Katy artist Annie DiGiovanni received awards for two works in CC Young Senior Living’s 2026 Spirit Is Ageless Art & Writing Contest, which celebrates creativity among North Texas adults age 55 and older.

DiGiovanni earned recognition in the Drawing & Illustration category for “Bluebonnet Bliss” and “Are We There Yet?” -- both completed at age 68. She will be recognized during an awards celebration Oct. 23 in Dallas.

Retirement has given this lifelong artist more time to create portraits of people and animals, and she prefers sharing them to keeping them. As she put it, “I don’t like to hold onto my pieces. I like them to be out in the world.”

Born in Cleveland, DiGiovanni has loved art since childhood. She graduated from Ursuline College in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and a major in art. When she considered following her mother and sister into nursing, her mother encouraged her to stick with art and use her talent.

Portraits, especially animal portraits, are her favorite subjects. She works from photographs and enjoys colored pencils for their versatility, though she has experimented with watercolor and other media. She estimates that a piece typically takes about eight hours.

DiGiovanni moved to Katy in 2021 after her husband, a mechanical engineer, relocated there for his work with British Petroleum. They live in Cinco Ranch, and the couple has two adult daughters and grandchildren who live in the Dallas area. DiGiovanni retired in 2020 after more than 40 years in senior living. She began at The Montefiore Home in Cleveland in 1979, then worked at Golden Acres–Dallas Home for Jewish Aged from 1981 to 2012. Her roles there evolved from art specialist to director of independent living. DiGiovanni also worked as a life enrichment specialist at Legacy Senior Living in Plano from 2013 to 2015, then served as Director of The Friendship Club Senior Day Center at CC Young in Dallas from 2015 to 2020.

Although her career wasn’t exclusively focused on art, she used her creativity throughout her work, including teaching art classes.

DiGiovanni first entered Spirit Is Ageless in 2018 while working at CC Young, developing on art pieces which she wanted to feature in the exhibit. She has continued entering since moving to Katy.

DiGiovanni plans to keep creating portraits, accepting commissions and giving artwork to friends and loved ones. She also has pieces in a Rockwall show this October.

Through a connection made by her husband, one of her customers is as far away as Africa. Her advice to others is to make time for what they love, whether that’s art or something else.

CC Young Senior Living launched the contest in 1999 to celebrate creativity and self-expression among adults age 55 and older. This year’s contest included 127 entrants and 187 submissions across 14

categories. The contest is open to adults anywhere in Texas who are age 55 and older, including those outside North Texas. Submitted work must have been created at age 55 or older. All skill levels are welcome. Participants register online before dropping off their work at The Point on CC Young’s Dallas campus. This year, registration opened Aug. 1, with entry drop-off Aug. 18–19.

Spirit Is Ageless welcomes artists entering their first contest as well as experienced participants like Annie. Every entry is included in the exhibition, giving older adults a public opportunity to share their talents.

CC Young residents may submit two entries for free. Other participants receive one free entry and may submit a second for $10. Categories range from drawing, painting and photography to crafts, poetry and personal essays. Visit ccyoung.org/spirit-is-ageless/ or contact Angela Castillo at acastillo@ccyoung.org.