ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Dec. 12, 2018) – Stella Szemela, a 96-year-old artist and resident of The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay in St. Petersburg, has been featured in two national publications. Her oil painting, titled “Four Rutabagas,” was selected from entries nationwide to be included in the Expressions 2019 Calendar, an award-winning calendar that celebrates active aging and the arts. While her oil patining, titled “Magnolias,” was included in the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) State of Seniors Housing Report.
“We’re so thrilled that Stella is receiving the recognition that she deserves for her art,” said Suzanne Burtzlaff, executive director of The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay. “She’s incredibly talented and we are honored that she has chosen to live in our community. We look forward to celebrating her and showcasing this accomplishment.”
The Expressions Calendar is published by Watermark Retirement Communities, a national senior housing operator that manages 51 communities nationwide, including The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay. This is the 18th year that Watermark has published the calendar nationwide. Stella was also featured in the 2018 calendar for her painting “Magnolias” during the month of February. “Four Rutabagas” will appear during the month of October in the 2019 calendar.
The calendar has been awarded a Mature Media Award from the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) and an ADDY Award® from the Tucson Advertising Federation.
The youngest of six, Stella was born in Ludlow, Massachusetts during the Great Depression, or as she calls it, the good old days. She married her husband Phil in 1944 and together they moved to The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay in 2017. When she isn’t painting, she enjoys playing shuffleboard, Scrabble, Dominoes and reading.
Complimentary copies of the Expressions 2019 Calendar are available with an initial tour of The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, located at 1255 Pasadena Avenue South in St. Petersburg, while supplies last. The community also hosts a variety of art classes where resident’s creativity thrives. A list of upcoming classes is included in the Fall 2018 Watermark University Catalog. Interested in sitting in on a class? Call us at (727) 498-3850.
About The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay
The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay is a retirement community in St. Petersburg located at 1255 Pasadena Avenue South on a 14-acre waterfront property. The community offers independent living, assisted living and memory care, with short and long-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation at The Springs, an on-site health center operated by Summit Care. The Fountains’ vibrant lifestyle includes multiple dining options, an extensive calendar of events, outings, classes, clubs and fitness opportunities. Managed by Watermark Retirement Communities, The Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay is committed to creating an extraordinary community where people thrive. For more information, visit bocaciegabay.watermarkcommunities.com.