Jean Sommer

Jean Margaret Sommer (1925-2023)) was born and raised in London, England. Jean went to the local schools with her brother James Stevens, who was later to become a renowned composer.  After leaving school at sixteen she worked in an architect's office and at a variety of other jobs. In 1943 she won a scholarship to Goldsmiths College, London University and after graduating, taught Art and English in England and Istanbul, Turkey.  During vacation time she traveled widely in Europe and Turkey. Later she resigned her teaching position in order to travel around the world for a year, always with sketch book in hand , to visit places of archeological, artistic and social interest. In 1960 she married an American, Claren D. Sommer, a musician, and settled in the Cleveland, Ohio  area. After further studies at Akron University and Cleveland State University, she taught Art at Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School from 1978 to 1986 and then from 1986 to 2001, became an adjunct Art Education lecturer at C.S.U . She continued to draw and paint watercolor, acrylic and oil well into her 90's.   She also designed and made clothes for herself and others. She was a lifelong activist and member of Peace Action, Women Speak Out,  and Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament. Jean is an Archived artist at the AAWR (Artist Archives of the Western Reserve).  She passed away peacefully in Independence Ohio at the age of 98.