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Getting to Know the New Docents

Published September 8, 2011 Museum Insight , People 2 Comments
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The desire to communicate the power of art to others is the main requirement to become a docent at the Dallas Museum of Art.  This year, we have twelve candidates in our New Docent class, and they begin their training next Monday.  The next nine months will be jam-packed with training sessions that will help them prepare for giving tours to visitors of all ages.  We’ll spend a lot of time talking about how to teach in the galleries, and a majority of their time will be spent getting to know the over 23,000 works of art in the DMA’s collection (not an easy feat).

The members of the new docent class of 2011-2012 come from a variety of backgrounds: we have artists, retired teachers, lawyers, and bankers.  One thing they all have in common is a passion for art and enriching students’ lives.  I asked all of them why they want to become a docent at the DMA and what they hope to gain from the experience.  Below are responses from some of the new docents in their own words.

Students on a docent-guided tour of the DMA

  • “As a student of the arts my entire life, I would love nothing more than to share this love and understanding with others of all ages and knowledge levels.  I think it’s fascinating to see art through the eyes of a child; they often point out things that I have never noticed; fresh eyes are essential to keeping artworks alive.  I cannot imagine anything more rewarding than a child’s face lighting up as they explore a new piece, learn something new, and go home with excitement about art.” —Suzie Curnes
  • “I would like to help young people understand that to fully appreciate a work of art, you have to know its history, you have to look at it very carefully and, ideally, even sketch it.  You also need to think about how it makes you feel.  Then you have formed a relationship with it, and you won’t ever forget it.” —Sanlyn Kent
  • “I enjoy standing in front of a group of people, young or old, and explaining the topic, asking them questions, helping the group get involved in the discussion…There is nothing more exciting and fun than talking about and teaching about something that you love.” —Cynthia Camuel
  • “I have a strong emotional connection to the DMA.  After the Museum moved downtown, I would frequently go to the DMA and walk through the galleries during my lunch hour.  Spending time at the Dallas Museum of Art gave me a great education.  Being a docent will give me an opportunity to make a modest payment for those great experiences.” —Bill Bounds
  • “As a native Dallasite, I have enjoyed the DMA for many years, and have always seen the Museum as a vibrant learning environment.  As a docent, I believe I can expand my experiences, while passing on my knowledge to others.  I’m truly excited about the possibility!” —Harriet Stoneham

This will be my first year to train a new group of docents, and I’m also excited about all of the possibilities we will discover together.  The new docents will begin touring in early 2012, so you and your students may just have a chance to meet them when you visit the DMA during the coming year!

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Published September 1, 2011 Museum Insight , People Closed
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Back when I was in grade school, classes began after Labor Day weekend.  I am still getting accustomed to the fact that students and teachers now return to school before the holiday.  And, with temperatures still well into the 100’s, it is difficult to believe that summer is over.

Amy:

This has been a summer of unexpected things and exciting moments.  A highlight for me is definitely the Mavericks winning the NBA title—go Mavs!  I also got to see my kid brother graduate from college, scored some tickets to the Colonial in Fort Worth, and recently took a fun river trip in Austin with friends from college.  Summer was great, but I’m definitely ready for some cool(er)  temperatures.

Amy & her brother, after a very long day moving out of the dorms!

Loryn:

Despite the sweltering heat, this summer has been a monumental milestone in my life.  Not only did I achieve a life-long goal and land my dream job here at the DMA, but my husband and I also bought our first house, which was the very home my great-grandmother lived in.  Best of all, I spent most of my time in the galleries with students, teaching and learning about art.

Melissa:

I escaped the Dallas heat and spent ten days in the Pacific Northwest.  Over five of those days, my friends and I hiked 47 kilometers (29 miles) along the Juan de Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.  We walked through lush rainforests with huge ferns, scrambled over the roots of enormous fir trees, waded through muddy bogs, and climbed up and down rocky cliffs along the coast.  Some of the scariest moments were crossing over bridges hewn out of logs and expansive suspension bridges.  Afterward, we treated ourselves to a three-day weekend in Victoria and Vancouver, where we visited Granville Island Public Market and enjoyed the deliciously famous JapaDog!

Nicole:

This Summer I Learned a New Word…“extirpate.”  It means to pull up by the roots; to totally destroy.  Extirpated animals are those that no longer exist in the wild in a certain area, but may exist
elsewhere in the world.  I learned this new word during my summer vacation trip to the Elkhart County 4-H Fair.  It’s one of the largest county fairs in the world and it’s held in my Indiana hometown.  I LOVED going to the fair as a kid and hadn’t been back in quite some time to see the chickens, rabbits, and goats; watch the harness horse races; check out the new tractors and other complex farm machinery; and sink my teeth into a sugary, fried-dough concoction called an elephant ear.  I don’t remember what extirpated animal I am in this picture.  Turkey?  Hedgehog?  I’ll have to return next summer to be sure.

 

Shannon:

Although I didn’t make it to the beach during my summer vacation, I did visit the Paris Plages.  Each summer, sand is placed along the right bank of the Seine River in Paris, transforming the streets and walkways into a temporary beach.  Each section of the Plage was decorated with different colored beach chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas.  It was cloudy and rainy during my day “sur la Plage,” but I had a lot of fun walking through the sand along the Seine.

Tom:

Though I didn’t have the grand, romantic odyssey that Shannon had in France, my summer was full of travel and excitement. In May, I drove to Louisiana for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (also known as Jazz Fest). Jazz Fest features two of my greatest loves: fantastic music and copious fried food. In July, I flew into Chicago where my brother took me out for one of the most delicious hamburgers I’ve ever had. From there, I drove to Fall Creek, Wisconsin, home of the Fall Creek High School’s Fighting Crickets! Fall Creek is also home to my grandmother and my many, many precious great-aunts.

Photowalking with Ted Forbes

Published August 16, 2011 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Museum Insight , People , Technology Closed
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Last Friday, as part of 9×9, the DMA hosted a Photowalk with staff member and photographer Ted Forbes.  Over a dozen visitors attended, myself included.  Ted began with a brief talk about photographing people and their environment, showing us portraits taken by world-renowned portrait photographer Arnold Newman (who photographed John F. Kennedy, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Marilyn Monroe, and many others).  Then, we were set loose in the second floor European galleries.  What were our directions? “Go out and shoot portraits!” Ted said.

The Photowalk experience was very hands-on experience.   Ted gave us the freedom to wander the European galleries and take pictures of Photowalk participants, strangers we encountered, and works of art around us.  As I walked around the second floor, I tried to keep in mind the concepts of negative space, people and their environment, and the commonly used “rule of thirds” when framing my shots.

Taking pictures of people in specific poses proved to be a bit challenging in the galleries, so I began to look for ways to incorporate people into my pictures while focusing on the artwork as my main subject.  I also played with reflections in windows and looking through panels of glass.  Concentrating on reflections of people against works of art as well as reflections of the artwork itself led to some intriguing images.

After we took pictures in the European galleries, we went back to the Tech Lab in C3 to look at each other’s pictures.  It was fun seeing other people’s pictures, because everyone took the instructions and captured images in completely different ways and styles, with unique perspectives.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the Photowalk, as well as some shots I captured of participants photographing one another!

[slideshow]

Leala Rosen
Teachings Program Summer Intern

Leala Rosen is a sophomore at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She is studying sociology/anthropology and art history. As a summer intern for the Teachings Program department of the DMA, she worked with Go van Gogh outreach programs and led museum tours.

My Summer in Paris

Published August 9, 2011 People 4 Comments
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Last month, I celebrated a birthday milestone.  In honor of turning 30, I spent the week of my birthday in Paris.  I had never been to Paris, but have dreamed about visiting the City of Lights since I was little.  Paris really became my “must-visit” destination once I decided to major in Art History.  I just had to see in person all of the works of art I studied over the past twelve years.

Paris was breathtaking, and every monument–museums, cathedrals, towers, arcs–made me feel like I was walking into my old art history textbooks.  The two works of art that most impressed me were The Raft of the Medusa (at the Louvre) and Olympia (at the Musée d’Orsay).  I could have spent hours with both of them!  But my favorite place, by far, was Claude Monet’s home at Giverny.  Being there, it was easy to see why he was so inspired by nature, and especially by water lilies.  I didn’t have a canvas or paints with me, but I did use my camera to capture some of my favorite artistic locales.

[slideshow]

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching

Teen Docent Program: Loads of Fun

Published August 2, 2011 Art & Teaching , Museum Insight , People 7 Comments
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Every summer something special happens at the DMA.  High school students from around the DFW area lend us their free time to participate in our annual Teen Docent program.  Celebrating ten years of summer fun, the Teen Docent Program offers an invaluable experience for teenagers, ages 14-18, to learn about art, sharpen their speaking skills, and interact with younger students in the galleries.

Teen docent Jennifer Mayen discussing Miguel Covarrubias's "Genesis: The Gift of Life"

This summer we have eleven returning students and thirteen fresh faces, and it’s easy to spot all of them in their official “uniform,” which includes a gray Dallas Museum of Art t-shirt and a Teen Docent badge. 

Most often you’ll find them around the Museum carrying a docent bag full of fun supplies and guiding a group of students on an Animal Safari or A Looking Journey tour.  Other times, you may see them helping out on weekends with Family Experiences programming like Studio Creations and Collections Connections, or pitching in with program hits like First Tuesday or Late Nights.

Teen docent Tennessee Bonner handing out supplies

I asked one our new teen docents, Tennessee Bonner, why he wanted to join the program. “The reason I joined the docent program was the fact that I would be able to help the museum and I would have fun doing it.”

What a great answer!  Teen docents are not only summer tour lifesavers, but they help create a fun, learning environment for younger audiences.  It is the teenagers’ willingness to learn about the Museum and share their enthusiasm with younger students that makes this program work.   

2011 Teen Docents

For the past ten years, the Teen Docent Program has become an integral part of our summer programming.  I commend all the volunteers that have donated hours of their cherished summer time, and I hope to see many of them next summer.

Loryn Leonard
Coordinator of Museum Visits

Behind the Scenes: YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs Program

Published July 19, 2011 Art & Teaching , Community Connection , Museum Insight , People 1 Comment
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Coming into my second month at the museum, I am beginning to learn more about the different facets of our education department.  Last week, I participated in our YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs Program, a week-long program that employs interactive gallery experiences through tours, as well as hands-on art activities based on objects explored in the Museum.  By documenting my first experience with the YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs Program, I aim to shed some light on our summer programs at the DMA.
 

Tour supplies

Our week begins on Monday at the Grand Prairie Boys & Girls Club.  My colleague Melissa Nelson and I head out in the beloved Go van Gogh® van, armed with a bag full of art supplies.  Because it’s our first interaction with the students, we start off with introductions about us and the Museum.  As a group, we talked about the different collections the DMA has to offer and what their first visit will be like.   Finally, we ended the session with an art activity, in which the students drew their own museum filled with items they collect at home.
 

On Tuesday, the students traveled to the Museum for their first visit, and the tour theme is Animal Safari.  The Animal Safari tour is a fun and engaging tour that encourages students to look closer at the different types of animals found in artworks throughout the Museum.  Some activities I included are an animal scavenger hunt in the American silver gallery, an acrostic poem about a seal or sea otter spirit mask, and a drawing based on the sculptures of mythical animals (aso) from Indonesia.  You can find more interactive activities on our Teaching Resources page.

Preparing for an Animal Safari tour

On Wednesday, we went back to the Boys & Girls Club and reviewed some of the animals we saw on the tour.  Two objects that we asked for them to recall are the sword ornament in the form of a lion and the mythical animal (aso).  Inspired by these two objects, the students created their own animals with Model Magic clay.  It was a great way to connect the students with the artworks and spark their interest in returning to the Museum on Thursday.

On Thursday, the students returned to the DMA for a second time, ready to participate in the Heroes tour.  During the tour, students explored characteristics of heroes and what it means to be a hero in artworks from diverse cultures.  During the tour, we read Courage by Bernard Waber, drew a hero portrait, and wrote a story about heroes together as a group.

Students working hard on their trophies

Our final meeting took place on Friday at the Boys & Girls Club.  We reviewed the different roles of a hero and talked about which artworks we liked the most.  One object that was visited was the Nautilus Centerpiece, which is a yachting trophy.  In this activity, students created their own trophy that either represented themselves as heroes, or to give to someone they consider their hero, like a family member or a friend.

Artist Trophy

My first week with the YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs Program has been a blast!  I can’t think of a better way for students to spend their summer than having fun with art and taking the time to look, question, and create.

Loryn Leonard
Coordinator of Museum Visits

Cruisin' in the Go van Gogh Van

Published July 12, 2011 Art & Teaching , People Closed
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You may have noticed the colorful Go van Gogh® van driving around town and wondered to yourself, “Is that van as fun to ride in as it looks?”  The answer is “Yes!”  Catching a ride in our van is easy: just sign up to be a Go van Gogh volunteer.  Volunteers are trained by Museum staff to lead interactive conversations and art activities based on works of art in the DMA’s collections and special exhibitions.  Taking these programs into classrooms throughout Dallas is a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved, including the students, teachers, and volunteers.
 

A volunteer teaches fourth graders in a Dallas ISD classroom.

But you don’t have to take it from us that volunteering with Go van Gogh is a wonderful experience.  Kari Laehr, who just completed her first year as a volunteer, recently shared this with us:

“Working with the Dallas Museum of Art’s Go van Gogh Outreach Program has been a great pleasure.  Every program that I have taught has been not only exciting for the students, but for me as well.  There is something extremely special about sharing my passion for art with youngsters, and I consider it a great honor to represent the museum in this way. I was very nervous during my first teaching session; however, having that one “light bulb” moment with a student during the art-making process makes everything worthwhile in the end. In fact, I have heard numerous times in my class, “This is the best day ever! When are you coming back?” I feel that what I am doing with the Go van Gogh Program is making an impact in Dallas classrooms and would highly recommend this experience to others.”

Volunteers discuss a work of art during training.

Afterward, they perform a short skit inspired by the work of art.

Do volunteers need to have teaching experience?  No.  Do they need to be art history experts?  Not at all.  The two primary requirements for our Go van Gogh volunteers are (1) an interest in sharing works of art with students in grades 1-6, and (2) a commitment to attend volunteer training at the Museum and present programs in Dallas schools during weekday mornings.

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete and return the volunteer application by Friday, August 5, 2011.  Help us spread the word to any friends who may be interested as well.  You can also contact me with questions about the programs at 214.922.1230 or MNelson@DallasMuseumofArt.org. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

Melissa Nelson
Manager of Teaching in the Community

Beginning a New Chapter

Published July 11, 2011 People 3 Comments
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After four years of working at the Dallas Museum of Art, I have decided to continue my museum career working with docents at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At the DMA, I worked with docents, teachers, and students.  I have also researched works of art, written materials for special exhibitions, and taught with works of art. These experiences have been invaluable, and they allowed me to grow as an educator, work with a wide range of audiences, and learn about the Museum’s collection.

One of the highlights of my job has been working with wonderful friends and colleagues at the DMA. Their ideas, support, and creativity impacted me greatly; I am fortunate to have worked with an amazing team.

Before I go, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite works of art. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

[slideshow]

Signing Off,

Amy Wolf
Coordinator of Gallery Teaching

Staff Spotlight: Loryn Leonard

Published July 5, 2011 People 10 Comments
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Last month, I introduced you to Loryn Leonard through a Friday Photo Post.  Today, Loryn will introduce herself in more detail.  You’ll have a chance to correspond with Loryn beginning on August 1st, when we start taking reservations for Museum visits for the 2011-2012 school year.

Name and Title: Loryn Leonard, Coordinator of Museum Visits

Years employed at the Dallas Museum of Art: Zero – this is my first month at the Museum!

Describe your job here at the Museum: I consider myself as the tour match-maker.  I work directly with educators to schedule visits and provide logistic to prepare for their tours.  Correspondingly, I manage docent availability and assign docents to scheduled tours.

What part of your new job are you most looking forward to doing? Definitely giving tours.  I enjoy interacting with students and learning new perspectives about works of art.

What is a challenge you face in your job? Organizing.  It can be a bit of a challenge to keep everyone up-to-date with tour information and making sure docents are lined up so everyone has a wonderful experience at the Museum.

One of Loryn's metal artworks

How did you decide you wanted to work in a museum? Actually, it was this Museum.  Growing up in Waxahachie and going to college in Denton, the Dallas Museum of Art was an invaluable resource for research and inspiration.

If you weren’t working in a museum, what is something else you would be doing? Even though this is my dream job, I think I would go back to my metalsmithing roots and be a full-time artist.

Shannon Karol
Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching

See you at the library!

Published July 1, 2011 Art & Teaching , Friday Photos , People Closed
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Every summer, we bring Go van Gogh programs to Dallas Public Libraries.  These one-hour programs are free and open to all ages.  Below are pictures from our visit to Preston Royal Library with the Art of the American Indians program, inspired by the DMA’s special exhibition.  Check our schedule to see when we’re visiting a library near you!

Melissa Nelson
Manager of Teaching in the Community

 

 

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