Art was always on hold for Fred Seher, until his retirement in 2004, when he was able to devote time to developing his craft. Since then he has produced hundreds of paintings, many of which he has given away.
Recently he gave one of his paintings—“Summer Pleasure”—to Lene Madeiros, proprietor of The Barber Shop in Ashcroft. “Lene has always encouraged Fred to continue his painting,” says Fred’s wife Virginia.
Fred ranched and farmed all his life, in addition to working in construction and becoming a massage therapist. When he took up painting—mostly in oils—he applied his love of hard work to that, sometimes creating up to three paintings in one day.
Virginia says that Madeiros, and many others in the community, have encouraged Fred to continue his painting since he first took up the pastime, although she notes he did not complete any paintings this last winter due to his deteriorating eyesight.
Nonetheless, many people have been the recipients of Fred’s work over the years. His work hangs in the Ashcroft Medical Clinic and in at least one Kamloops business, and several years ago he donated a painting to Bifuka, Ashcroft’s sister city in Japan.
Virginia says that Fred is starting to downsize his extensive collection of paintings, and wanted to give Madeiros one that was a favourite of hers. It now hangs proudly in The Barber Shop.
However, after more than 65 years of marriage, Virginia has said that there is one picture of Fred’s that will never be given away: a watercolour—the first one Fred ever painted for her—done in 1954.