Ellen Bonnie Fidler

July 5, 1952 - April 14, 2022

Ellie Fidler (Ellen Bonnie Fidler) died April 14, 2022. She passed away gracefully surrounded in love by her adoring husband, Gerry, and devoted sister, Barbi. Although she was in the hospital, with Gerry's advocacy, she was in a private room with a huge window the size of the wall and a courtyard view full of greenery. They could see the hill beyond and the fog rolling in, and positioned Ellie’s bed so she could see the beauty, the buds and birds. She was not at home as she hoped, but quiet and calm with a bit of nature. Her new puppy came for a visit, which gave her such joy. Ellie was born in Toronto, Canada on July 5, 1952. She met her husband in Toronto in 1969 on the summer solstice, at a rock concert. Blood, Sweat & Tears were the headliners on the night they met, and their song, Spinning Wheel, became Ellie and Gerry’s song. They have been together since that time, nearly 53 years, together moving to California. She had a Master of Fine Arts degree in textiles from California College of the Arts, studied at York University in Toronto, and the California School of Professional Fabric Design in Berkeley, California. At one point in her life, she learned Japanese and lived in Japan for a year studying Aikido Ellie’s life was full of art, creating and designing fabric and textiles throughout her life. Her large scale hand-woven tapestries were hung in both public buildings and private residences, and her art was exhibited nationally and internationally in museums and galleries. Her art is distinctive and expressive, often inspired by nature — hills, water, sun, snow — all vibrant images. Her later works incorporate the animals she loved, especially her dogs and the gardens she enjoyed, using bold, bright colors which are so characteristic of her work. She and her husband often exhibited together, as they worked together for many years. Ellie is survived by her cherished husband, Gerry Traucht, her mother, Dorothy Stone, her sister Barbara Fidler and husband Norval Wener, her niece Alex Fidler-Wener and husband Max Laskin and their two children Charlie and Mitchell, and first cousins in Toronto, Marty, Kathy, Michael and Jason, and in California, Laurie, Pati and Jamie. She is preceded in death by her father, Sonny Fidler. She had many friends, in Canada and in California, some from childhood, in the art community and beyond. She will be missed terribly by all who loved her.