Joseph Guardo: July 2013


Clara Guardo Paradis, 1935-2013

It is with a heavy heart that I have to write that a terrific lady, one of the daughters of Joseph Guardo, passed away peacefully on the 15th of June, 2013. She was passionate about all things in life but especially about the wonderful art that her father produced over his lifetime. We worked together on this very blog, as well as elsewhere on the net, spreading the word on his art.

I am including a short biography of her life as well as a few examples of her art. She followed in her father's footsteps - she was an accomplished artist in her own right.

Biography

Clara was born in Montreal in 1935. Guided by her Parents, and surrounded by her three sisters, she grew up in an atmosphere of love, happiness, art, and culture.

She demonstrated an exceptional intellectual aptitude. She graduated from high school Magna cum laude and was listed as one of the top ten students in all of Quebec. She graduated from Marianopolis College in Montreal in 1956, Cum Laude. She was Valedictorian as well as Editor-in-Chief of the Year book.

She met the love of her life, Jean Paradis, in 1953, and they marriedin 1956. They lived in various cities in Canada and the United States, and traveled extensively all over the world.

Throughout her life the most important thing was family and friends. She was a caring and loving wife, a wonderful mother of three sons, a doting grandmother of five, and an awe inspiring great grandmother of one. She was also a loyal and trustworthy family relative, or friend, to many others.

It is said that behind every great man there is a great woman. Certainly the case with Clara. An invaluable help, she demonstrated an understated elegance, impeccable manners, and sharp wit. She was able to be comfortable in any social or business situation.

She also had interests outside the home. In 1965 she was responsible for helping establish Chateauguy’s first Library and Civic Centre, and during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s she taught English as a second language to recent immigrants to Canada.

She was passionate about life, with hobbies ranging from Art, to Music, Ballroom dancing, Travel, Bridge, Reading, and Cinema. A true beauty inside and out, she was loved, respected, and admired by all those who had the privilege to meet and know her.

In her later years, she continued working on a project started by her sister (Ada) documenting the art of her father, well-known Canadian sculptor Joseph Guardo. His extensive body of work includes a number of objets d’art that can be found at Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. She was also an accomplished artist in her own right.

Samples of her work