"Back then, when old friends got together, they would discuss what they were going to do when they retired. Some said that they wanted to fish; others wanted to play golf. Me, I decided to fool around with something that I had previously had little opportunity to be around." And that's how he became an artist.
對此，施哲三總有套標準答案：「那時候，老朋友們聚在一起總會聊到退休生活，有人說退休後要釣魚，有人要盡情打高爾夫，我嘛，我決定選個一輩子沒機會接觸的事來玩玩，就這樣一頭栽進油彩世界。」