As an artist Steven Conway is best known for seascapes, but one portrait does take pride of place in his latest show Paint it Out — that of his old car mechanic Morrison “Mice” Brangman.

“He had a garage near Marsh Folly,” Mr Conway said. “I took my car to him for years. He was a great mechanic and a great guy.”

However, the last time Mr Conway and his wife, Carolyn, took their car to him, Mr Brangman said he was retiring.

“I said that was too bad and asked to take his photograph,” the retired structural surveyor remembered.

The next time Mr Conway drove by the shop Mr Brangman was gone.

“I did not know where he went,” he said.

Over the next few years the couple kept busy with their art. Mr Conway enjoys painting around the island with the Bermuda Plein Air Group on Sunday mornings.

“Carolyn, a teacher, is often out riding her bike at that time,” he said.

Her work is inspired by her time swimming with the Bermuda Open Water Mermaid Group.

Recently, they used a taxi to transport more than 40 paintings to the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery at City Hall in Hamilton for Paint it Out.

“When we passed the location of Mice’s old shop, I asked the taxi driver if he knew what happened to him,” Mr Conway said.

The taxi driver said Mr Brangman had died, but he knew of a nephew, Gino Brangman. The driver contacted Mr Brangman and told him about the portrait.

Curious, Gino Brangman attended the opening of Paint it Out last week.

“He was surprised that there was a portrait of his uncle,” Mr Conway said. “He did not have many photographs of him, so he was happy.”

For the Conways, the biggest surprise was how much Mr Brangman looked like his uncle, down to the moustache.

Mr Conway has now taken the portrait off the sale block and plans to give it to Gino Brangman as a gift.

Paint it Out is the Conway’s second art show. They sold seven or eight paintings in their first event a few years ago, but said that was never their ultimate ambition.

“We just want to share what we have done so others can enjoy the work,” Mr Conway said.

Paint it Out can be found in the Onions Gallery at the BSoA alongside Lillian Ralston’s photography show Passing By.

“She captures the beauty in Bermuda’s abandoned buildings,” Mr Conway said. “Her images taken in moments of wandering, noticing and pausing to capture structures, objects and botanicals that are themselves passing by: eroding, reclaiming, adapting, or surrendering.”

The Conways had never met Ms Ralston before the show but are now friends.

“Her work complements ours,” he said.

Mr Conway has always loved art. As a teenager, he had the choice between art college and a job in a surveyor’s office.

“You hear all these stories about starving artists,” he said. “I thought I would rather get paid £11 a week and went to work for the surveyor.”

He has no regrets.

The adjoining Edinburgh Gallery at BSoA also has a show of watercolours by Emma Ingham called My Bermuda.

Paint it Out will be on until December 16.