Belinda Tartaglia is living proof that it is never too late to follow your dreams.

And on Friday the 48-year-old advertising executive will realise one of her own ambitions when she opens her one-woman show at the Masterworks Gallery in Hamilton.

The show, entitled `Coming Out' will feature several watercolour and acrylic paintings by the enthusiastic artist.

Mrs. Tartaglia has been getting up at 4.30 a.m. every day to find time to paint. And she hopes this show will be just the start of a glittering career as a painter.

Mrs. Tartaglia loved to paint and draw as a child but put down her brushes after leaving school to start bringing up a family.

But several years ago she decided it was time to get back to her first passion -- and this week's show will see the culmination of all those years of work.

"As a child I always wanted crayons at Christmas,'' Mrs. Tartaglia explained.

"If there hadn't been art classes at High School then I don't think I would have gone.

"But I stopped drawing and painting when I left school. It just wasn't the done thing for people to go to art school back then.

"But a few years ago I was sitting in one night -- I was the only one who didn't have a date -- and decided to pick up some pencils and scrap paper and start drawing.

"Art is a passion with me -- it's like breathing, I just have to do it.

"I've never had any formal training, I'm self taught, although I did attend a class at the Chelsea School of Art in London.

"I have to paint what moves me. I have to focus myself on where I want to be and what I really want to do is paint -- day and night.

"I'm going to be donating 25 percent of the proceeds of this show to the Multiple Sclerosis charity because I feel I've been blessed and I want to give something back.

"But I don't agree that, if you're in your 80s, you still can't fulfil your dreams and follow your heart. Two years ago I said that I was going to have my own show but it was really just a dream and a bit of a joke. Now here I am -- and this is only the start of it. I am nervous and I just haven't been able to concentrate on anything else lately - but it's so exciting - a dream come true.'' Mrs. Tartaglia's work will be on display to the public at the Masterworks Gallery on Front Street from this Saturday, July 25, and will run for two weeks.

Belinda Tartaglia Graphic file name: BELTAR