art + community
We are devoted to deepening experiences of art and culture within diverse communities through public art and museums. We aim to make the arts more inclusive, more meaningful, and more transformative.
Director, Public Art Program
Inglewood Basketball Entertainment Center
New home of the Clippers NBA team, to open in 2024
Knowing Ruth’s deep commitment to contemporary art, to cultural building projects, to working with artists and the community, we enthusiastically chose her to direct our percent-for-art program for the dynamic new Clippers Arena in Inglewood.
Dennis Wong
Vice Chairman LA Clippers
Expansion Project Director
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Opened in 2016, designed by Snøhetta
It is rare to have a client for a building project who so sensitively understands the process and is so creatively collaborative. Every challenge we faced as architects benefitted from Ruth’s thoughtful ideas.
Craig Dykers
Founding Partner, Snøhetta, New York
Jon McNeal
Director, Senior Architect, Snøhetta, San Francisco
As Expansion Project Director for SFMOMA, Ruth intuitively understood how to work with the architects, a diverse team of constituents, the general contractor, the museum board, the staff and community. She was critical to the execution of this large and complex project and it simply wouldn’t have been as successful without her.
Terry Reagan
Principal, T. J. Reagan, Inc.
Donald Young
Principal, D. R. Young Associates
Museum Expert, Post-Expansion Reopening Planning, 2022
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Berson Studio conceived and led an inclusive strategic process to set the goals, timeline, and roadmap for NMWA’s building reopening following a major top-to-bottom renovation. Ruth’s experience and thoughtful work gave our staff a structure and methodology by which to make the many decisions needed for “the new NMWA.” The process promoted team-building as we regained confidence and camaraderie, post-pandemic, and re-dedicated ourselves to championing the cause of women in the arts.
Susan Fisher Sterling
The Alice West Director
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Director, Museum Public Art Program
Chase Center, opened 2019
New home of the Golden State Warriors NBA Team
When we built our new Warriors arena, Chase Center, Ruth created an innovative art commissioning and museum loan program for us, to complement our percent-for-art program. It is a new model for how art institutions and clients with building projects can collaborate for the good of the community by increasing access to quality public art.
Rick Welts
Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
Former President, Golden State Warriors
Jen Millet
Senior Vice President of Marketing, Golden State Warriors
Museum Expert
Museum Building Proposals, 2020 - 2022
Ruth brings her unique insight into museum design, asking probing questions that get at the heart of mission, vision, visitor experience, and operational effectiveness. She has provided invaluable perspectives to inform our architectural proposals for museums and cultural venues.
Steve Wiesenthal
Principal, Studio Gang
Project Lead, 100th Anniversary of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Because of Ruth’s previous sensitive and effective work on the Collections Management Database readiness assessment, we again engaged Berson Studio to work with our curatorial staff on the preparations for the museum's 100th anniversary in 2024. The assignment included a review of the architectural planning process for the building and especially the development of a vision for a thoughtful rehang of the permanent collection.
Thomas P. Campbell
Director, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
California Palace of the Legion of Honor and the M. H. DeYoung Museum
