Art and dance come alive in Tait Gallery
By Shari Kaplan
If the course of events forming Ruth Tunstall Grant's world were given a shape, it would probably be round. Not only has she come full circle in her own life, but as arts director for the San Jose-based Children's Shelter, she also helps shape the lives of others so they can begin circles of their own.
Not surprisingly, she has given the title of "The Journey" to her latest exhibit, on display through July 31 at the Los Gatos Museum of Art and Natural History. The show consists of paintings, drawings and multimedia dolls from various series, most from the mid- to late 1990s. Many deal with the topic of dance, one of Grant's favorite means of expression and the overall thesis of much of her art. Interestingly enough, Grant herself is not a dancer.
"My soul dances, but it just doesn't connect with my body," she says with a giggle. "I talk with my hands, I talk with my body and face--that's my way of dancing in the universe. Movement is a constant way of honoring that we're alive; otherwise we'd be rocks!"
Grant's love affair with art and dance began early. When she and her sister, Leslie, were 8 and 4 years old, respectively, their mother introduced them to their "cultural Saturdays." A professor at Michigan's Wayne State University, their mother often took the girls to the nearby Detroit Institute of Art, where they participated in children's art workshops and, over time, came to appreciate the wonders of the galleries.
On Sundays, the sisters often received further education in the humanities by attending the ballet or opera. "I actually thought everyone went to museums, the ballet and opera on a regular basis, just like we did," Grant recalls.
About three years into the cultural Saturdays, Grant encountered The Wedding Dance, by Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel. Captivated by the sense of motion, she brought her mother and sister before the canvas and was not satisfied until they agreed the subjects were dancing. She also realized she would not be satisfied until she could take the vibrant motion and emotion inside herself and transform it into artwork that could move others as she was moved.
"It's that moment when you realize who you are and what you want to do with your life," she explains. "I think that's something you have to honor, but society often tells you that you can't do it because you're a woman, you're too young, you're African-American, whatever. I'm living my life to honor that realization."
After obtaining her bachelor of arts and master of fine arts degrees, Grant made a career out of her lifelong love. A little more than 10 years ago, she added another feather to her cap when she joined the Children's Shelter. "I think that's why I like to teach--the biggest honor as a human being is to be there when a child comes to realization," she adds.
The shelter serves youths from all racial, social and economic backgrounds who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. The shelter's programs and services help them gain a new outlook on life. One way of healing is through the self-expression art allows. To that end, Grant interviews and hires guest artists to join her in working with the children; she also coordinates artistic programs in the visual arts, drama, music and dance.
'A Journey' is on exhibit through July 31. The Los Gatos Museum of Fine Art and Natural History, at 4 Tait Ave, is open from noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
