Annamaria di Cara Santos
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Annamaria di Cara Santos. Please find below the obituary that we received from the Colour Society of Australia.
Annamaria di Cara Santos has been a member of the Study Group on Environmental Colour Design (SG ECD) of the International Colour Association since 2009. She actively participated in the activities of the SG ECD, recently as a reviewer for the 2023 Special Issue on Environmental Colour Design of the journal Colour Research and Application and for the 2019 Scientific Notes of the Colour Society of Russia. Vol. 1: Proceedings of the First Russian Congress on Colour (Papers in English). We will miss her greatly. Our heartfelt condolences go to her husband Joaquim Marcelino da Conceição dos Santos, also a member of the SG ECD, her family, friends and colleagues.
This special web page has been set up in memory of Annamaria.
Verena M. Schindler, SG ECD Chair
Tribute from the Colour Society of Australia
Our dear friend and veteran Colour Society of Australia Member Annamaria di Cara Santos passed away on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. Annamaria was a central figure in the CSA from the time she became a member in 1993, soon joining the NSW Division Committee and then serving in various roles including Chair of NSW Division (1999-2001) and National President (2001-2005). Annamaria attended numerous CSA national conferences and nine International Colour Association (AIC) conferences, and served on the Organising Committee for the 1999 CSA Biennial Conference "Colour Interaction", the 2009 AIC Congress in Sydney and the 2021 CSA online conference "Colour Connections". Locally she also gave many presentations for the NSW Division including most recently "Azulejo Tiles of Portugal" and "Colour Education for Architecture and Interior Design in the 21st Century" (2018), and "Unlocking the Structure of Colour" (2019). In 2009 she was recognised as an Honorary Member of the CSA and she continued to serve until recently on the national and NSW Division committees in roles including Education Officer and AIC Representative.
Annamaria’s career began as an architectural and interior designer in the field of heritage and conservation architecture and urban planning. In 1994 she established Studio DC Disegno Colori, a consultancy service specialising in bespoke colour and design solutions for urban spaces, architecture, architectural heritage, interiors and corporate identity. She was also a magnificent teacher and served as a Sessional Lecturer and Tutor in Colour Theory and Design, Architectural and Design History, and Restoration Studies, in Interior Design course programs at TAFE Sydney Institute, Enmore Design Centre from 2000 to 2018.
In 2010 Annamaria’s contributions were formally recognised by the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) with the award of a 10-year Citation for her career achievements, and in 2013 she was awarded the recognition of Fellow Member of the DIA.
Annamaria was the heart and soul of our Society and was aptly described by Paul Green-Armytage as "Colour Royalty". We send our deepest condolences to her husband Joaquim Marcelino Santos and her family, who can be contacted via Annamaria's mobile number or ozemail address.
There will be a Mass of Christian Burial for Annamaria at 10.00 am on Saturday May 18 at St Mary's Catholic Church, 56 Burton St Concord. Annamaria's family advise that in lieu of flowers, you may wish to consider a donation to Chris O'Brien Lifehouse on behalf of Annamaria. Funds will be directed to medical oncology research.