April 16, 2014
by Martin Stern
Most artists don’t wait until they’re 84 to hold their first exhibition but Bob Hehlen has a lifetime of experiences to share.
Bob is a resident at Forest View Residential Aged Care Facility in Wondai.
He was born in 1930 in Belfort in eastern France, not far from the Swiss and German borders.
Bob was the youngest of four children. His mother was one of 15 children and she became unwell after his birth.
He was raised by his grandparents on their farm along with his mother’s 14 siblings. Bob worked on the farm with his uncles; he worked cattle and ploughed fields with a horse-drawn plough (actually a quarterhorse and a mule).
He moved to Switzerland at the age of 20 to avoid going into the French Army. However while in Switzerland he was conscripted anyway and ended up in the Army, and then the Navy.
In Switzerland he met the love of his life, Anna Regina, and the couple were soon parents of two sons, John and Joel.
In 1964 Bob moved his family to Australia and became a builder by trade. Anna gave birth to twin girls Ingrid and Marjie.
Bob started sketching at the age of 14 and has painted ever since.
His daughter Marjie Zimmermann is now one of the South Burnett’s leading portrait artists; and her twin sister Ingrid is also an artist.
The exhibition, which was opened at Forest View on Tuesday night, is in memory of his wife Anna who died earlier this year.
It was opened by Michael Bishop, Executive Director Rural Health and Aged Care Darling Downs Region.
Michael, himself a keen artist, said the exhibition was a credit to Bob and to the staff of Forest View for making it possible.
Cr Kathy Duff, whose family has a long connection with Wondai Hospital, and Cr Ros Heit attended the evening.
Bob will also be doing a painting for Wondai Art Gallery’s Pole Art which will be displayed in Proston.
He said he loved Forest View and the staff.
“It is not a hospital, it’s a home and everyone here is my family,” he said.
“I love to paint. The people here with me love the bright colours. They watch me paint and their eyes light up . . . actually, their whole face lights up.”
Bob has 35 of his paintings on sale which can be purchased through the Administration office at Forest View.
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