Wilma Fiori (Wilma Denny) was born in Youngstown Ohio in 1929 and was raised in Great Bend, Kansas. She studied at Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado. Fiori graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in 1952. Two years later, she married Bob Fiori, a fellow student from Lorreto Heights. She remained active as an alumna for the College while raising four children. During this time, she developed an interest in anthropology and, in 1979, Wilma earned a Masters of Arts in Anthropology degree from the University of Denver. Fiori worked 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.
Wilma Fiori exhibited her artwork for over three decades in Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, and New York. Her works in the permanent collections of Regis University, the Denver Ritz Carlton Hotel along with various private and corporate collections.
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