Subject: Stoddard Historical Society Annual Picnic and Group Meeting- Friday- 08/20/10- 5:30 p.m. @ Lakefalls Lodge
MINUTES
It was a delightful evening with our host and hostess Don and Joyce Healy. There were
60 plus in attendance. Prior to President Tsen's presentation, elections were held. A motion was made to nominate Charles Faulkner as our third director to the board. He replaces George Cahill.
The rest of the board nominated were: Alan Rumrill- President, Dita Englund- Vice President, Jean Kelly remains as Treasurer, Nancy Taylor remains as Secretary. Don Healy becomes chairman of the board. Jean Kelly made the motion to accept, Meng C. Tsen seconded, rest by consesus.
The slide show talk was on the Fan family 1900 on, specifically about his mother,
Fan Tchun Pi. Tchunpi and Tsongming were shown arriving in France in 1912. His mom was accepted as a student at Le Ecole dex Beaux Arts in Paris in 1920. She was the first Chinese woman to be accepted in to the class of Ferdinand Humbert at the age of 20. The family lived in the Lake Annecy area in the early 1920's, returning to China in 1925. Her husband built their house in Shanghi in 1934. They left for Paris again in 1950. She painted several prominent people of the time one of which was George Enescau- composer,
Three paintings were done of Mt. Fuji when they were in Japan. Then she was allowed to return to China in 1973. While there, she met with high ranking officials, including the Prime Minister, who allowed her visa to be extended as long as she wanted to be able to paint.
Meng mentioned his mom painted a range of models which showed pessimistic and optimistic life. She had a very deep and abiding concern for the down trodden people of the time.
Fan's works were exhibited in Paris in 1983 at the age of 85. There were three other exhibits to follow. The third was with the Chinese ambassador while the fourth showed the
three generations of her family. As Meng did his talk one could see on his face and on his brother's as well, the reflection of intense pride and respect for their mother and her incredible gift of life
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Taylor, Secretary.