Nancy Bryan Brings Love of Art to Claremont Manor

While working as an editor for the J. Paul Getty Trust, Nancy Bryan visited some of the world’s greatest art galleries and museums, including those in Chicago, New York, England, Spain, the Netherlands and Romania, among others.

During her travels she has seen the works of some of the world’s great masters including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

“I remember attending a Getty sponsored reception at the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam and standing in a room full of Rembrandts,” Nancy said. “It was an unforgettable experience.”

As an editor, part of Nancy’s job was to digitally catalogue great artists and their works, or as she puts it … “bring the art world into the computer age.”

Although she appreciates the great masters, she tends to gravitate toward contemporary American artists like Anne Laddon, Edward Hopper, Dave Spurlin and Myra Burg. In fact, Nancy’s favorite piece is Laddon’s “Comida Mexicana,” a hand-pulled serigraph (silkscreen) depicting various Mexican hot sauces and other canned foods, inspired by décor found at Mexican restaurants. Her cottage is filled with all of her favorite pieces, including her favorite medium, fiber art, as well as several quilts, designed by fellow resident and friend Joan Guyon.

“It was recently my honor to coordinate an exhibit here at Claremont Manor showcasing all of Joan’s beautiful quilts,” Nancy said. “Her work is just unbelievable.”

After Nancy received her Ph.D. in English from Claremont Graduate University, she worked as an editor at the Information Sciences Institute. She was involved in the pioneering work of creating the Arpanet, the forerunner of the internet, in the 1970s. “Soon after, I became one of the first people, probably in the world, to have an email address. It was an exciting time.”

Nancy has lived at Claremont Manor for a little over a year. She moved from Pacific Palisades after her husband died to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren, who live in Claremont. “I was familiar with the area, having gone to school here, and my house was so big, it was just the time for me to move,” Nancy said. “Claremont Manor seemed to be the perfect fit. In fact, my grandchildren can walk here from their school so I see them all of the time.”