SMoCA docents are trained volunteers who share their knowledge with museum visitors, and at schools, retirement homes and community groups. They conduct gallery tours of exhibitions, lead walking tours of the sculpture garden and give slide presentations on a variety of art-related subjects. In addition, they bring presentations on art subjects (that address the Arizona Visual Arts Standards) into classrooms across the Valley and even “adopt” an elementary school, which they visit. SMoCA would like to thank our more than 90 docent volunteer corps for their countless hours served and tireless dedication.

Many of the Museum’s docents have been here since before the Museum opened. They have offered to share some of their memories over the past 10 years. Below are just some of their memories.

In 1999, in Scottsdale at SMoCA, it was a time of great anticipation and excitement. With President and CEO Frank Jacobson at the helm and Dr. Robert Knight as our SMoCA Director, Scottsdale was on the brink of enjoying a fully accredited museum of contemporary art. A real museum, one with a small library and galleries, a space in which to exhibit cutting edge contemporary art. Could it get any better than this? At the same time, we were being blessed with a very special artwork by the world-renowned artist James Turrell, which was called Knight Rise and yes, James Turrell named the piece in honor of his friend and colleague, Dr. Robert Knight. This was exciting stuff. The next question posed was where to place this special skyspace. Ideas poured in and in the midst of this, controversy, of course.

At this point, it is important to mention that we were also honored to have the equally world-renowned architect, Will Bruder, designing our new museum. While he cleverly transformed a drab aging movie theatre into a vibrant museum of five spacious galleries, a museum gift shop and atrium, we, the docents, watched in awe. Every now and then, Will was more than willing to take us through the rubble and the dust to proudly show us his masterpiece in progress. At times, the then-bearded, long-haired, bohemian artist and architect might be sporting sneakers of different colors, or unusual choices of attire as he eagerly trotted around his new masterpiece with an level of enthusiasm that was downright contagious.

I was very privileged to attend a town meeting representing the docent body as present. The meeting included several key members of the community, as well as other powers that be who made the actual decisions and counted the dollars. Will Bruder was invited to lend his expertise to help everyone with this dilemma of where to place Knight Rise to its best advantage. One idea after another was present and, for various reasons, all rejected or put on the back burner. In the midst of back and forth conversation, Will was rapidly sketching on a sketch pad. He quietly presented his off-the-cuff sketch for discussion. It was the answer everyone had been looking for and was perfect in every way. In a few scant minutes the answer was right in front of us. It was a true genius at work. It was the ideal location and suited every need. It would be placed where it is today just outside the museum and protected by James Carpenter’s beautiful scrim wall in its own quiet location.

I was again lucky enough, just by chance, to be behind Will Bruder as a group of docents were being treated to a final tour of the completed museum and Knight Rise. As we walked along the pathway to knight Rise the dichroic glass panels were reflecting magically brilliant strips of colored light on the ground. Will Bruder suddenly stopped, looked down and commented that he had not noticed before but he couldn’t believe how much the ephemeral quality of the colored strips resembled Indian sand paintings gracing the pathway at different times every day. He added that “… it was an added bonus for his new southwestern SMoCA.” Will Bruder was responsible for choosing to paint SMoCA its deep purplish brown to resemble the very special McDowell Mountains that also change in color continually through each day and which grace our beautiful city, Scottsdale. – Ginny Mettille

The exhibit was called The Room – Teenagers in Their Bedroom, by artist/photographer Adrienne Salinger. She approached teenagers and asked about interviewing them for this exhibition that she was putting together with the idea of talking with each one of them within the privacy of their bedroom. I was deeply touched by the fact that these young people confided and shared with Adrienne such incredible feelings. A year after this, Adrienne contacted as many of them as she could for a follow-up to find what had occurred in their lives the year after their interviews. The show was beautifully curated and shoed a recreation of their bedrooms and an interesting story of each teenager. For me, it was quite powerful and the memory of it remains with me today. – Ada M. Levin

A Life Docent has a CELEBRATION …
Wonderfully shared years of:

• Education
• Dedication
• Admiration
• Cooperation
• Memorization
• Orientation
• Preparation
• Innovation
• Accommodation
• Socialization
• Maturation
• Anticipation
• Demonstration
• And "Carolynation"
• With no Hesitation and total Appreciation

- Jackie Topus

A long time ago, when I was a touring docent, I had a group from a private school. The children were quite enjoyable, the teacher was wonderful. After the tour, one of the girls came up to me and gave me a gift – some nice Frank Lloyd Wright coasters, which I still have. I had to accept them – not to would have been very impolite on my part. However, when the teacher wanted to give me a tip, I drew the line, graciously (I hope) refused the tip – but never forgot what a delight this group was. – Barbara Mannis

Among my many wonderful memories while "docenting”" was the young boy who, upon seeing the giant fire truck in the Not So Warm and Fuzzy show, exclaimed, "That must be God’s fire truck!" I was delighted when leading an adult group, a man tried to tip me. I suggested that he put it in the donation box in the museum lobby. I guess I did an OK job. The learning I have received as a result of the docent program is mind expanding. Seeing children and adults looking at and thinking about art is the joy of my life. – Lois Meyers

My experiences as a docent, since 1986, have been varied and interesting. I was going on an outreach for Mexican Folk Art and went to pick up the projector, slides and bag with examples to show. Much to my chagrin, the bag was nowhere to be found. I quickly went home and gathered all the folk art I had brought back from several trips to Mexico and saved the day. Always be prepared! – Yetta Parker

A special tour for me was personal – in that I saw a way to express to my audiences how I viewed the exhibition – in this case Baseball. I don’t remember the year, but the exhibition was a big hit. The baseball exhibition was mostly photography. I covered my tours the way Carolyn Robbins taught us. Don’t try to cover each and every picture on display but to show your audience how to view and appreciate art in their own way. I zeroed in on one photograph where the baseball rookie, Jose Conseco, was shown leaning against a wire fence, gazing toward the ball field nonchalant, while an eight- or ten-year odl boy was shown staring upward toward Canseco who was his idol. But, Canseco didn’t recognize the boy at all. It was as if he wasn’t even there. The photograph disturbed me, so I wrote a poem to express my frustration. I wrote from the young boy’s point of view. I read the poem to the tour participants and offered copies. From what I remember, I felt good about those tours and I believe my audiences did, too. – Joeseph Shelton

Do you love art? Do you like interacting with others? Do you value learning? SMoCA’s docent program may be just the thing for you. Our docents delight in sharing the energy and ideas of contemporary art, architecture and design with the public and school groups. They are the heart of SMoCA’s education program. No prior experience is necessary. Learn about our training program at this informative coffee for prospective Museum guides on April 23, @ 9:30 AM. Stage 2 Theater. Free. RSVP to 480-874-4641 or SMoCArsvp@sccarts.org.