Last year, we launched an initiative called The Next Chapter, focusing on the rewards and challenges of growing older.

As part of this initiative, we're introducing a new segment called Thrivers, celebrating older Kentuckians who aren't retiring necessarily, but rather rewiring their next season of life.

Tonight, we meet Alma Lucille Allen.

The Louisville native shattered barriers after becoming the first African-American chemist at Brown-Forman Beverage Company.

After retiring, she then embarked on a second act.

As inspiring as her first becoming a celebrated fiber and ceramics artist.

Allen's life has been about breaking molds, both figuratively and literally, and proving reinvention and excellence have no age limit.

While I'm named for my father and then my household, it was Alma, Alma, Lucille and Alma Johnson.

Hammons Junior and three Alma's.

Some call me Alma Lucille, and some call me Alma.

Some call me Lucille.

I just consider myself as Alma Lucille.

She may share a name with two other people, but there's no doubt 93 year old Elmer Lucille Allen is one of a kind.

I say I'm here.

Take me as I am.

And I haven't changed.

She may not have changed, but Allen, who grew up during segregation, did bring changed to one of Kentucky's key industries.

After the Louisville native graduated from college in 1953 with a degree in chemistry and math.

She went to work for Brown-Forman Beverage Company.

And was the first African-American chemist there at Brown-Forman in 1966.

And I stayed there 30 years.

It was a health issue that would eventually lead this trailblazer to her second career as a celebrated ceramics and fiber artist.

People say, Well, how did you get so involved in ceramics?

Well, I got involved with ceramics because I was having problems with my arms and hand, and I was told to take a ceramic class and I made two pieces.

And would you believe I still have those pieces?

And they were made in 1977, and I'm still a hand builder.

A lifelong learner.

You should never stop learning.

Allen enrolled in art classes at the University of Louisville.

That was 1981 when I first took my first class here.

In 2002.

She received her Masters of Creative Arts from Louisville.

And I'm still taking classes.

Since getting her masters, Allen has gone on to establish herself as one of the most influential artists in Louisville.

You got to have a desire to be who you want to be.

While going from chemist to artist may seem like a big leap.

Allen insists it wasn't.

She says developing bourbon and creating art both draw on elements.

She's familiar with math and chemistry.

It's chemistry.

Everything you have is chemistry.

You see all these sculptures?

I'll be learning.

It's built on chemistry.

It starts with a geometry and chemistry.

They go together.

So I'm going to.

I'm going to roll this out and you actually see it.

Allen has created thousands of ceramics and fiber art pieces with her work showcased in numerous exhibitions at galleries around the country.

I like ceramics because I can be with people.

Yeah, like where I'm doing cement, doing fiber.

I'm by myself.

I do a lot.

Lot of folding and stitching.

And it might take months to create one piece and all, but it's relaxing and you can do it at home.

But like I say, But you make it from your heart and you're glad.

I'm glad people enjoy what that what I create.

When she's not creating art, Allen is creating opportunities for other artists.

She has volunteered her time curating and hosting exhibits for local artists.

She says she attends as many openings as she can to show support for artists, particularly female artists and those of color.

Allen is a founding member of both the Kentucky Coalition of African-American Arts and the Arts Council of Louisville and developed Kentucky's first African American Arts Directory.

She has received numerous awards for her contribution to the arts and the community, including Kentucky's Community Arts Lifetime Local Achievement Award.

She was also the first recipient of the Governor's Award in the Arts for Community Arts.

Yeah, I think people need to be involved.

Allen believes being in service to others is one of the keys to her longevity.

You need to give back.

That's important.

You learn from others, but you need to give back.

Other keys.

Staying mentally and physically active and connecting with others.

You need to get out.

You need to leave home.

You need to have friends.

I leave home almost every day going somewhere.

I'm 93.

Not many people.

93 are able to get up and go every day.

As for her legacy, Allen says she doesn't think much about it.

You do things that you don't realize.

It, that you're doing something.

I encourage myself, I think that you you have to will to be something that you want to be.

What an inspiration.

And a rock star.

Allen continues to add to her extensive list of honors.

Last year, she was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame for her contributions to the industry.

She also received an honorary doctorate from Spalding University, where she was one of the first African American graduates.

The University will host the seventh annual Alma Lucille Allen Conference on African American Studies next month.

For more on how to thrive as we age, log on.

Watch online on demand at Katy Dot slash the next chapter.

There you're going to find a lot of aging related topics and videos and other helpful resources.