Wilma Fiori

Homage to Diebenkorn Abstract Oil Painting by Wilma Fiori – Yellow, Green, Red

Mid 20th Century

Although Fiori was born in Ohio, she grew up in Great Bend, Kansas before moving to Colorado to attend Loretto Heights College, where she received her BFA. However, after she graduated in 1952, she discovered her passion for anthropology, and in 1979, she received a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Denver. Fiori was fortunate to work as a curatorial assistant to Richard Conn in the Native Arts Department of the Denver Art Museum. The Denver Art Museum was the first Fine Art Museum in the United States to show Native American Art. The pottery and textiles from the Southwestern tribes inspired Fiori’s fascination with geometric designs and like many of her contemporary artists, it contributed to her shift towards abstract painting. In 1987, Fiori met Dale Chisman, a prominent Colorado artist, and studied under him at the Art Students League of Denver until 2007. She also met and studied alongside other talented Colorado artists including Bill Joseph, Jeffery Keith, Quang Ho, and Mark Lunning. Fiori exhibited her artwork for over 30 years in Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, and New York.