By Helen Velissaris
Take it from Mary Colquhoun and Joyce Millen, both 101-years-young – the secret to longevity is plain food and hard work.
The ladies are two of three women from the Greater Dandenong area that have been immortalised in portraits for a special exhibition profiling 100 of Melbourne’s centenarians.
Each portrait is done by a local young artist, who takes control of the whole project from start to finish.
For many, it’s the first time they’ve had the opportunity to meet a centenarian.
Alkira Secondary School student Sally Contarino, 17, said she was nervous about meeting Mrs Colquhoun but soon eased into it.
“But Mary is a happy little lady, she’s always smiling and making jokes,” Sally said.
“It was really easy to get to know her and her history.”
Mrs Colquhoun’s humour was apparent when she said that her long life was down to not eating take away food.
“Everything was grown, jams were made, bread was made, mother only cooked with a camp oven,” she said.
Jessie Nugyen, 17, used her Vietnamese to help chat with 104-year-old Keysborough resident Thi Hoi Nugyen.
She made sure to include Mrs Nugyen’s challenging early life in Vietnam when she had to flee from political unrest.
The rickety bamboo rafts Mrs Nugyen had to use to escape from the north to the south of Vietnam are included in the portrait.
“It was a really tough journey,” the Keysborough College student said.
She said the hardest part of painting Mrs Nugyen was getting her expression right.
“She has a really bright face and she’s looking up so it’s a positive vibe,” she said.
Mrs Millen, the proud great grandmother of 33 and a great-great grandmother of three, thought her portrait was “very nice” and found all the fuss a bit much.
But, in looking back on her life, she thinks it was her hard work that gave her longevity and said she has no regrets.
An avid Geelong supporter, she was able to witness history in 1931.
“My uncle coached Geelong in 1931 to premiers,” she said.
“We were very excited.”
The three portraits will be included as a part of the 100 Portraits of 100-year-olds exhibition from 4-17 October.
They will be displayed at The Stables at the Meat Market, 2 Wreckyn Street, Melbourne, from 10am-5pm.
After the exhibition, the portraits will be given as gifts to the subjects.
