A new exhibition at Meaford Hall showcases a story of love and shared passion that found fulfillment in Meaford. Chuck Finley and Margot Bodwell met in Toronto in the late 1930s, where they both worked in the Advertising Department at Eaton’s. The romance blossomed, though they waited till 1954 to marry, with war service and busy careers occupying much of the intervening years.

When they both retired, in 1967, Chuck brought Margot home to his native Meaford, and in their retirement years, they found time to devote to their shared passion for painting.

Their works capture many sides of Meaford. Chuck’s work in oils depicted local landscapes, and Margot focused on watercolours of old barns, houses and municipal buildings. Neighbours and friends admired their work, and Chuck’s and Margot’s paintings hung on the walls of many a Meaford home.

Last year, a group of volunteers decided to mount a retrospective of their work, and they put out a call for paintings owned by people in the community. Committee Chair, Jack Morgan, notes that the careers of the two artists spanned much of the 20th century and that this retrospective exhibit would attempt to document some small part of that history as reflected in the lives of the artists.

The Charles and Margot Finley Retrospective Exhibition opens on Wednesday, with a reception in the Meaford Hall Galleries on Thursday. Admission is free.

The Exhibition runs till July 30.