Friends from many parts of her life gathered inside the historic McKim, Mead & White clubhouse. They include Anne Cronin, a neighbor, a neighbor since Ms. Parent's childhood in Abingdon, Mass., who had lived two houses away; Laua Flynn, who played womens varsity soccer with her at Harvard; and Mike Sandonato, whom she met skiing in Italy.
The current club president introduced Everett Raymond Kinstler that evening by saying that there were others whose painatings in the club the portraitist had executed. "Executed," Mr. Kinstler interjected to audience laughter, "is a bad word."
Mr. Kinstler had just come from a portrait unveiling of George W. Bush at another private club. To more audience laughter he said, "I'm not used to hanging two people in the same hour.
Ms. Parent joins an august club of her own: Mr. Kinstler has painted seven presidents, 60 cabnet officers, Supreme Court Justices and scores of entertainers, including James Cagney, Paul Newman, Gregory Peck and Tennesee Williams.On 10 occasions, he painted portraits of Gerald Ford. "He wanted me to keep trying," Mr. Kinstler once joked.
Ms. Parent prevopisly worked at Credit Suisse, Bank of America and Citigroup. At the outset of her career, she assisted the cheif economist of the New York Stock Exchange. She cut her teeth in the world of finance by studying economics at Harvard, where she currently serves on the Board of Overseers.
Ms. Parent follows in the footsteps of Charlotte Armstrong, present that evening, who was the first female vice president of the club, and is one of its most admired members.
Ms. Parent had once suggested to Mr. Kinstler that she wear a navy blue blue ball gown in the portrait, to which he responded, "My dear Nicole, I have a slightly different vision for this portrait- may I come to your house and look through your closet?"
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