Reading Out Loud
Focused Elements:
You can have these explanations read out loud by clicking on 'Speak Explanation' (access key 'a')
These controls are to provide alternative means of accessing the information on this page. Two main facilities are provided: adjusting the text size and listening to the text on the page.
1) Adjusting Text Size:
You can increase the text size by clicking on 'Larger' (access key '+'), and reduce it by clicking on 'Smaller' (access key '-'). You can reset the size back to its original value by clicking on 'Reset' (access key 'j')
2) Listening to the Text
You can adjust the pitch of the spoken word, the rate or speed of delivery and the volume. You can also choose the voice to use by clicking on the drop-down list. The default voice is whatever is the standard for the computer and browser you are using.
To set your default, please refer to the description in the Accessibility Statement.
There are normally three sections of text on the page that you can listen to: the headings, the main text and a selection. Click on 'Speak Headings to speak the page headings (access key 'l'). Click on 'Speak Main Text' (access key 'q') to listen to the main text.
You can also select an area of text in the page using standard select methods and click on 'Speak Selection' (access key 'w') to read the selection aloud.
You can enable the reading out loud of the element that currently has focus by clicking on 'Start Focus Speaking' (access key 'f') and you can stop this by clicking on 'Stop Focus Speaking' (access key 'd').
You can pause the audio by clicking on 'Pause' (access key 'r') and resume by clicking on 'Resume' (access key 't').
To cancel or stop the audio click on 'Cancel' (access key 'y'). To restart the current audio from the beginning, click on 'Restart' (access key 'k').
To hide the accessibility controls click on 'Hide Panel' (access key 'h')
To hide this explanation click on 'Hide Explanation' (access key 'x')
Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Widecombe Authors and Artists

A WEB-SITE OF BEAUTIFUL ART - A TRIBUTE TO CLEO STACIVA WHITTEN - 1934-2019
Go straight to Cleo's Art Site

Cleo Staciva Whitten lived in Widecombe-in-the-Moor from 1989 until she died at home aged 85 on 7th November, 2019, and was buried in the St Pancras graveyard. Cleo with husband Tim enjoyed living at Lower Bonehill Farmstead, participating in many village activities, while also much involved with the Royal Western Yacht Club of England (Plymouth), and enjoying every possible opportunity to snorkel on the Jamaican reefs. Cleo’s Polish father and mother’s forebears emigrated to the USA, where Tim and Cleo (as widower and widow) met in 1975, marrying in 1976. Cleo born in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA, was proud of her British Passport.

Cleo - a wonderful wife and mother - was a talented artist, her talent even showing in the few pieces surviving from her teenage years. She used an unusually large range of media. Engraving and etching, painting in oils, watercolours, acrylics, pastels (including oil pastels), and inks; works included varied collages. Cleo’s pictures range from portraits, still life, nature studies, to landscapes and cityscapes, but with an emphasis on abstract studies. Latterly, she became fascinated by complex computer-generated fractal images, amassing a large collection but capturing only a few as paintings.


Award-winning Caladia 1985 and Iris and bamboo 1987.

An invitation to design a stained glass window for St Pancras Church, Widecombe-in-the-Moor, commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was accepted enthusiastically. The south-aisle window may be the only church window in England commemorating Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.
Many times, as Cleo’s strength was failing in 2018-9, she’d say “I just want to paint.” There was so much more beauty bursting to emerge and be portrayed.
As a tribute to Cleo’s lifetime achievement, a 2020 website shows over 200 pieces of her art –
Cleo's Art Site
This website is a work in progress - as more pieces are located and photographed, they will be added – if anyone can help with images of the missing paintings, please get in touch. Thank you.
E.H.T.W.


2009 and 2011 Paintings of fractal images
PS. Driving through the rural Czech Republic in 1993 and buying coloured eggs at the roadside SW of České Budéjovice, apparently reignited Cleo’s Polish childhood skill of egg decorating. Her highly decorated goose and hen eggs will be added to the website.
The information on this page was last modified on February 26 2024 16:16:29.