“My life was all about sports. I started with athletics,” Willy De Page says, pointing back to a personal best of 1:54 in the 800 meters. But at the age of 20, the untimely death of his father redirected Willy’s path towards managing the family garage instead of pursuing his passions for sports and painting. And it wasn’t until he reached the age of 40 that Willy rediscovered his love for running, eventually achieving the title of Belgian veteran champion.
“I practically grew up in the garage. We started selling Volkswagen and Studebaker, then taking up Audi,” he tells Tervuren+. Judo was another of passion, also as the founder of Tervuren’s judo club, along with a keen interest in cycling. “I’ve had a few falls recently,” he adds.
“Art has always been a part of me since childhood — painting and drawing. But I couldn’t pursue it further. At 18, I had to start working, and then came two children,” he says.
Willy’s vibrant artworks, or what he calls ‘rainbow swirls,’ passionately depict the world around him. And his works are on display during the Artiestentoer this Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, from 11 am to 6 pm.
As part of the Artiestentoer, you can visit Willy’s exhibition on 2 Klarastraat, just off the Markt. More info at https://galerie-garage-depage.be
The Artiestentoer continues until Sunday, May 12. For more information, visit https://artiestentoertervuren.be online.
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