Artwork by Jade Wilson

Slow Art Tour of Portrait Mode with Gail Belvett: Saturday, March 5, 3-4pm

Gail Belvett writes:

Art has the power to inspire, incite, confound, inform, and heal. While we know this to be true, far too often, the obstacles—real and perceived—to view art limit our access to these potentially life changing experiences.

Many of our art institutions reflect the pervasive cultures of supremacy in our society. As a result, visitors must overcome feelings of alienation, language and ability barriers, and inadequacy. This unease typically causes visitors to speed through the exhibition space, barely digesting the artwork.

A slow art tour presents a philosophical and literal alternative to the way visitors have traditionally consumed art. The tour challenges the notion that one needs to ‘know’ about art to appreciate it. A group of people gather to slowly savor a single object, looking closely while engaging multiple senses. Deliberate facilitation--grounded in the pedagogy of evidence-based Visual Thinking Strategies—encourages an inclusive community where observations are heard and valued. This inclusive process allows the group to co-create an interpretation of the work that culminates in an experience that is as unique as the people who are gathered around that specific object, on that day, at that time.

About Gail Belvett:

A graduate of UNC Adams School of Dentistry, Gail founded Southpoint Family Dentistry in 2007 and over a 10 year period, provided care to over 5000 Durham residents. During that time, Gail was a Trustee for Duke Regional Hospital and currently serves as the Chair of the Patient Safety and Clinical Quality committee for the Duke University Health System Board of Directors.

A member of the Nasher Museum of Art since 2012, Gail has supported numerous exhibitions, served on the Friends Board and was Chair of the Collections Committee of the Nasher Board of Advisors from 2016 – 2020. Gail is currently a Nasher Gallery Guide.

In 2018, Gail sold Southpoint Family Dentistry and has since deepened her involvement in the arts. She is curator of We Are Here: Past Present, Future, currently on view at Hayti Heritage Center, and presented by Be Connected Durham. Gail and her pup, Marcus Garvey, live in East Durham.