Maria Schmitz Valles

After more than thirty years presenting her paintings and also working in higher education, María Schmitz Valles recalls many interesting paths. “These all have brought exciting moments that actually, still motivate me to continue working”—she said in a TV interview, when her paintings were presented in Barcelona (Spain) and then, at Ateneo in San Juan, PR. She is a Spanish professor, artist and writer.

As a writer María has published three books of poetry in Spanish. BAUL INTERIOR (INTERIOR BAGGAGE) was published in 2005; CAMINOS EN EL TIEMPO (PATHS TROUGH TIME) in 2007; and ME HABLO EL SILENCIO (Silence talked to me) in 2012. She just finished writing a novel, EL CORAJE DEL VIENTO (THE FURY OF THE WIND)

2008 was an important year for her as poems RISAS (LAUGHS), and ME HABLO EL SILENCIO (SILENCE TALKED TO ME) were included in an Anthology of Spanish Poets. Her passion for poetry began while pursuing post graduate studies in Spanish literature. “The pressure was enormous… the long readings and subsequent analysis… So, creating fantasy worlds throughout my poetry and paintings… That was something very relaxing,” she said in a radio program.

Until 1986 María worked as a Professor of Spanish and was also the Spanish teacher for the Americans that went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company in PR. In 1990 she volunteered at the Ponce Museum of Art, when Dr. Carmen Fischler, then executive director of the museum, asked her to create and present a series of lectures for schools and colleges in order to reorient the mission of this institution of art and focus it toward the field of education.

From 1992-2006, María belonged to the US National Association of Governing Boards of Universities, as a member of the Board of Trustees of Catholic University of PR. In Seattle, Washington, she presented an essay: “IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN MODERN HIGHER EDUCATION”. Then, from the position of Trustee she used her leadership to institute a Board of Regents at the Guayama Campus. Acting as President of this Board, she worked (with the support of her husband, James) to establish an endowment for scholarships and organized cultural and fundraising events that connected this university with other institutions and communities of the area. At the same time, she was Vice President of the Board of Directors of the School for Handicapped in Guayama, PR. From this role, she worked to facilitate new and efficient programs that helped for the education of disabled children and adults in the southern part of PR. The exhibition “Rompiendo Barreras Através del Arte” (Breaking Barriers Through Art), at Interamerican University, presented the art done by handicapped students, under her
guidance. It was an activity greatly remembered.

She grew up in the country side, where her father, a hardworking farmer, used to work arm to arm with his over 100 employees from 1950 until 1975. Because of this, she grew up surrounded by the culture of work even when was never allowed to step in the farm because at that time “those were things appropriate just for men”. Like her father, she loves to work hard and spends most of the time as a retiree painting and writing, encouraged by her husband. He’s a chemical engineer who worked for Phillips Petroleum (Conoco Phillips later on) and from his position was highly supportive through all her educational and civic projects, in addition to the art presentations, during their 38 years of marriage.

As an artist, her work shows the colors and vibrancy of life in the Caribbean, the USA and Spain. Most of it, big format paintings that were shown in galleries and museums since 1988 and have been acclaimed in full page articles by newspapers. Her shows in Miami; Barcelona and Bilbao in Spain; earned her good comments from the International Association of Art Critics (AICA). Few years later came the Show of Spanish and Latin American Painters in 2004; and Paris in 2005, where her picture, SINFONÍA CARIBEÑA, was presented at the show L’ Art D’ ICI et D’ Ailleurs, sponsored by the French cultural group Sarabanda.

Currently, Maria lives in the USA. An avid learner, she dedicates some of her time as a retiree to know briefly about the history of US southern small towns and is also learning how to write poetry in English. Another book of poetry coming up? Who knows? With good humor, James says that he can’t lend her a helping hand in this project. “In what way can I support her efforts to learn to write poems in English? Impossible that my mind as an engineer would be able to understand the sophisticated language of poetry…”

Recognitions:

1992- Dedication of Second Anniversary of the Fine Arts Center, Guayama, PR
1993 – Merit Award for her work benefitting the disabled children.
1994 – Recognition by former governor of PR, Luis Ferré, for her work at Ponce
Museum of Art
1995 – Dedication of Fifth Anniversary of the Fine Arts Center, Guayama, PR
1997 – Proclamation by the City of Guayama PR, for her distinguish career as an educator,
writer and civic leader.
1999 – Distinguished as one of fifteen most outstanding residents on Guayama, PR in the

book HISTORY OF GUAYAMA AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, by Professor of History,
Francisco Vázquez.
2000 – Carnegie Hall, San Juan, PR, showed twenty-six of her large format paintings.
2002 – Distinguished among the thirty-five most outstanding women in PR, by UNESCO,
during the celebration of their thirty fifth anniversary.
2005 –Award of Excellence by International Association of Art Critics