Long-time Grange volunteer Jack Carr  passed away in April 2018, but left a legacy that continues to support the AGO’s volunteer program.

Jack was born in Burlington in 1920.  He graduated in chemical engineering from U of T in 1941, helped design G-suits while he was in the RCAF, 1941-45, and later worked at Dunlop Canada until 1980. Upon retirement, he became a part-time student at OCA (now OCADU) to pursue his interest in painting, graduating in 1993.  Jack volunteered at the AGO as a docent/gallery guide for 14 years, from 1993 – 2007.  During this time he created and performed a one-person show at the Grange, portraying William Chin, the soon-retiring butler to the Bolton family, relating his memories of the house and Bolton family members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack left a generous bequest to the AGO to support docent education and training.  This gift created a remarkable training opportunity for the AGO’s Gallery Guides and Education Officers that coincides with the gallery’s move to meet the needs of more visitors.

The innovative and internationally renowned training organization Museum Hack was brought in to work with the GGs and EOs this spring. Museum Hack is a company that specializes in hosting weird and wild adventures in museums, zoos, aquariums, gardens and other cultural institutions in the US, Canada and around the world. The Public Programming and Learning department was excited to be able have them support our team in thinking about innovative ways of engaging our audiences – helping us to “hack” the AGO.

Following on the training, Gallery Guides will be piloting Museum Hack-types tours designed in-house starting this July. Be sure to check them out!  And thank you, Jack!