WATERFORD, Conn. — Sitting inside a second-story gathering room at Atria Senior Living Crossroads Place in Waterford, 104-year-old Libby Buffithis was putting her deft touches on yet another painting.
“I’ll be 105 in three months,” Libby, who is a great-grandmother four times over said.
She's all about her newfound passion, painting.
“I like a new project and I like to see that I can still do things,” said Libby.
Libby joined artist Carolyn McNeil’s painting class a year ago, when she was 103, and hasn’t stopped creating new works since.
McNeil, who is also a muralist, said of Libby, “It is inspiring, absolutely, because you can say that just because someone is old doesn’t mean they are going to be sitting down twiddling their thumbs – she’s got something else going on.”
Libby, who is from nearby Norwich said she has no plans to stop painting anytime soon.
“My efforts are small, but some people think I am pretty good,” she said.
Michael Cairns, the culinary director at Atria Senior Living Crossroads Place said of Libby, “She’s amazing… she just gets in and does what she loves and this whole place is inspired by her.”
Cairns added that he hopes to have Libby’s artworks displayed publicly at Crossroads sometime soon.
"If I am a little bit of an inspiration to others that’s wonderful," Libby said.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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