Nancy Houghton Bacon

Nancy Houghton Bacon was born August 8, 1928 in Hartford, Conn. to Jeanne and David Houghton. She was a graduate of Northfield School in Mount Hermon, Mass. and Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. She graduated with her Bachelor Degree in Art. While at Skidmore, she met her husband Dick Bacon, who was attending Dartmouth College. She called it the "Luckiest day of her life!" Her children include Deborah Bacon Warren, married to Gene Warren of Healdsburg, Calif., and Richard Bacon Jr., married to Ruth Ann Bacon of Irvine, Calif. She has two adored grandchildren, Sara and Richard Bacon, III. Her sister, Priscilla Houghton Flynn, of West Hartford, Conn. and her brother, Alan Houghton, also of Conn., survive her. Her executive husband's business led to several moves starting in Cleveland, Ohio then on to Atlanta, Ga., Dallas, Texas, and finally settling in Marin County (The San Francisco Bay area). Nancy's art talent was first noticed when she was eleven, in the fifth annual exhibition, entitled, "Young America Paints" for the American Museum of Natural History, in New York during 1940. When her children attended college, Nancy went back to entering Fine Art shows by joining the Marin Society of Artists in Ross, Calif. She was elected as Juror and was on the Artists Advisory Council. She received over 100 awards in a variety of juried shows. Her most treasured award was at the Falkirk Cultural Center where she received an award from Henry Hopkins, the director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, in 1978. She also received the Grumbacher Gold Medallion at the Marin Society of Artists, 60th Annual Show in 1987. The high point of her art career was her solo show at the historical, Lucien Labaudt Art Gallery in San Francisco. Her paintings were hung in the very room where artists such as Matisse and Leger were entertained by Mlle. Labaudt and her husband Lucien. He was famous for his murals at Coit Towers in San Francisco. Nancy received numerous cash and "Best of Show" awards in venues such as the Hall of Flowers, S.F., Crown Zellerbach, S.F., Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael and Marin Society of Artists in Ross. After a groundbreaking art trip to China, in 1982, she was invited to have two shows in Hangchow and Nanning by Professor ZhenJack and Yang TaiYang. As to the invitation to exhibit her work in China, she said, "Too much red tape, no pun intended!" Nancy also won awards while painting in Mexico and Hawaii. Her award winning painting, "Tropical Rhythm," was featured on 'ArtScan' on PBS. She also donated many of her works to charity events that raised money for a variety of worthy causes. On June 23, 2009, Nancy and Dick would have been married 58 years. They have been full time residents of Palm Valley Country Club in Palm Desert, Calif., since 1999. A private celebration of Nancy's life will be held. The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the A.L.S. Association. Her great beauty, enthusiasm, generosity, creativity and fabulous sense of humor will be greatly missed by the many friends and family who loved her deeply. Her artistic legacy will endure for generations.