March Fong Eu

Painting and Writing are the best forms of relaxation from my political life, and a very rewarding way to go back to my Chinese roots.

Dr. March Fong Eu, Secretary of State of California, is widely regarded as one of the hundred most important women in the United States, according to Ladies Home Journal 1990.

A third generation Californian, Dr. Eu holds a Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley, a Master's degree from Mills College, and a Doctorate in Education from Stanford University. She first entered the political arena in 1966, representing Oakland and Castro Valley. After serving four terms in the California Legislature, she was elected Secretary of State in 197 4 by a record-setting margin. Her election made Dr. Eu the first Asian woman ever to be elected to any State Constitutional office in America, and the first woman to be elected Secretary of State in California. She has been re-elected since then, typically receiving more votes in contested races than any other candidate for state office. She began her fifth term in 199 I.

Although busy with public affairs, Dr. Eu has by no means neglected her efforts to improve herself spiritually and intellectually. Neither speaking nor reading Chinese, she was first introduced to Chinese painting and calligraphy during a trip to Taiwan in 1988 to study the Chinese language. Her interest in Chinese art has since grown immensely, and she has been using every spare moment to enrich her knowledge and refme her technique in painting and calligraphy, as well as learning Chinese. From the very start of learning to write and paint, she has never limited herself to one instructor. She feels that everyone is her teacher, and because of this, she has studied under many famous Chinese painters and artists, both in the United States and Taiwan.

Even though some of Dr. Eu's work echoes forms similar to those of her instructors, these first steps of mimicking the masters of today and the past provide a strong foundation. This type of experience may culminate into something dramatic in the future, having blended the essence of each master's style into her work. One of Dr. Eu's teachers from Taiwan once said, "If March Fong Eu had started painting 20 years ago, she would eventually have become a master." When asked about her dedication to her art, Dr. Eu replied, "Painting and writing are the best forms of relaxation from my political life, and also a very rewarding way to go back to my Chinese roots."

Dr. Eu's Chinese brush paintings reflect her traditional foundations. However, several of her works notably incorporate Chinese and avant-garde Western Techniques with traditional Chinese subjects. The majority of Dr. Eu's paintings emphasize balance and harmonious design that one would expect from traditional Chinese, however, color is used more innovatively. Dr. Eu is hoping to someday combine Chinese brush painting with Western abstract painting.