Inspired in lockdown, 12-year-old Halifax boy paints Atlantic Canadian scenes

A 12-year-old boy in Halifax is using his free time in lockdown to teach himself a new skill watercolour painting.

Carter Noseworthy, who has always had an interest in drawing as well as athletics, said he was inspired to try something new.

Within a month of his first attempt, through experimenting and abit of patience, Noseworthy was creatingwatercolour sketches of sites in Halifax and other cities in Atlantic Canada.

"You can easily do it anywhere you are, you can go to buildings downtown, and it's very relaxing to do at home, I really enjoy it," he said.

The key to successful watercolour painting? Don'tget hung up on making things perfect.

"Watercolour, you can be really fluentwith it, just do whatever you picture, and it'll turn out great."

Hestarted posting his pictures on Instagram and hopes other people will enjoy his art, too.

"I find Maritime buildings really funto draw, because I find they look really appealing when they're finished, I like the older look to them,"said Noseworthy, who wants to be an architect when he grows up.

Originally from Newfoundland, the boy is missing the scenery of his home province and is eager to visitwith his family when travel is allowed again.

One of his first pieces was ofSt. Patrick's Church in St. John's, where his grandparents got married. He sent it to them as a gift, and said they were "very impressed."

His mother, Colleen Wade Noseworthy, is equally impressed with her son's multitude of talents. The aspiring architect is also a competitive athlete, training 16 hours a week in gymnastics before the lockdown closed gyms and other facilities.

His mother said he's always been creative, whether he's sketching on paper or building with clay, wood, sea glassor other materials.

"To see him construct an image, in sometimes under 30 minutes, and then paint it in about five more minutes, it's just kind of mind-blowing for me ... I think it's a gift," she said.

And while Carter creditsboth his parentsfor passing down the gifthis motherdabbles in sea-glass creationsand his father is a painter his mother calls it a silver lining of the time spent locked down.

"We're all going through some sort of depression or loneliness or isolation or, God forbid, sickness. But sometimes bright lights or positive things can shine through."