Pacific Asia Museum

NEWS ARCHIVE

Spring 2004

Pacific Asia Museum Welcomes New Board Members
Nancy Neal Davis Ms. Nancy Neal Davis has had a long association with Pacific Asia Museum. She served as Festival Chair in 1992 and became a member of the Board of Trustees during that same year. In 1996 she was asked to assume the title of Director of Strategic Development for the institution. In 2003, she rejoined the Board and is active as Adventure Chair for the Festival of the Autumn Moon and participates on the Marketing Committee. Nancy received a B.A. in History of Art from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. She lives in Pasadena and is active with many community organizations.

Mrs. Priscilla Gibbs joined the Board of Trustees in July 2003. Growing up near Buffalo, N.Y, Priscilla visited local museums and that early exposure began her lifelong interest in art. When she and her husband Nelson moved to California in the 60's, Priscilla went back to school to earn a degree in Art History. Her interest in Asian art developed when she and her husband lived in Tokyo for four years, an experience she describes as "life changing." Priscilla says that Pacific Asia Museum is one of her favorite places and she looks forward to being an active Board member.

Dr. Ruth Hayward, a Harvard University trained social anthropologist, as well as a consultant and author, joined the Board in July 2003. Before coming to Pacific Asia Museum, Ruth worked for 20 years with the United Nations. From 1994 - 1998 she served in Kathmandu, Nepal as Deputy Regional Director for UNICEF, South Asia Regional Office. She also serves on Boards of the United Nations Association (Pasadena) and the Kham Aid Foundation. Ruth and her husband Dr. Robert Hayward, have an impressive collection of Tibetan furniture.

Mrs. Toshie Mosher joined the Board of Trustees in October, 2003. She and her husband Frank are art collectors and owners of The Oriental Bookstore, a wonderful resource for books about Asian art and culture in Pasadena. In addition to serving on the Board, Toshie and Frank are also members of the museum's Collectors' Circle. They have contributed to the museum in many ways including providing support for Kampai! The Arts of Japanese Sake and donating a Tibetan table to the Museum. The Moshers are long time residents of San Marino and welcome additions to the Board of Trustees.

Mr. Tracy Pulvers, Senior Vice President of Investment at Smith Barney Citigroup, joined the Board of Trustees in October 2003. Mr. Pulvers received his MBA from UCLA. He served in the US Air Force Reserve as a First Lieutenant and has a 1st Degree Black Belt in karate. Mr. Pulvers collects Persian rugs, sculpture and Asian art and lives in Marina Del Ray with his wife Laurel and 4 year old daughter Ava. He also has 2 adult children, Nichole and Kevin.

Pictured are (Front row, left to right) Alice Kwok, Rosa Zee, Denny Chen, Sunny Stevenson, Maurine Oban. (Second row, left to right) Tai-Ling Wong, Rae Terk, Otto Snyder, Barbara Sugamori. (Third row, left to right) Ruth Hunter, Anna Bresnahan, Diane Epstein, Tom Hogue, Salli Chang, Debra Palmer, Gabriella Karsch, Chris Engle, Gloria Mills, Judy Starlight, Sue Greenblatt, Mas Matoi, Dick Greenblatt and Yvonne Chang.

Service Council Recognition Dinner On Saturday February 28, the Service Council held its Annual Recognition Dinner at Fu Shing Restaurant in Pasadena. Honoring 10 volunteers who donated more than 100 hours in 2003, award recipients were Salli Chang, Sally Daily, Dick Greenblatt, Alice Kwok, Maurine Oban, Debra Palmer, Edla Scharre, Otto Snyder, Sunny Stevenson, Barbara Sugamori and Rae Terk.

The highest honor of the evening, the Jacqueline Burns Award, was presented to Sunny Stevenson for her countless hours of service to the museum. Sunny has been involved at Pacific Asia Museum for 30 years, beginning with the establishment of the Chinese Arts Council. Since then, Sunny has been actively involved with the Membership department as well as volunteer recruitment and training activities. We congratulate Sunny on all that she has accomplished and we thank her for her energetic support.

New Acquisitions
Extraordinary Gifts to the Collection in 2003

Pair of Handles with Rings, China, Warring States Era (475-221 BC) Bronze with gilding
Pacific Asia Museum Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Snukal

2003 was a great year for the growth of the museum’s collection as over 300 pieces were accessioned. On February 15th, the museum opened an exhibition highlighting Japanese paintings given to the museum in recent months. Almost twenty hanging scrolls and screens from the mid 1600’s to the 19th century are included in the small but most interesting exhibition. The quality of these gifts are truly extraordinary. The majority of gifts are from the late Dr. Jesse Greenstein, former professor emeritus of astronomy at Cal Tech and Dr. George Housner, also of Cal Tech. These two collectors have greatly enhanced our Japanese holdings. We also received several nice gifts from Neil Krietman. Mr. Krietman has made gifts to our collection over the last twenty five years and we greatly appreciate his interest in the museum. We also received major gifts to the collection from Mr. and Mrs. Robert Snukal, Harlan Givelber, Marjorie Braude and the Johnston estate. [If you would like to donate an object to the collection, please call David Kamansky at 626-494-2742, extension 35.]

		Left: Figurine of a Seated Buddha Tibet, 17th C. Sandalwood with traces of gilding and paint. Pacific Asia Museum Collection, gift of Neil Kreitman.
		Right: Figurine of Ganesha Southern India, 16th -17th C. Bronze Pacific Asia Museum Collection, gift of Neil Kreitman.