Life begins at 90: Artist Charles Billich is just getting started
They’re known for their unconventional marriage, legendary parties and his much lauded paintings. Now, socialites Charles and Christa Billich reveal the secret to their long marriage and youthful outlook — and why life is just getting better with age.
Sydney Weekend
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sydney Weekend. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Charles Billich has painted the Pope; had work hung by the White House, the United Nations and royal families; and recently the famed artist celebrated his 90th birthday with a kilo of caviar and no plans of slowing down.
The eccentric Sydney multi-millionaire is painting while he talks to Sydney Weekend, perfecting pieces he says are his best yet.
He paints as he does every day with his wife Christa Billich — 11 years his junior and former Real Housewives of Sydney star — by his side.
The pair, who stand by the success of their famously controversial open marriage, live in a grand old Darlinghurst penthouse surrounded by the finer things, with social lives most 20-year-olds would envy.
They’re out every night, drinking Champagne.
They’re hosting parties, travelling the world and if Charles has a paintbrush in one hand and a wine glass in another before noon, it’s a good day.
“Charles is amazing,” Christa says. “I mean he’s 90, but he is just so brilliant.
“He has a very positive and very healthy attitude to life and to the future. We are very blessed in so many ways, so we are well.
“The blessing is, first of all, that we are able to live to this incredible age, but live to enjoy every day of it, and have enjoyed very good health.
“People are normally stunned when somebody is 90, and health, obviously, is very important … but besides that, is your personality.
“If you have a personality which is outgoing and chatty and you embrace life, the rest of the community and much younger people than us, they’re embracing us, and that makes the difference between the ages almost a non-event.
“Being outgoing and being very positive, I think is one of the most important parts of ageing.”
Charles ponders his wife’s words, pouring himself another glass of wine — with the steady hand he’s proud of.
“That’s probably another important part of staying happy, healthy and positive – having a glass of wine for lunchtime,” Christa laughs.
“Who would have thought?” she says of the 40th wedding anniversary they will celebrate in 2026.
“You know, it started rough and rocky and, well, we just sailed into better waters, calmer waters, and now it’s quite pleasant to be married.”
This is Charles’s fifth marriage, and the one that stuck.
The socialite couple have two children of the four-legged variety — another key to staying young — the adored chihuahua Charlie and Bengal cat Lucifer who is walked on a leash and loves going to restaurants.
While we talk, Charles is also eating a small snack of beans. Beans are full of fibre, he tells me.
“You want to reach old age, eat beans,” he laughs.
“It’s poetry to me when people comment on this strangeness of the fact that there is no tremor in my hand, and I thank them for the compliment for being so observant, because as years go by, my hold on the brush is firmer and firmer.
“My vision is more sharp and my perception is more investigative, and I get more and more interested in things that normally I would have dismissed, for instance, religious experiences, which are also very closely linked to the orgasmic.”
While most mornings he would like to stay in bed, it doesn’t take long to change his mind — especially as one of his first tasks as the sun rises is to fetch his bride of 38 years a coffee.
“I feel like staying in bed … but then again, after a few seconds, I change my mind, and I say, ‘Well, I’m still alive, therefore I have to demonstrate that I am alive, and therefore I have to do my exercise, and therefore I have to change the role of my life,’” he continues.
“Normally, I’m known as a painter, but in the morning, anytime between 6.30 and 8.30am, as a butler for my wife … the first cappuccino and a very radical and rustic breakfast.”
This interview has interrupted important brushstrokes on a painting he started a month ago. But he’s feeling inspired. And it’s a very interesting subject matter, he tells me.
“It deals with the divisions that are supplied in a moment of ecstasy generated by such (things) as orgasms,” he explains.
“I don’t think I have any shyness about revealing my take on a very ambiguous subject … I don’t think that many artists have attempted to depict such an event, such an experience, and that is a challenge.
“Challenges are very necessary in my life.”
He and Christa first met in 1985 when she wanted to buy some paintings.
“I was taken aback a little bit to find a follower who was attractive, young and desirable – it was a great event,” Charles says.
“I said: ‘I will do your portrait, your head and shoulders,’ and away we went and started to sketch each other.
“Christa went to the bedroom and she changed into something more revealing, and by the time she came back to the position, she had actually totally denuded herself.
“And I said, ‘Christa, remember I said head and shoulders,’” he laughs.
“And we laughed about it, and then our relationship started,” Christa continues.
“We married very quickly.
“I was really interested in an art gallery, and we had an art gallery before we actually got married, so we started out a new business and then a new relationship, obviously, that’s run into problems, but I think we realised that it was going to be complicated to bring that all together in a nice, plain fashion.
“So we decided to have an open relationship – which was very, very unusual at the time, 40 years ago – but I think that basically saved the relationship.
A traditional marriage, Charles could never have followed that through. And I must say, I shouldn’t have expected it, because his wedding vows were: ‘I will always be loyal, but I will never be faithful.’ So what do you expect?”
With a European background, Christa was more open to the idea than her Australian friends may have been.
“Yes, I did love the man, but I also like the artist,” she says. “And I had already an art gallery, it was a bit of a mixture of loving the man or loving the artist. And I think loving the artist definitely has taken over.”
“I think she’s in love with my art,” confirms Charles. “And nowadays, I don’t blame her — I think it has got better and better as time went by.
“When we first met, my art was on the crude side, it was a bit hesitant and embracing a variety of subjects, or more figurative than constructivist — and things have changed.
“It feels better — and now I conclude that an artist’s life begins at 90.”
In his 90th year, he’s even come up with a new style of painting and was recently signed on as the artist in residence at Sydney’s Fullerton Hotel.
The former GPO celebrated its own milestone this year, with the building turning 150.
To celebrate his big birthday they had partygoers come from all over the country to celebrate at The Fullerton – and because you don’t have the pleasure of talking to hundreds of people properly in one night, they had three other functions … as you do.
“We had maybe about 25 people came to the after-party, and the next day we had a sit down dinner in the heritage ballroom at The Fullerton which was sensational,” Christa says.
“I mean, this ballroom is really something – so we had 40 people for six hours, and that was also very well received.
“Then we had a smaller party on Saturday and a lunch party at Icebergs on the Sunday, so we’ve done well.”
For them, going out is part of the fun, even in their twilight years.
“We are bombarded by invitations left, right and centre,” Charles says.
“The older we get, the more invites we get, which is bit strange don’t you think, anachronistic — however we enjoy it, and my main concern is the dedication of most of my time to artwork because, let’s face it, an artist’s work is labour intensive.
“There is no industrial aspect to art. Is a pure, unadulterated creation.”
“I must say, we love going out, and we enjoy having our friends around us,” Christa agrees.
“And we very seldom say no to an invitation, because it’s part of keeping you younger and it’s part of keeping you connected.
“And it makes us who we are.”
Born in Croatia, the renowned surrealist painter often likened to Salvador Dali, has had a colourful life.
In his teens, the man of faith thought he may become a priest.
Since becoming an artist he’s painted portraits of John Pope Paul II, former US president George Bush, former Australian prime minister John Howard and British actor Audrey Hepburn to name a few.
He also spent two years in jail in Yugoslavia for writing satirical articles in a magazine.
“Well, the most exhilarating moment in my life was when I was suddenly allowed to get out of jail,” he recalls.
“I was serving a sentence of 10 years for sedition because I wasn’t tolerating the communist dictatorial regime in Europe.
“Brought up and educated, I believe in freedom and liberties and free speech and all the kind of stuff that goes with freedom and living in a free world … so when the moment of release happened … it gives you, suddenly, unexpectedly, a bonus of 10 or eight years of life.
“Which is also orgasmic in a way, you could say. I’ve met two popes … you can hardly believe it’s speaking to the leading connection we have with the Divine.
“Of course, the Pope couldn’t give me much time to discuss theological issues and religion and morals, normally the privilege only the clergy has to get involved in discussion.
“I was to become a priest myself in my late teens, and I was an altar boy for a number of years, and I still remember to pray some moments of our daily life.”
Charles studied art in Salzburg before arriving in Australia at 21.
Christa – originally from Germany – came to Australia at the age of 20, with $100 to her name.
Today, their Champagne and caviar lifestyle is far different from the worlds they escaped — and they say that’s worth celebrating.
“We have a gallery, so I’ll go into the gallery at least four or five times a week and I love being with my loyal and amazing staff plus, of course, with our clientele,” Christa continues.
“That in itself, is very stimulating.
“You sort of are attached to Billich because we are surrounded by the paintings and everybody talks about Billich, but you still have your own life.
“You have your own desires and your own destiny, and you meet new people almost every day, and it is exactly what people read about — when you get older that you should continue being social. You should continue to go out.
“Just continue to meet people, because that is what keeps you mentally, physically active.”
They don’t believe in retirement, so more painting, travel and Champagne beckon.
Next year they’re off to the Grand Prix in Monaco, and then there’s his exhibition in Paris in September, which will be a highlight of his 91st year.
“We just don’t believe in retiring,” Christa says.
“But that is the pleasure of getting older, because when you’re older, you don’t have these small little problems anymore, and if they do come, you don’t take them seriously.
“If you can do what you want, if you are free, if you’re healthy, you can travel, you can make new friends, you’ve just got to be open to it.
“We are blessed, both of us.
“I think you should nurture yourself.
“You should say: ‘I’m fine, I’m fit, I’m healthy – let’s go out and grab the life we have with both hands.’”
Join the conversation
If you own this dog breed you officially give zero f****
If you own this type of dog you’re incredibly comfortable in your own skin and personality.
Read more
‘When it hits you, it’s like wow’: Irwin’s mental health awakening
Robert Irwin might be known for wrestling crocs and wrangling celebrities in the jungle, but he admits he also wrestles with self doubts and mental health challenges, too.
Read more