SIMI VALLEY : Art Donated for Reagan Library

A Simi Valley artist has donated a painting to the city that she hopes will be displayed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Mayor Greg Stratton, along with the rest of the City Council, said he was very impressed with Stella Kwan’s work. He said city officials plan to present the painting to library officials a week or two after the library opens Monday.

Library officials could not be reached for comment on Kwan’s proposal to display the painting.

But most likely it will join a huge stockpile of other gifts in the library basement. Archivists estimated that Reagan received 75,000 unsolicited gifts during his eight years in the White House, with more coming in every day.

In addition, Reagan associates recently completed the library’s museum and have said they have no more room to display any of the other gifts from foreign leaders and folk artists.

Kwan’s cartoon painting, which took 2 1/2 months to complete, shows Reagan welcoming President George Bush and former Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter to the new library. All of the former Presidents have agreed to attend the library’s opening on Monday, although Carter may be delayed in Zambia where he is monitoring the African nation’s first free elections.

Kwan, a professional graphic artist, said she wanted to donate the 40- by 60-inch acrylic painting to the library on behalf of the city of Simi Valley “to express our pride and joy for Ronald Reagan.”

Stratton said because of all the festivities planned next week for the opening that officials felt it would be better to wait before making a formal presentation.