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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (3News.co.nz), October 2, 2008

Old art is often the most expensive, think Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet...

Four Wellington artists are not old masters, but they are old, and they are hoping their work might puncture a few misconceptions about aging.

Between them they are over 300 years old and each of their careers have spanned decades.

But age and experience are not the only thing these Wellingtonians share. They are all successful artists who have drawn inspiration from their surroundings.

“Well I’ve always loved the bush, the New Zealand bush. The feeling of it and the shapes, and the contrasts of greens,” says artist Avis Higgs.

The images 90-year-old Avis Higgs created in the years after World War Two have retained their appeal. Her designs recently featured on fabric used by local fashion label Starfish.

Her work, alongside that of Anne Munz, Michael Nicholson and Sir Michael Fowler, recently made up "Open Eyes, Open Minds". An exhibition designed to shed light on some of the misconceptions surrounding old age.

“It's up to you what you want to do and how you want to do it, we can help. Encourage people, show them they can have a wonderful life. It's not going to be terrible and it's not something to be scared of, but something that you can enjoy,” says Jan Owen, of Age Concern.

And these artists are a prime example. But with age does come some disadvantages.

“Perhaps the thing is that one doesn't paint as much as one would like to really, you know, everything seems to take longer than it did in the past,” laughs Avis.

And when you have been around the block as many times as these four have, slowing down a little is not too much of a problem.

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