CCMA Docents Unveil New Approach To Engaging Visitors
Our Docents recently completed a thorough evaluation of their role. Beginning in February there will be a Docent Station in the far corner of the Bilezikian Gallery. After checking in at the front desk visitors will be directed to the Docent Station. The Docent on duty will then briefly introduce the visitors to the museum and to what is being exhibited in the various galleries. They will also be able to mingle with visitors to help with questions or to call attention to something of interest. During busy times there may be 2 docents sharing their knowledge. The Docents are most enthusiastic about their new role as “museum guides”. The docents believe that this new flexible approach will foster a pleasurable and informative interaction with museum visitors.
Museum guide availability through March:
Thursdays 11 am - noon and 2 - 3 pm
Saturdays 11 am - noon and 1 - 2 pm
Meet the Docents
Joyce Aaron
Joyce Aaron is CCMA’s longest serving docents and was probably the museum’s first docent. Prior to joining CCMA’s docent corps, she was a docent at the Worcester Art Museum for 12 years. Joyce is also an artist. Her paintings and collages are in many collections nationally and she has won many awards for her work. She has also had work in the CCMA’s annual art auction for the past several years. She was born in Worcester, MA, where she attended public schools. She graduated from Leslie College and attended the Massachusetts College of Art. Joyce is a juried member of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration.
Margo Greenhow
Margo Greenhow is one of CCMA’s newest docents. She started in the docent training program in September, 2010. Since moving to the Cape full time in 1998 the Museum has been a source of delight for Margo. Besides the exhibitions and other events, she enjoys the opportunity to meet local artists at the opening receptions of their works. Additionally, her 91 year old mother has participated in the Alzheimer’s programs offered by the museum. When Margo read that the museum was looking for docents, she thought it would be an enriching use of her time and a chance to contribute back to the museum. However, she continues to be the beneficiary with new friends and an opportunity to learn more about Cape Cod artists.
Margo grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and graduated from Northeastern with a degree. in education and earned a Master’s from Fitchburg State. Doctoral courses were taken in the leadership program at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Other graduate work was done at Lesley, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Conn. Her 30 year teaching career included positions as Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Title I Director, elementary school reading specialist, ESL teacher for adults, and junior high English teacher. After teaching in several off-Cape school systems, she taught for five years in the Dennis-Yarmouth School system before retiring in 2003. She’s married with two grown children and four grandchildren who are a constant delight to her. Her other interests include reading, especially historical fiction, and poetry writing and is currently an invitational member of the Longfellow Society.
Gail Hoffman
Gail Hoffman has had a life-long love of art and nature. After retiring from a career in nursing, she attended the Boston Museum School of Art. She then moved to the Outer Cape where she became involved with researching the history of the Provincetown Art Colony while photographing and painting the beauty of Cape Cod.
Deborah E. Blackman Jacobs
Deborah E. Blackman Jacobs, a docent at CCMA for many years, is an impressionist-representational painter who works in oils, watercolors and acrylics. An essential activity for her is meeting weekly with artist friends to paint together, encourage each other, “break bread” with one another and solve the problems of the world. Deborah has had some exceptional teachers in her quest to become a fine artist and is able to impart the information learned wile in training. This enhances her role as a docent as she is able to share information about materials, styles and art history.
Deborah graduated from Brooklyn College-City University of New York and did her graduate work at Boston University. She loves studying, reading and taking a variety of classes such as art history, techniques of the old masters, ancient Chinese and Japanese literature. She is a retired psychologist. She and her husband, Martin, also a psychologist, live in Brewster full time, but spend time in Brookline which enables them to easily visit with their four grown children and their grandchildren, some of whom have shown a strong interest in the arts. Deborah also loves animals and currently has a “rescue greyhound”, Xenia, named after the artist Xenia Hausner, who was recently released for “adoption” when the race tracks in Massachusetts closed.
Jeanne Linxweiler
Jeanne LInxweiler has been a docent at CCMA since 1999. Born in Boston, she graduated from Emmanuel College with a BA in Psychology and Education. She then earned an MA in Education at the University of Dayton. She has taught in elementary schools in Lynnfield, MA, and i Centerville, OH. On Cape Cod, she has been a field guide, naturalist and whale-watch docent at the Museum of Natural History. She also has been a committee member at the Josiah Dennis Manse where she currently serves as a docent. At the CCMA, she is a Museum Educator as well as a docent.
Thomas G. Linxweiler
Tom Linxweiler has been a docent at CCMA for about nine years. He earned a BS in chemistry at Lehigh University. Before retiring from Monsanto Company in 1986 he managed technical publications at their Mound Laboratory in Ohio. After retiring he taught math and sciences as a substitute teacher in high schools in Ohio. On Cape Cod he has been a tour guide at the Museum of Natural History in addition to his docent work. He is an occasional painter with a strong interest in art and communication.
Ann Long
Ann Long grew up in the Boston area. Entranced by the variety of artistic opportunities available in the greater Boston region, it was always her desire to become involved with art. During her college years, she took a few classes at The School of The Boston Museum of Fine Art. After college, the compelling demands of family life forced Ann to postpone active participation in art. When her family was grown and she retired from a career in the business world in 1998, Ann and her husband Jim moved to Cape Cod where she once again was able to pursue her interest in art. Her life has been greatly enriched by her involvement, interest and colleagues at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Ann is especially fascinated by the study of the artists and art colony in Provincetown.
Richard McGarr
Richard McGarr joined the CCMA as a docent in 2005. Dick, an artist who works in watercolor and acrylic, moves back and forth between representational and abstract expression. He finds his artist/docent roles complementary. Born in New Canaan, CT, in 1933, he retired from the U.S. Patent Office in 1999 and moved to Cape Cod. He and his wife, Suzanne M. Packer, a well-known artist who was the first director of the CCMA, currently live in Bass River.
Jane Parish
Jane has been an active volunteer at CCMA since 1987. Jane Parish and her husband moved to Cape Cod from Chappaqua, New York in 1985.She was the Docent Chair at the time the museum was housed in the Theater Marketplace in Dennis and later at its present location. A native of Maryland, she has a BFA degree from The Maryland Institute College of Art, MICA. Prior to her marriage, she taught art in the Baltimore school system. Since childhood, Jane has pursued the art world. She has worked in various art media but is probably best know for her Christmas card designs and Painted Shoes. Jane also serves as a receptionist at the museum on Saturday mornings. She feels so fortunate to have seen the museum grow from its small beginnings to the beautiful complex it is today - she is proud to be a part of its history.
Sue Schrader
Sue Schrader is the newly elected President of the Docents. She grew up outside of Boston. She graduated from Northwestern University. She found wonderful man on blind date in New York City and eventually married him. For a few years she raised a family and volunteered. Sue also had a home craft business and which was featured in Red Book Magazine. Once her family was older, she returned to teaching science in middle school for 15 years. She learned so much from the children and continues that with her volunteer work at the museum as both a docent and museum educator. She cherishes and holds sacred her time in the garden, time working and creating on the sewing machine, and time just enjoying this wonderful place where she lives with her husband. Oh yes time with children and six grandchildren. That's Sue loving life right now.
Phil Wick
Phil Wick and his wife, Debra, moved to Yarmouth Port from Western Massachusetts four years ago. For many years, Phil was employed at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, first in admissions and then for 20 years as director of financial aid. In his retirement on the Cape, Phil joined the CCMA docents in 2008. He is not an artist, but since art history classes he took in college, he has long appreciated art. Also, he thoroughly enjoys taking classes “aimed at exploring our creative souls” at the CCMA.
