AMHERST – They’re in their 80’s, been married to each other for 55 years, and have donated art to An Evening of Art for at least 15 years.
“We are 80 years young. I’m 80-years-old and Edna is 81-years-old. I married an older woman,” said Mark Boon during a break at the ‘An Evening of Art’ auction in support of Autumn House Saturday night at Amherst Regional High School.
The difference in age is small but the difference in their approach to art is large.
“We create very different art because we’re very different people,” said Boon. “How we managed to stay married for 55 years is a puzzle, but we still are.”
Edna’s paints landscapes of the Bay of Fundy and Mark paints ‘whatever comes to mind.’
“We are entirely different. My art is in your face. What you see is what you get, and Edna’s art is very subtle.”
Mark and Edna donated three paintings each to the 2018 event.
“The Indian one I did is very spiritual, and I love sailing, so I have two paintings with sailboats in them. Maritime scenes.”
Both are self-taught artists who started painting when they were kids. They now paint together at their home in Joggins.
“We paint at the same time. We paint at each end of the table in the family room,” said Mark. “I paint on one side and she paints at the other side.”
The two met at a dance in Port Elgin, Ont.
“We’ve lived maybe 30 years in the Maritimes. Edna was born and raised in Cape Breton. I’m just a Dutchman. I came to Canada when I was 15.”
Boon says this year’s ‘An Evening of Art’ is especially important.
“It’s for a good cause and it deals with women’s issues, which is at the forefront in the news right now. I think it’s very important that this kind of work is being done.”
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