Ruth Horsting facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Horsting
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Horsting (left) with Baba Hari Dass in 1999
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| Born |
Ruth Carolyn Johnson
January 18, 1919 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | November 26, 2000 (aged 81) Bonny Doon, California, U.S.
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| Other names |
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| Education | School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Children | 3 |
Ruth Horsting (1919–2000), also known as Ma Renu, was an amazing American artist, teacher, and community leader. She was a sculptor, creating art from materials like metal. Ruth was also a writer and a kind person who helped many others. She was a student of Ashtanga Yoga, a type of yoga that focuses on physical postures and breathing.
Ruth was famous for her large sculptures made of bronze and steel. She taught art at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) from 1959 to 1971. It's important to know that Ruth Horsting was the very first woman sculptor hired to teach in the entire University of California system.
She also started the Sri Ram Foundation, which helps children in India. Ruth was a co-founder of the Hanuman Fellowship and the Mount Madonna Center. This center is a special place in the Santa Cruz Mountains, near Watsonville, where people can learn and grow.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Ruth Carolyn Johnson was born on January 18, 1919, in Chicago, Illinois. She went to Northwestern University, where she earned two degrees. She also studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 1946 to 1950. These studies helped her become a skilled artist.
Her Career and Work
In 1959, Ruth moved to California with her three children. She began teaching at UC Davis in the Department of Home Economics. Later, she moved to the Department of Art. Ruth's art often involved large sculptures made from bronze or steel. She used a special method called the lost wax method to create her detailed pieces.
In 1970, Ruth took a break from teaching. During this time, she stayed at Sea Ranch. She also worked on a book and started to study yoga. She co-wrote an illustrated book called History of Fashions (1970) with Rosana Pistolese. It was published by Wiley.
The next year, in 1971, Ruth's oldest son, William, passed away at age 26. This sad event led her to retire from teaching. She began a journey of deep thought and reflection. In 1971, Ruth helped a monk and yoga master named Baba Hari Dass come to the United States. He came to teach yoga. At 52 years old, Ruth became a full-time student of Ashtanga yoga.
Founding the Mount Madonna Center
Starting in 1978, Ruth and other yoga students and followers of Baba Hari Dass created the Mount Madonna Center. This center is a place for retreats, conferences, and even has a school for kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. About 100 people also lived at the center. While at the center, Ruth began to use the name "Ma Renu," which means "Mother Earth" in English.
Helping Children in India
Ruth Horsting also founded the Sri Ram Foundation. This foundation was created to help orphaned children in India. In India, the foundation built the Sri Ram Ashram. This special place serves as a home, a school, and a medical center for about 50 children. It provides them with care and education.
Ruth Horsting passed away on November 26, 2000, at her home in Bonny Doon, California. Her daughter, Archana Horsting, is also an artist. Archana co-founded the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley.
Art Exhibitions
Ruth Horsting's sculptures were shown in several art exhibitions:
- 2016: Out Our Way, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Museum of Art, at University of California, Davis, Davis, California
- 1964: The Bay Area Artists, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California
- 1964: Horsting with Bryan Wilson, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California
- 1963: (solo exhibition), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- 1962: Northern California Arts (NCA) annual show, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California
Awards
- 1959: Pauline Palmer prize, Art Institute of Chicago
Images for kids
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Horsting (left) with Baba Hari Dass in 1999
