Ann Trucksess Pierce

1931 - 2017

ANN TRUCKSESS PIERCE It is with great sadness that the family of Ann Trucksess Pierce announces her passing on Monday, November 20th, 2017. She was 86 years old. Ann lived an illustrious life. She was born on August 28th, 1931 in Boulder Colorado to Frederick Clement Trucksess and Francis Hoar Trucksess, who were both professional artists. Her father "Trux" was a professor of art at the University of Colorado, Boulder and her mother "Fran" worked as an art educator in the Boulder Public Schools and authored a scholastic book on art, which had more than a dozen printings. Ann grew up in an environment surrounded by paintings, sculpture, Navajo Indian rugs, Oriental art, African masks and figures, tapa cloths, etc. in two homes designed by her parents. Though as a child her parents insured that art materials were always available for her use, she did not take an art class until her junior year in college. After earning her BFA in art in 1953 from the University of Colorado, Boulder, she was awarded a Fellowship to the Yale University Summer Art School. Upon her return to Boulder she began teaching as a graduate student in art and completed her MFA in 1955. That same year Ann married Gerald Dignan, and they began their family, which would eventually include four children. In 1961 Ann divorced Dignan and began teaching private art classes. In 1964 she was hired by John Ayres, chair of the art department, to develop a watercolor painting program for Chico State College. She made the long trip from Boulder to Chico with her four young children in tow. In 1967 she married psychology professor Dr. James V. Pierce with whom she had a son. During her 31-year tenure at Chico State the watermedia program flourished. Ann was recognized as a Master Teacher, and she served as chair of the Art Department between 1980 and 1983. Throughout her distinguished career, Ann found great joy in teaching students. Thanks to her impressive mastery of materials and techniques and her enthusiasm for painting and rigorous learning, she influenced hundreds of art students and community members to pursue their creative passions. Professor Pierce's professional career marked her as a national leader in academic watermedia. Her paintings were included in over 35 major art exhibitions, including those of the National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain National Watermedia, and the Chancellor's Distinguished Artists' Forum Exhibition, CSULA. Ann won numerous awards for her work, such as the Award of Excellence, Newbold Purchase Award, Lodi, the Arjomari Paper Award by the Kentucky Watercolor Society, and the prestigious International Exhibition Silver Recognition by the San Diego Watercolor Society. She had dozens of one-person shows including the Fair Oaks Gallery, Blue Heron Art Gallery, and the Chico State University Art Gallery. Over the years Ann juried many exhibitions, such as the Livermore Fine Arts Festival, Central Valley Art League Annual Exhibition, Modesto, and the East Bay Watercolor Society. She was featured in Who's Who In American Art, American Artist, Watercolor Magazine, Portrait Inspirations, and many others. Her work has pride of place in a number of businesses and arts venues in Butte County. Ann's approach to painting was intuitive, evolving on both a conscious and subconscious level. She had the unique ability to pull abstract form from complex visual stimuli. She explained that for her "the ordinary can often arouse intrigue; being able to see familiar forms in new relationships can prompt intellectual, emotional and physical involvement; the discovery of new images through the act of painting itself is exciting." Often this involved preparatory sketches in pencil and watercolor, and blind contour drawings. Sometimes her creativity led her to a spontaneous process that resulted in extraordinary images that were very challenging for watermedia techniques of which she was a recognized master. Though she enjoyed all art media, she held a strong belief that watercolor was the most versatile"it is watery, fluid, dry, spontaneous, controlled, transparent, opaque. It is sensitive, direct, and intimate, much like drawing. It has surprises and accidents. The unexpected may create havoc or may become part of a singularly creative piece." She felt that "the creative endeavor is all-consuming. It bends the mind around a corner where everydayness can no longer be felt, heard or seen, where the reality of the expressor can exist in purity and the expression becomes all." Ann is preceded in death by her son Kevin Pierce (Annie), the nationally prominent "Green Architect" of Chicago, Illinois, and her granddaughter, Kathleen Ann Kelley of Chico. Ann is survived by her son Mark Pierce (Carol), of Chico, son Jay Pierce (Oksana) of Seattle, WA, daughters Darcy Enns (Bob) and Alexandra O'Neil Meier (Ken) of Chico, CA, six beloved grandchildren including Meredith Kelley(Andrew), Jenny Funk (Josh), Casey Enns, Jayne Enns, Maya Pierce and Kellen Pierce, and her greatgrandson Jonah Funk. The family thanks the staff at Amber Grove Place and Enloe Hospice for their loving care of Ann during the final months of her life. The "Bag Ladies" arts group also deserves recognition for supporting Ann in ongoing engagement in her discipline throughout her retirement. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 16th from 1:00-3:00pm at the Museum of Northern California Art. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Pierce-Trucksess Studio Art Scholarship Endowment, California State University Chico.