Toni Truesdale

Toni Truesdale 1948-2021 PORTLAND--Toni Truesdale, 73 of Biddeford, transitioned and received her heavenly wings on Tuesday September 21, 2021 at Maine Medical Center in Portland. She was born August 11, 1948 in Rochester, New York and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Educated at Grosse Pointe University School (high school), Temple University, the University of New Mexico, and New Mexico Tech (ITEST program), Toni was an educator, mentor, and social activist (Civil Rights). She had over 30 years of teaching experience in Pennsylvania and New Mexico (Commercial Arts, Culinary Arts, and Business Programs). She wrote curriculum for multiple institutions/programs including the New Mexico Department of Health. She inspired and was inspired by all her students coming from diverse backgrounds. She was the lead artist for both community and youth mural projects. Her love and pursuit of art began at a young age. She had her first exhibit when she was 14 years old and by 15, was drawing professional portraits. In the years since, she has exhibited in more than 20 one-woman shows and 30 group shows; executed more than 40 murals in schools, universities, and museums; and published illustrations in more than a dozen publications including the cover of a WeMoon datebook. In 2012, the state of New Mexico asked her to create a series of posters and illustrations for its Healthy Kids New Mexico campaign aimed at instilling healthy behaviors among the state's children. She illustrated a series of four-color children's books and also wordless books. Her art created sublime celebrations of women and the natural environment representing the diversity of world cultures. She developed imagery that shows the natural beauty and intelligence in all aspects of the life of sisters, mothers, daughters, aunts, grandmothers in a multicultural world by honoring our commonality through time. In more than 500 large works and thousands of art prints, drawings in both wet and dry media, she used beauty to evoke the female side of both history and mythology. From her studio in Biddeford, Maine, she continued working as a freelance illustrator and muralist, to represent the common culture of women that she called "the invisible kernel" within all mainstream and indigenous cultures. She enjoyed traveling to Europe, listening to various musical genres, spending time in nature and was an avid hiker. Toni was predeceased by her parents, Joseph R. Truesdale Jr., Suzanne Sessions Jackson, Gilder Jackson Jr., and her brother Joseph R. Truesdale III. She is survived by her daughter Maia Truesdale-Scott (Terry), granddaughter Sasha Scott and five siblings; Marka Larrabee (Stephen), Pamela Truesdale (James), Alexander Truesdale (Denise), Elliot Jackson, and Gilder D. Jackson III; a host of Nieces, Nephews, cousins and friends. A memorial to honor her life will be held at a future date.