OnTheTown: Patrick Scott, who was conferred as a Saoi of Aosdána and presented with a gold torc by President Mary McAleese at a special ceremony at the Arts Council in Dublin this week, continues to paint, he said.
"I'm inclined to down tools when the sun comes out so I've been doing a lot of painting recently," continued the artist, who was born in 1921 in Kilbrittain, Co Cork.
Aosdána "will benefit hugely from his wise council in the years ahead", said Mary Cloake, director of the Arts Council.
"I've followed his journey all through until now, and he's still going places on that journey," said Anne Madden, whose own work is currently the subject of a major retrospective at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. "I would describe him as a Buddha. He has a certain Buddha-like quality about him that is unpretentious, accepting and more eastern than western in that sense."
"He is a model for us all on how to age as an artist," said poet Micheal O'Siadhail. "There's a peace to the way he's conducted his life, which is so admirable," he said.
"Is iontach an chalmacht agus a chrógacht a thaispeáin sé le linn a shaoil mar ealaíontóir," said poet and arts council member Theo Dorgan, praising the bravery and spirit that Scott has shown throughout his life as an artist. He remained faithful to his calling when there were no resources available, he added.
"He's just one of the greatest, loveliest people. I'm so thrilled to be here," said film-maker Lelia Doolan.
Aosdána, which honours artists engaged in a range of disciplines, was established in 1981. There can only be five saoithe and this honour is currently held by Seamus Heaney, Anthony Cronin and Louis le Brocquy, who were all present, and Brian Friel.
"This is an appointment for life, and it is invariably given only to artists of the very highest eminence - people who are considered by their artistic peers to be at the very peak of their professions," said Olive Braiden, chair of the Arts Council.
Among those in the packed room were composer Seoirse Bodley, sculptor Imogen Stuart, artists Cecily Brennan, Bernadette Kiely and Camille Souter, and Frances Kiely, the widow of Benedict Kiely, who wore this torc last.