A native of Chicago, Karen Shook still has fond memories of her visit to the Art Institute of Chicago when she was in the third grade. Indeed, the museum made a lasting impression on her and helped lay the foundation for her lifelong love of art. Shook’s interest in museums as a child carried over into adulthood and ultimately inspired her to become a docent. She conducted weekly tours at the Art Institute of Chicago and also led outdoor walking tours of some of the early skyscrapers in Chicago for the Chicago Architecture Foundation.
Shook’s appreciation of art continued to enrich her life throughout the years, and when she moved to St. Michaels in 2009 from Washington, D.C.—where she had built her career as an Emmy Award winning journalist and served as the president of the Washington, D.C. Board of Education—she sought opportunities that would allow her to pursue her passion. Not surprisingly, her search led to the Academy Art Museum (AAM) in Easton, and she became a member soon after moving to St. Michaels.
As a longtime art enthusiast, Shook was captivated by the museum and wanted to become more actively involved. So she decided to become a docent. She completed her training in the fall of 2017 and conducted her first docent tours in January 2018, which coincided with AAM’s 60th anniversary. Shook is one of nine volunteer docents. They are all members of the first class and began conducting tours at the same time.
“I love being a docent,” says Shook, who also serves on the board of trustees. “I enjoy meeting new people, and the environment is so warm and inviting. The exhibits are constantly changing, so every tour is different. And since everyone’s level of knowledge about art varies, we learn from each other. Being a docent is truly a rewarding experience for me.”
When AAM shut down in March due to COVID-19, the staff was faced with the challenge of finding ways to allow people to experience all the museum has to offer—without actually being able to visit. They soon realized that the obvious solution was to bring art into people’s homes. So they created “Docent Reflections,” a series of audio segments in which the docents provide commentary on a specific work of art. An exciting opportunity for the docents, “Docent Reflections” offer an innovative, creative way for people to enjoy art. In addition, creating a strong online presence ensures that AAM is accessible to everyone in the community—allowing people of all ages and walks of life to learn about and gain an appreciation for art.
At the time of writing, in-person tours aren’t currently available. However, AAM re-opened on August 1st and has been operating at reduced capacity. Safety measures have been implemented in accordance with city, state, and CDC guidelines. But anyone who is unable to visit is encouraged to explore AAM’s virtual platform, “Art at Home,” which features virtual tours, artist talks, activities, and more, by visiting AAM’s website at academyartmuseum.org.
“Karen is a dedicated and enthusiastic docent,” says Curator of AAM Mehves Lelic. “She dives right into new initiatives and always produces impressive, high-caliber work. She is also an active researcher who is eager to learn about multiple aspects of a piece of artwork she is introducing to an audience. When the museum shut down due to COVID-19, Karen was one of the first volunteers to produce virtual reflections on works from the museum’s permanent collection. She had never produced an audio segment on an artist before, but that did not stop her from creating a lovely episode on Mary Cassatt. Her beautiful work was instrumental in our decision to expand these segments to our rotating exhibitions.”
“Karen has been an inspired member of the docent program from the beginning, consistently leading tours of the highest level, and more recently, producing moving, thoughtful, and well-crafted ‘Docent Reflections’ segments,” adds Director of AAM Ben Simons. “She’s been a [true] leader of our very talented corps of museum docents.”
Shook is proud of AAM’s online presence and gives credit to everyone involved for thinking outside of the box and developing exciting virtual opportunities. “Docent Reflections” bring her so much joy, and she hopes that the audio segments offer comfort during these difficult times.
“Due to COVID-19, people are spending more time alone, which offers time for reflection,” says Shook. “Art can help us work through our feelings and provide an outlet while also teaching us to be mindful and appreciative. It’s truly transformative. I’m looking forward to conducting in-person tours again when it’s safe. But for now, I’m happy producing ‘Docent Reflections.’ I hope that I can play a small role in opening someone’s eyes to the joy of art.”
For more information about the Academy Art Museum, visit academyartmuseum.org.
Do you have a volunteer to nominate? Send What's Up? an email to editor@whatsupmag.com.
