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N E W S
The Docents began their 50th year of
service to the Chrysler Museum of Art on
September 10, 2008 with the start of the
first fall school tours. Photo by Ed Pollard
DOCENTS MARK
50 YEARS OF SERVICE
May 19 marked the 50th anniversary of the Chrysler’s
longest-standing partnership—its relationship with its
docents. These volunteer tour guides undergo rigorous
training in art history and teaching methods before they
present any of the 24 tours they commit to giving each
year. Several of the Museum’s docents have served as art
ambassadors for decades. At their year-end luncheon,
active, former, and emeritus docents, as well as current
members of the Junior League, which helped launch the
program in 1959, celebrated the program’s milestone.
Crowning the many tributes of the day was an official
proclamation by Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim praising the
Chrysler’s docent program for its “invaluable contributions”
to education and self-discovery in the community.
Former docents Vivian Duke (left) and Mary
Lawrence Harrell (right) enjoyed celebrating
the 50th anniversary of the program with
active docents Glenda Knowles and Dodie
Dougherty (center left and right, respectively).
After the luncheon, outgoing president Chris
Fockler installed new Docent Council
members with a floral tribute. Incoming
officers include (left to right) Richard Parise
(parliamentarian), Pat Tayloe (correspondence
secretary), and Frances Padden (treasurer).
Photos by Jake Gillespie for the Chrysler
Museum of Art
STUDENT GALLERY TO RETURN IN 2010
For 36 years, The Virginian-Pilot’s Student Gallery celebrated high school artists from across greater Hampton Roads, Virginia’s
Eastern Shore, and northern North Carolina. In Spring 2008, the last time that the newspaper funded the exhibition, more
than 700 juniors and seniors submitted artwork to be judged. Of their works,
92 pieces were honored with exhibition at the Chrysler Museum of Art or the
Contemporary Art Center of Virginia in Virginia Beach.
In 2009, due to the economic downturn, the paper was forced to cancel its
sponsorship of the exhibition. Though some public school districts continued
to feature high school artwork in juried public exhibitions, there was no
region-wide recognition of these young artists.
Thankfully, 2010 will be different. Representatives from schools and arts
organizations across the region have been meeting since September 2008 to
propose a new, viable model for the annual competition. Helping to lead this
group has been Scott Howe, the Chrysler’s Director of Education, who
believes that the Student Gallery is too important for our community to lose.
Joining as sponsors for the first time are the d’Art Center, the Selden Arcade,
and the Chrysler Museum’s Docent Council.
As a result of this community-wide effort, the Hampton Roads Student Gallery will return in February 2010. Award winners
and finalists still will be recognized and displayed at the Chrysler and the CACV, but for the first time, the work of all
participants will be on view for two weeks at the Selden Arcade in downtown Norfolk before judging.
For information on how to enter artwork or to sponsor awards for the young artists, visit www.chrysler.org.
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