After retiring from a career as an X-ray and mammogram tech at the young age of 62, DeeAnne Hansen of Farmington, Mo. taught herself to paint thanks to YouTube and experimentation.
“I taught myself to paint by trial and error and I also watched YouTube videos. I am not afraid to completely start over even though I may have spent weeks painting something,” said DeeAnne. “My policy is to finish each painting that I start. And honestly, I have a lot of paintings that are in a stack in a spare bedroom that I never liked when I finished them.”
Her first painting project, however, was too big to fit on any canvas.
“I wanted a mural on my dining room wall, and I wanted birds flying into a tree. I had come up with the idea that the birds would all be native to this area and that my grandkids could learn about the different birds from seeing them in the mural. That’s how I began. I painted only birds for several years until my husband said, ‘I think that’s enough birds,’” said DeeAnne.
So, she moved on to painting architecture.
“I really like to paint architecture,” said DeeAnne. “I have painted countless houses for people, and I have house paintings hanging around my house. I just like to think what it is like with the people in the house. I imagine what they are doing. I always like to make it look cozy, but not too cozy; realistic.”
DeeAnne is currently obsessed with painting horses and her talent for painting them is what led to her piece, “Breaking Free,” being named the Best of Show-Amateur winner for the 2026 Art is Ageless® Calendar.
While DeeAnne has competed in Art is Ageless® for nearly 10 years and has had her paintings featured on postcards and named as honorable mentions, this is the first time her work has appeared in the calendar. How did she react when she found out she was a Best of Show winner?
“My reaction was immense surprise. I thought a mistake had been made. It will probably never happen again, the competition is fierce,” said DeeAnne. “I have really enjoyed participating in Art is Ageless® and enjoy seeing what other artists have done.”
DeeAnne entered the local Art is Ageless competition at Farmington Presbyterian Manor in Farmington, MO.
As for her process, DeeAnne finds painting “extremely relaxing,” and her approach may be a little unconventional compared to others. “I paint in the middle of the night in my bathroom. I am usually a little sleep deprived, but I like the absolute solitude of painting in the night.”
When she doesn’t have a paint brush in her hand and isn’t catching up on sleep, DeeAnne is active in her church and works with a children’s puppet ministry.