Artist fast off the starting line at age 70!

It is never too late to produce beauty!

Fresh from her tai chi class at the public library, our intrepid reporter headed down the street to 51-35 Reeder Street and went up to the third floor to see the latest in religious art in Elmhurst, Queens.

Here, U Kyaw Tun, age 82, told the audience about how at age 70, he decided to teach himself art and put on this show of about two dozen pieces at age 82. It all started with a damaged painting.

In 2013, Tun was taken by a painting in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). In his earlier years, he had been a musician while working for the energy and petroleum ministry of Myanmar. As a musician, who has played Maynmar harps, mandolin, and bamboo xylophones, he also appreciated painted beauty. So, he bought a painting, rolled the canvas up, and put it in his suitcase. Then, he got a bad surprise after his arrival in America. The painting was so damaged that it needed to be repaired. After searching around for a restorer, he realized that a repair was going to be very expensive. Somebody suggested that he visit an art store for ideas.

Going up and down the aisles of a local art store, Tun thought, maybe I would like to do the repair myself. But he didn’t know much about how to paint. So, he went to YouTube and had their teachers guide him. He started buying oil paints, brushes, and canvasses. It dawned upon him that he could become a painter. After all, he said, “Age is just a number.”

Tun’s art favors paintings of Buddhas, pagodas, and other religious sites. His landscapes often include Buddhist sacred sites. It is exciting to see the rich religious culture of Queens.

Then, Burmese deep friend triangular appetizers and a yellow melon were served.

If you would like to see Tun’s art exhibit, you better hurry. It is up for only two days from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, July 27, 28. If you want to know more about U Kyaw Tun and his painting, drop a line to: ktdwei@gmail.com, or call 315-916-7784