VICTORIA -- Timothy is a self-described creature of habit.
“I wake up at the same time,” he says. “Have the same amount of coffee.”
Then he putters about doing the same sorts of things, before having dinner with his family at 5 p.m., and accepting no phone calls after 8 p.m.
“You could set things to me,” Timothy smiles. “[It’s] almost like Groundhog Day!”
Then the pandemic made things definitely like Groundhog Day.
“The only thing I’ve missed during this pandemic was the option to do stuff,” he says.
Like in 2019, when he cycled from Victoria to Whistler on a vintage 3-speed bike to raise $13,000 for Alzheimer’s research.
“This year I thought, ‘Well, we can’t go anywhere,’” Timothy explains. “So I decided to do daily paintings.”
Timothy committed to creating a painting a day for the whole of 2021—all 365 days. He also decided to do a different theme each month.
“The first month was road signs,” he smiles. “Because we can’t go anywhere!”
He filled 8x10 canvases with bold acrylics depicting vintage signs—ranging from neon diners—to rusty bait shops.
February was a showcase of beloved pop culture figures from his childhood.
“It was Planet of the Apes, Farrah Fawcett,” he says. “It was Elvis.”
Because the pandemic has shutdown many art galleries, Timothy is showcasing his work on his Instagram and Facebook pages. He picks a painting at random and then, because he appreciates routine, posts it on social media at 8 a.m. every morning.
“I love the fun. I love the challenge [of daily painting],” Timothy smiles. “I love the fact that some people are setting their alarms so they can grab something because they really want it!”
This month, Timothy is painting a series of livestock because proceeds from the sales will support a campaign led by his friend, Jann Arden. The singer-songwriter is striving to stop Canada from transporting live horses thousands of kilometres overseas to be served as raw meat.
“The country was built on the backs of horses,” Arden said during a recent interview with CTV’s W5. “We owe them a debt of gratitude.”
In July, Timothy will mark the start of the Olympics by donating proceeds from his paintings to Can Fund in support of Canadian athletes struggling through the pandemic.
It seems this creature of habit’s daily ritual also includes being kind.
“I just think you have to embrace every day. Be thankful for what you get,” Timothy says. “And try to give back as often as you can.”