| Richard Ciccimarra was born in 1924 in Vienna, 
            Austria. He was largely a self-taught artist, but the early influence 
            of Moritz Daffinger, the Austrian botanical watercolourist, is discernible 
            in some of his work, particularly the “finger exercises” 
            or realistic depictions of flowers and dry fly fishing lures that 
            he made. The artist also acknowledged the influence of the Swiss artist, 
            Julius Bissier. Ciccimarra immigrated to Canada in the early 1950’s and made 
              Victoria his home. The handsome and sophisticated artist soon established 
              himself in the fledgling art scene. A number of local and expatriate 
              artists banded together in a group called the “Limners” 
              which remained a force for more than 20 years. Besides being known 
              for his fine artistic abilities, he was internationally respected 
              as a master fly fisherman and guide. His art evolved over the years, revealing a melancholy and pessimism 
              that belied his outwardly sociable nature. He committed suicide 
              on a trip to Greece. His art is highly prized by collectors knowledgeable about him. 
              In particular his large, tissue collages on wood panels covered 
              in beeswax are distinctive, haunting forays of a compelling nature. 
              His very best and major works are in the collection of the Art Gallery 
              of Greater Victoria. Ciccimarra committed suicide on a trip to Greece 
              in 1973. |