More than half a century after he graduated, respected artist and former politician Robert V. Barritt is still being honoured for his contributions to Mount Allison University.

Mr. Barritt, who took his first course at Mount Allison in 1943, is being honoured at a reception in the New Brunswick school for his contributions to the Owen's Art Gallery, and a programme which hopes to reach out to the community. The programme brings students to the gallery and gives them small interactive booklets, which they then give to their family.

"I'm hoping that the university will help further develop the programme," he said. "It really is a very good program."

Mr. Barritt knows how influential art can be for a child, as he was turned onto art at a young age and has been involved with the art world ever since.

After studying at Mount Saint Agnes and Saltus, Mr. Barritt turned his eyes to Canada to further his artistic talents, going to school at the now defunct Mount Allison Academy for Boys, while taking art classes at the university.

"The plan was that I was going to spend one year at the university, and then come back and go into the family business," he said. "That was the plan."

After that one year of university, the professors at the school approached him and his family, asking him to to take the full, four year course in fine arts. His family accepted.

Mr. Barritt graduated from Mount Allison in 1950, and while he did step into the family business, he also continued to produce art, earning great acclaim.

"I'm not a 'pretty picture' painter," he said. "I try to paint what's going on, what people feel."

This desire to paint the situations Bermuda found itself in during the 1950's led Mr. Barritt to paint about the Bermudian civil rights movement.

"I'm a painter of the three R's. Not reading, writing and arithmetic. Rum, race and religion," he said.

While he began to paint less after the 1950's, instead focusing on business and later politics, Mr. Barritt still has painting in his heart.

Hanging in his dining room, surrounded by the art of his friends, is the original of his 1960 painting 'Two Weeks Before Christmas at Government House', one of three paintings which he intends to donate to the National Gallery's permanent collection. Once it's out of his dining room, he suggested he may try to paint something new to go in its place.

"I have paintings that I really want to do, and some that I've started," he said. "Everybody is on my case. I really have no excuse."

Mr. Barritt is looking forward to returning to Mount Allison for the reception in his honour, to be held on June 17. Along with attending the event, he also plans to spend some time with many of his friends from his days at University, including his roommate who he still keeps in contact with.

"I enjoy going back to the maritime provinces. They're good people," he said.