BERNICE ADA WALSH

BEE WALSH
Bee (Bernice Ada) Walsh, founder and president of the Fine Arts Institute from 1978-1981, founding member of the Redlands Cultural Arts Commission, and member of the Redlands Art Association, died in Austin, Texas on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the age of 92.
Bee was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Loyd Heman and Ada Alice Easter Biggs and was the oldest of nine children. She married James H Walsh in 1942, after his graduation at Randolph Air Corps Flying Training Command School in New Braunfels, TX. They moved 19 times in the first five years of their marriage. In 1967 they moved to Redlands, CA where Jim was stationed at Norton AFB until his retirement in 1972.
Bee started painting after her move to Redlands, she attended classes and like a lighting flash the art world welcomed her. She founded the art group on Norton AFB and taught classes. She painted for exhibits and juried shows in many creative mediums, watercolor, oil, acrylic, pen and ink drawings, collage, airbrush, and mixed mediums. She was the Art Coordinator at San Bernardino County Museum for 20 years and was responsible for organizing and hanging juried art exhibits. She was the past State Chairman of the National League of American Penwomen, member of Watercolor West, Women Painters of the West, Pasadena Society of Artists, National Watercolor Society, Riverside Art Museum, Redlands Art Association, San Bernardino Art Association, and the Fontana Art Association. She has paintings in worldwide collections.
Bee is survived by 4 children: Donna Aberle in Austin, TX, Steven Terry Walsh in Columbus, OH, Samantha Walsh in Austin, TX, and Lori Wheeler in Austin, TX; 11 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Life is planned for April 30, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Her remains will be interred with her husband Jim's at the Riverside National Cemetery this summer. Memorial donations may be made to The Redlands Arts Association through the Margaret Clark Art Education Endowment Fund.