Sample of art of Cleda-Marie Simmons
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
Susan Roncone is acting as agent for this collection of art.
If you are a prospective buyer, please call Susan Roncone at 760-271-8470.
(Scroll down for more artwork.)
Cleda-Marie Simmons, 77 (Obituary as it appeared in
North County Times)
American Painter
Lifelong artist Cleda-Marie Simmons died peacefully on March 25, 2005, following
a recent stroke. Her prolific work as an artist spanned five decades.
Cleda-Marie Diehl was born and raised in the Rocky Mountain west to homesteading
parents.
At the age 19, she "found herself" in the world of art and laid the foundations
for her noteworthy career.
Cleda-Marie married Air Force Master Sergeant Alfred A. Simmons in 1951. While
in Spain, Cleda-Marie became the first American artist ever to have a production
exhibited in the exclusive famed Ateneo de Madrid.
The Simmons' family, which now included three children, returned to the United
States in the mid 1950s. Cleda-Marie had already established herself as one of
the up and coming young artists both in the United States and Europe.
In 1964, Cleda-Marie turned away from oils and began using acrylics because they
were more malleable and allowed her to explore wider dimensions in her creative
artistry.
In the 1970s, the Simmons' lived in Loveland, Colorado. Cleda-Marie became
affiliated with the local chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International (ESA).
For the next 10 years, Cleda-Marie used her design gifts and creative genius as
art director, graphic artist, and as the art editor for ESA's Jonquil magazine.
By the mid 1970s, Cleda-Marie's work reflected her vision to create a new way of
seeing art. She painted large canvasses, used brilliant colors with a minimalist
aesthetic, and incorporated multiple styles including abstract expressionism,
minimalism, and magic realism.
While living in Boston in the 1980s, Cleda-Marie's reputation led to her being
listed in Who's Who in American Art and the World's Who Who of Women.
Following the death of her beloved husband of 37 years, Cleda-Marie moved to
Vista in 1989.
For the last 16 years of her life, Cleda-Marie continued to be a prolific
painter. She had completed six paintings just months before she died.
Cleda-Marie was an active community advocate for the arts. She gave
demonstrations of her unique frameless mounting technique to art associations
throughout North County San Diego.
She developed and taught numerous workshops and painting classes in her home
studio. She created large scale murals for the Vista, San Marcos and San Diego
communities. She continued to exhibit her art in galleries throughout
California.
In December 2004, Cleda-Marie completed a new workbook called "The Art of Mixing
Color" which will be published posthumously.
Cleda-Marie was an extraordinary person; at once, noble and refined.
She is survived by her sister, Dorothy; two brothers, Harlan and Ronnie; her
son, Barry; her daughter, Nina; two granddaughters, Richelle and Laura; and one
great-grandson. She will be sorely missed by numerous friends who lived and
respected her generosity, loving kindness and civility.
Cleda-Marie's once said, "My goal as an artist is to capture the strength and
beauty in life; to embrace life in the best way possible and then to bring that
essence to others.:" And she did.
The Cleda-Marie Simmons Exhibit at Gallery 204
September 2008
And there are more paintings hanging in the classroom.
Go to Top of page