Winston Churchill discovered painting when he was in his 40s, and after that rarely traveled without his paint box. It was a source of tranquility — “a friend who makes no undue demands” — said the renowned British statesman, who produced more than 500 pieces now housed in museums and private collections around the world. They range from landscapes and seascapes to still-life subjects and portraits, most brushed in oil.

Timothy Riley, the curator of paintings at the National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri, discusses the hobby that became Churchill’s passion. Co-presented by the British Consulate General, Chicago, the presentation underscores Churchill’s historic ties to Missouri — he gave his Iron Curtain speech at Fulton’s Westminster College in 1946 — and is part of a week of events and activities in Kansas City designed by the consulate to strengthen links between Britain and KC.