As a tribute to people who lived about 50 years ago ? artist William John Gringley thought his paintings could breathe new life through memories into them.

?The act of painting the scenes was educational and immersed me in a world gone by, which was both engaging and quite profound,? he said. ?I?m hoping that people will see the show and that it will bring back memories of folks dressed formally back then for every occasion ? no T-shirts or shorts, which makes for a great painting.?

Mr. Gringley show ?Past and Present? opens at the Bermuda Society of Arts on Friday at 5.30 p.m. until 7.30 p.m.

His paintings are almost always oil on canvas, he said.

?It?s the most stable and it?s naturally mildew resistant because the back of the canvas breathes,? said Mr. Gringley.

?The colours are also very stable and can be hung in direct sunlight without ever fading. I use a certain brand of oil paints and mediums developed recently by conservators in Italy, and the paintings are guaranteed not to yellow or discolour over time.?

For the former Saltus Grammer student, art is a view into a time past. ?My art is for me is a window into a world frozen in time,? he said. ?I paint whenever I can, almost full-time. I have also worked for local designers and contractors producing high-end finishes and murals.

?The time spent on a piece varies, I like to leave them and return weeks later with a ?new eye?. That?s often when the breakthrough comes. I like to say that it takes a lifetime, because of all my learned experience and knowledge is used.?

Mr. Gringley?s love for painting and drawing stemmed from childhood and he has been winning awards ever since.