Amelia Willmer: Warwick grandmother quits office job to follow artistic passion

Tired of working in a ‘soul-destroying’ office job every day and inspired by the motto of ‘you only live once’, one ambitious woman says she decided to chase the things in life she believes matters.

Warwick grandmother Amelia Willmer left her office job to chase her atristic dreams and became a full-time artist. Photo: Contributed

After working in a corner office of a corporate industry for years, one Warwick grandmother says her passion for painting and motto that you ‘only live once’ inspired her to chase her dreams and become a full-time artist.

Art was originally just a hobby that Amelia Willmer was good at, but after years working in a “soul-destroying” corporate job, she decided to take a leap of faith and become a full-time artist.

Ms Willmer said she believed you’re never too old to learn and it was important to chase the things in life you are most passionate about.

“When you get into your 50s, … you really start to question what you’re doing with your life. I definitely think the message is, life’s short. If something really speaks to you and you love it, then go for it,” she said.

For Ms Willer this liberating moment came when she decided to go back to university as a mature-age student and enrol in painting at Queensland College of Art at Griffth University.

After finishing her degree and with the possibility to use her surroundings to inspire her artworks, Ms Willmer and husband Brian moved to Emu Vale from the Gold Coast 15 months ago.

“This tree change came and we decided it was time to go back to the country,” she said.

“We looked around every weekend until we finally found the perfect place at Emu Vale. It had glorious views and I thought, ‘Now I can start my studio here and really get into’.”

Warwick artist Amelia Willmer's work titled Foothills Queen Mary Falls. Photo: Contributed.

The move allowed her the opportunity to start up her studio, Art by Amelia Willmer, because she could be surrounded by beautiful scenery.

“What I’m really glad to see is how much art there is in Warwick, it’s actually very rich in the arts, a very vibrant place,” she said.

“People in Warwick are lovely and the lifestyle is much easier. Not to mention the parking.”

Ms Willmer says she loved the freedom and creativity that painting offers, and particularly enjoys oil painting.

“The moment I love is when you walk away (from your canvas), to make a coffee and you come back and go ‘Wow, OMG’. The paintings speak for themselves and are designed to be thought-provoking,” she said.

Ms Willmer’s 50-piece art exhibition called Proximities will open at the Warwick Art Gallery on August 26.

Originally published as Amelia Willmer: Warwick grandmother quits office job to follow artistic passion