We Say Goodbye to Sr. Joanne Cullimore, OP

Sister Joanne Cullimore, a Dominican Sister of San Rafael for 69 years, died peacefully on February 13, 2024, surrounded by family and her Dominican Sisters. A gifted storyteller in both word and visual art with a keen sense of and appreciation for color and light, Sr. Joanne led a rich and colorful life. Much like the landscapes she would often paint to savor a moment or remember a vista, Sr. Joanne’s life and experiences with people around the world create a vibrant canvas to behold.

Born Joan Joy Cullimore in Bakersfield to Clarence and Rosemary Cullimore, Sr. Joanne and her brother Clarence, Jr. grew up in a loving home that would greatly influence her love of learning and her creative pursuits. Her mother was a school teacher, and her father was a well-known architect in residential adobe construction and certainly was influential in Sr. Joanne’s interest in and talent for art.

It wasn’t until her college years, a time that ultimately brought her to Dominican College in San Rafael, that she more deeply explored her artistic talents—continuing with graduate study in painting and drawing at Pius XII Institute in Florence, Italy after college. As much as her imagination called her to paint and create, her time with the sisters stirred within, and she returned to California and joined the Dominican Sisters in 1955, taking the name Sr. Joanne.

In those early years she taught at St. Mary’s High School in Stockton and at St. Vincent’s High School in Vallejo. After earning her MA in art from Stanford University in the early 60s, she became an assistant professor of art at Dominican College.

Sr. Joanne’s commitment to art took her to many places in the United States and abroad; to study at the University of Mexico and UCLA; and to Tulane University for pre-Columbian courses. She was a private student of Carmel Valley sculptor Alexander Weygers. She spent a number of summers in the Spanish colonial villages of Northern New Mexico; and studied and painted in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. She enjoyed learning about other cultures through painting trips to Mexico and Central America. Joanne’s prolific body of work has been exhibited in Florence, Italy; South Field, Michigan; Sacramento, Davis, Redding, Stockton, Bakersfield, Eureka, Petaluma, Burlingame, and San Rafael. She also taught watercolor workshops in France and Point Reyes National Seashore.

Sr. Joanne combined her art with spirituality by joining Daniel O’Hanlon, SJ to present six weekends on meditation and the experience of art. Her art and personal writings reveal much about her: “Without a great deal of pre-planning I like to wander through the town or countryside and paint what surprises my senses. Often, I am attracted by an oddly juxtaposed color combination or a skyline formation with a dramatic arch spire or dome. I find myself trying to respond to some atmosphere or essence which makes the location a morada del Corazon—a place of rest and joy for my heart.”

An astute student of life, Sr. Joanne’s interests were varied—be it religious sculpture, especially the crucifix, or the daily activity at the bird feeder outside her window, Sr. Joanne was in touch with her surroundings and with what moved her. Her watercolors have been described as a “warm personal response to the gentle gifts of nature”; they often display “a wash of warm color suffused with light.” The 1990 motherhouse fire was devastating for all the sisters but perhaps more so for Sr. Joanne, who lost much of her artwork in the fire. However, Sr. Joanne lived to create, and that setback did not stopped her from creating new and beautiful works of art.

Sr. Joanne moved to Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in 2017, where she continued to create. As she watched the news in 2018, she was deeply troubled about the separation of families seeking refuge at the southern border of the United States. Her response was the creation of a beautiful retablo of Our Lady of Guadalupe protecting the small refugee children at the border. These were made into cards and were well-received in the community.  One of her wonderful watercolor landscapes depicting Mount Tamalpais was used on the congregation’s 2023 Christmas card. She leaves a tangible legacy a vast collection of beautiful artwork.

Sr. Joanne is predeceased by her parents Rosemary and Clarence Cullimore and her brother Clarence “Cully” Cullimore, Jr.  She is survived by several nieces and nephews including Step-niece, Dee Sciaraffa; Niece Holliday Cullimore (Paul Qarikau); Nephews, Clarence Cullimore III (Barbara M. Cullimore), Michael E. Cullimore (Allyn A. Cullimore), Sean F. Cullimore (Tamara S. Cullimore); Grandnieces, Ester E. Shaw Haley Joy, Jennifer Cullimore, Carly M. Gingold (Aaron M. Gingold), Bailey L. Cullimore (Travis C. Murray), Rachel Cullimore Miyamoto; Grand Nephews, Aaron Cullimore (Christina Cullimore); Ian D. Cullimore; Great Grandnieces, Rebecca B, Gingold, Katherine R. Horn (Joshua H. Horn); Great grandnephews, Arthur Cullimore, Bradley Cullimore, Grant R. Murray, Sean D. Horn, Dawson B. Horn; Sumiah, Qasem, Andira, and Hashid Miyamoto; and by her Dominican Sisters.

A Mass of the Resurrection will take place on March 4 at 10:00 am in the Dominican Sisters Gathering Space (1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael). Following the Funeral Mass, Sr. Joanne will be buried in St. Dominic’s Cemetery in Benicia.

Memorial gifts in honor of Sr. Joanne Cullimore may be made to the Retirement Fund, Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, Advancement Office, 1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901.

WATCH a VIDEO of Sr. Joanne discussing her art ministry as part of the “At the Table with Dominic” Series.
https://youtu.be/_DoL6xWSQVs

Ministries

Education Ministry

• St. Mary’s High School—Stockton 1955-1960; teacher
• St. Vincent Ferrer High School—Vallejo 1960-1968; teacher
• Dominican College—San Rafael 1963-2002; Art Department