By Dafydd Young

Canadian ambassador Sylvia Cesaratto will start the New Year with an official opening for an exhibition of paintings at the Crown Plaza Hotel, by fellow Quebecer Germain Courchesne.

Retirement  is not a word that appears often in the vocabulary of former Courchesne. After a  career representing workers in the food industry  in Montreal, he moved to the Dominion Republic before discovering Panama and setting up house in Veracruz, a stone’s throw from Panama City, and  amply  suited for a laid back retirement when up popped an undiscovered talent which had lain  dormant while spending a lifetime at  the negotiating table.

Courchesne comes from a Quebec  family with  multiple proofs of artistic flair …. a father who was a clothes designer,  one brother a successful painter and art consultant, and another who  built a career creating works in glass.

Five  years ago, Courchesne took to spending  his idle hours “dabbling”  with acrylics on canvas.

 He was soon hooked, and and with guidance from some knowledgeable friends he moved slowly forward from dabbling amateur to becoming an accomplished acrylic artist.  His paintings have been on display around Panama, at  a show in Montreal and in the Xavier Cadeau Gallery in New York

While devoting most of his days to his easel and paints  he still found time  for rehearsals for a  a role in the recent successful  Murder Mystery Dinner theater  three night stand, Last call at Chez Mort, produced by the CanadaPLUS  Club and directed by another Quebec expat, Gerry Roy.

On January 10 his works will appear at the Crown Plaza and all, particularly fellow Canadians, are welcome to attend the official unveiling at 7pm. Put it in your diary.