IF: This month, Around the World Travel Blog welcomes Peter Maher, painter, artist and world traveller. Thank you for joining me today, Peter.
PM: Thank you, Irene.
IF: When did you begin painting?
PM: The earliest painting that I have is one that I did when I was around five years old. I have drawn and painted ever since. My first job was in the royalty department of a publishing house in London, England. This meant I had to write royalty statements in ink with a dip-in pen. One day the owner came by and noticed some scribblings on the blotter and suggested that I apply for the newly vacated job of book designer. From here, I eventually moved on to art director and freelance graphic designer and left London for Toronto. Eventually I freelanced and occasionally did a bit of painting. In 1989 I moved to France until 1991 and, during this time, I worked on renovating a French farm house for an English painter and then started painting with him. When I returned to Toronto I tried to paint one day a week. I moved to France in 2006 and have painted full-time ever since.