing. Every painting we create, even the ones that don’t turn out, is a step forward. Just like Sandy has lived through highs and lows, an artist’s path is filled with breakthroughs and setbacks. The key is to keep showing up.
What keeps someone going for a century? Certainly, curiosity comes into play. Curiosity about the world, about people, about what’s next. Sandy still asks questions, still wants to learn, still finds joy in the small wonders of life. That’s also soooo my Mum when I think about it. Artists who stay engaged in their practice over decades often share this same spark. The best artists never stop learning. There’s always another colour to try, another composition to explore, another way to reveal an idea, another technique to consider. It’s that hunger to discover that keeps both life and art vibrant.
A long life, like a long creative journey, has its setbacks. Along with joy, life and art-making can be full of struggles. Paintings don’t always work out, ideas fizzle, motivation wanes. But just like someone who’s lived through a hundred years of ups and downs, artists who keep going find ways to push through challenges, reframe failures as learning experiences, and keep making art. When you’ve not painted in a while, for whatever reason, sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply pick up the pastel again. [See last week’s post!] And in life, we step forward, day by day, little by little.
Sandy’s long and well-lived life is a testament to this—for a century, he has kept showing up for life through good and bad, through ease and challenge, through health and sickness. And isn’t that what we do when we make art?
So here’s to longevity! To showing up, to staying curious, to creating with a belief that everything feeds into your experience and art.
Whether it’s a life well-lived or an artistic journey well-travelled, the principles remain the same. Keep going. Keep creating. Be open. Stay curious. And who knows? Maybe a century from now, your work will still be speaking for you.
Does this resonate? Do you have any ideas to add? Please do leave a comment. And if you have well-wishes for Sandy and his 100th birthday, feel free to leave them below where I know he will see them (avid reader of blog that he is!!)
Until next time,
~ Gail
PS. I’m wondering if a nip of single malt scotch has anything to do with Sandy’s longevity….and possibly an idea for creativity?!
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