From humble beginnings in Florence to being made a prisoner of war in north Africa, living with artists in New York and finally settling down in Sipson, West Drayton, 90-year-old Sergio Salvagnini has certainly lived life to the full.
Having been cast as a 'good-for-nothing dreamer' by one former employer when his love of all things artistic got in the way of his work, Sergio believes he is finally living his dream, having built up a large collection of his own sculptures, paintings, sketches and poetry.
"When I was a boy growing up in Florence, my father told me from an early age that I needed to learn a trade. But I was far more interested in writing poetry and painting and sculpting; anything to do with art fascinated me.
"My father's opinion of artists were that they were layabouts and allergic to real work.
"I began working as an 11-year-old. Again my father would tell me 'learn a trade, then you will never starve'. However, I also wanted my heart and soul fed, and art was the only way I could do this."
He did follow his father's instructions and trained as a pastry cook. When the second world war began, he enlisted in the Italian army.
January 3, 1941 is a day Sergio will never forget. His battalion of 120 men was involved in a fierce battle near Cairo and only 19 of them survived.
As a prisoner of war he was moved between Palestine, South Africa and Glasgow.
"I was well treated and during this time we learned the British people were good and began asking ourselves why we had to go to war.
"I moved back to Italy after the war and went to work in a pastry shop but art was still my true love.
I worked hard and my first painting saw me sacrifice many lunches and dinners, but at least I was happy."
In 1954 Sergio came back to England and worked long shifts at the Trocadero so that he could afford to study at St Martin's School of Art. He eventually settled in Sipson in 1962 after living in Soho, New York and the Bahamas.
"I have a son who lives in America and four grandchildren.
"I don't paint or draw as much as I used to do because I get tired and need my rest. I think my poetry is better than my sculptures or paintings but it's in Italian so it limits my audience. My dining room is a studio and is like my personal museum with lots of my work in it.
"I have had a lot of adventure in my life and I am happy to do what I always dreamed of doing. If I die soon, I can say I did what I wanted to do so much, ever since I was a little boy strolling around the streets of Florence."
* Sergio is looking for a volunteer to translate some of his poems from Italian into English. If you are interested in doing this, please call Jerry Lyons on 01895 451 026.
