Art of Aging: Paint by Numbers

One man's paint-by-numbers hobby is keeping him and others entertained.

Bill Hirsch of Lafayette Hills, Pennsylvania is the first to tell you that he's not an artist.

Yet, the 87-year-old is meticulous in his creations, mixes his own colors and proudly displays his works.

When he first retired from the garment industry, he spent his spare time playing tennis. But then his knees gave out.

"I was looking for something to do and I happened to fall on the numbered paintings, which I fell in love with. It appealed to me because it was something that I could sit back and say, 'I finished it.'"

His works decorate the walls at Spring Mill Community where Bill lives with his wife of 66 years, Hannah, who recognizes the importance of Bill's hobby.

Hannah is also 87-years-old.

"When he started doing this it was (like) wonderful. The time he spends with this is precious to him. And in that time, I have hobbies that I do that I enjoy very much," said Hannah.

And Bill invests a lot of time into each painting.

"That particular one took me, I'd say, 3 to four months to complete. I'm not an artist. I really can't draw a straight line, but I enjoy doing the numbered paintings," said Bill.

With his paintings on display at Spring Mill, a lot of other people are now enjoying his works as well.

"It's very exciting to see it displayed," said Bill.

"It's thrilling, just thrilling. Oh, yeah, not just for his art. You should have seen him play tennis," (Laughs) Hannah.

For more stories about seniors, visit our Art of Aging section.