by Suzanne Arden

This year I’m grateful for a new friend, who is 105 years old. Marilee is a sculptor who worked in metal until she turned 95, when the materials became too heavy.  So, needing another creative outlet, she picked up photography, taking private lessons and mastering Photoshop. Since she doesn’t go out alone, she finds inspiration in her apartment, scanning fabrics and building graphic montages on the computer. Her recent one-woman show sold out its 22 photographs! We saw the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit together, and her artist’s perspective on line and color was a class in itself.  Yes, she’s blessed with good genes, but she’s also a reminder to me to stay curious and keep learning.