St. Louis Jewish Light from St. Louis, Missouri • A8

A RTISTIC ENTIMENT 8 28, 2007 ST. LOUISJEWISHLIGHT Visit WWW. STLJEWISHLIGHT.COM BY PAM DROOG-JONES SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT When she was a young girl, Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg says she expected to grow up and become a wife and mother. And so she did. But along the way, through a combination of intelligence, curiosity, an engaging personality (she was voted in her class at University City High School), hard work and good luck, Kranzberg has had a tremendous impact on arts, culture and education in St.

Louis. And she has had a lot of fun, too. Though Kranzberg was born in Belleville, consider myself a St. Louie she says. two grandmas were born Her parents moved to University City when she was in third grade.

wanted me to meet more Jewish she says. She attended Washington University and earned a degree in education, then taught second grade for a few years. While she was still in college, Kranzberg says, friend asked me, you a I said yes. She told me she was dating the friend of neat Ken Kranzberg, and she wanted to fix us she says. was this handsome older guy wearing a hat! That was in the days of the The two dated for five years before they got married.

was sort of Kranzberg recalls. wanted me to quit teaching and be a wife and mother. I was really conflicted because I thought about getting a degree. But I went along with his request and everything fell into Arts Lover always loved the arts, all the different disciplines, but when I was younger I never thought about doing anything about Kranzberg says. always sang in choirs, including at Washington University, and I enjoyed looking at art and going to plays.

But my family encourage me, and in fact, I almost flunked art for elementary The story of how she became an arts addict is nearly legendary: had a friend who sang with me in the Washington University Choir and she knew all about the composers and the history of the music, and when we went to the St. Louis Art Museum she knew all about the Kranzberg says. asked her, do you know all And she said, mom dragged me around to museums and things. I hated it but now I appreciate So Kranzberg began to educate herself and also her two daughters to museums, galleries, plays and concerts. During one of those visits to the St.

Louis Art Museum, Kranzberg noticed a guide leading a group. asked her if she was a volunteer and she said, I am a docent Well, all it took for me to want to apply and they chose 25 of us out of 100 Kranzberg says. been a docent there for more than 30 years She also is a board member at the Art Museum, and she and her husband are co-chairs of the board at Laumeier Sculpture Park. is simply says Glen Gentele, Laumeier director. has a vision and a genuine concern for people.

Also she has a wonderful intuitive sense that runs deep, and she can go from very serious to very lighthearted in an instant. She and Ken just give to the community in so many In addition, Kranzberg is actively involved in Grand Center as a board member of Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Sheldon Arts Foundation and Jazz at the Bistro a not-for-profit which people she notes). She also is president of the board of the Center for the Humanities at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and serves on the advisory council of Art St.

Louis and the Millstone Gallery at COCA. In addition she is a board member of the Mid- America Arts Alliance, a six- state consortium that takes arts out-state and to small institutions in larger cities, and the Missouri Mansion Preservation Council. for People an arts program but a huge pet organization of Kranzberg says. Also she is a 20-year member of the Pioneer Literary Group, the oldest literary group west of the Mississippi. lot of my boards and honors and awards have to do with money but I work very Kranzberg says.

are two always cherish. One was from Laumeier, when Alvin Siteman was the money man and I was the creative- spirited one. The other was the first Medal of Honor in 1996 for my work at Washington University Libraries in a fundraising She also has received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Washington University. That institution along with the St. Louis Art Museum are great She explains, University opened my mind and my heart to learning.

I had a great education at University City but Washington U. put the finishing touches on me and taught me I could do whatever I wanted to Devoted to Washington University Kranzberg dedicates a lot of energy to serving on the board of the National Council and Campaign Cabinet for Washington University Libraries and the Eliot Society Membership Committee. Another way she has shown her appreciation to the University is by founding the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Illustrated Book Studio, established in 1997 in collaboration with the Washington University School of Art. I received the Medal of Honor I thought, if Ken sells more bottles (through the family business, container-supplier Kranson Industries) I want to do something really Kranzberg says. a while later some representatives from the Art School told us that for a certain amount of money we could fund the studio.

I promptly said yes but Ken said, a But he kept selling more and more bottles and we were able to do Classes in the studio always fill up fast. give an award to the best student book artists every spring, called The she says. The generosity to Washington University goes even further. They helped fund the Ken and Nancy Kranzberg Art Architecture Library in the Sam Fox School of Design Visual Arts, which opened last fall. It contains more than 102,000 books and journals and hundreds of videos, DVDs and CDs that focus on supporting research and teaching in art, architecture, art history and archaeology.

In return, Washington University recently showed its appreciation to the Kranzbergs by awarding them the Eighth Annual Jane and Whitney Harris Saint Louis Community Service Award. It honors a husband-and-wife who have made an outstanding contribution to the culture and welfare of the St. Louis community. The $50,000 prize that accompanies the award is designated for a charity of the choice. has been a fabulous adviser and advocate for our libraries and she has contributed significantly to our National Library Council.

In fact the Kranzbergs have been influential in everything they are engaged in and we are proud to be among the recipients of their says Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton. is a tremendously creative person and her enthusiasm is infectious. She encourages others to get On the Air and the Stage Kranzberg is a familiar voice on community radio KDHX- Kranzberg has passion about sponsoring the arts A RTISTIC ENTIMENT ART LOVER Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg says loved the arts, all the different Photo: Kristi Foster NANCY KRANZBERG KRANZBERG PAGE 13.