JIM TEMENAK

I grew up in Chicago and feel fortunate to call San Diego home. After studying engineering, I spent a long career in the corporate world, in marketing and most recently as a lobbyist in Washington, DC, relocating often across the country before retiring in 2005.

I came to painting late, and I have my wife Aurelia to thank for it. She decided I needed a hobby besides golf, karaoke and fixing things, and she saw a creative streak in me that I didn't know I had. She talked me into taking a watercolor class with her. We lasted two sessions. Watercolor and I never connected, but acrylics were another story, and I have been painting ever since.

My approach is spontaneous. In my messy, paint-splattered studio, with my favorite oldies blasting, I let loose with vibrant color and rich texture and let each canvas develop on its own rather than toward a planned result. After a career built on structure and problem-solving, that freedom to explore is what I love most.

At 80, I still play a lot of golf, sing karaoke and fix things, but painting has become my number one passion, and Aurelia is my most enthusiastic cheerleader. Artistic talent seems to run in our family, including our granddaughter, who is pursuing a career in animation.

Giving back to the community matters to Aurelia and me. We are privileged to sponsor the art galleries at San Diego Oasis, where we work with local artists of all ages to bring art to the walls of the Oasis Centers for Lifelong Learning.