Art FROM THE HEART!

A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT CONNECTED ONE TEEN WITH HER 101-YEAR-OLD BESTIE

- Katherine Chatfield

It’s not often a 16-year-old girl and a 101-year-old woman become friends. But when Leela Gibson John met Marion Wood last year, they both knew they’d found something special in each other.

“There’s laughter, dancing and memories whenever we meet,” says Marion, who celebrated her most recent birthday in January.

Leela agrees, saying: “Marion is easy to talk to and loves making people laugh. She’s so energetic.”

The Perth-based pair met through The Centenarian Portrait Project by Teenagers, a program matching young artists with senior citizens. It believes portraiture can help bridge the generational divide, by launching conversations between people of different backgrounds and life stages.