We continue an occasional series of volunteer profiles. This week Shelagh Barrington catches up with the new Lead Guide for Friday Evenings, Breah Sovegjarto.

What do you do when you are not here at the AGO volunteering?

I do a lot of driving! I live in Niagara Falls and I travel to Toronto specifically to volunteer at the AGO. I also have a 9-year-old daughter who is a dedicated competitive gymnast so we spend a lot of time at the gym or on the road attending competitions. Together we enjoy guitar lessons on Saturdays and I take Hungarian language lessons twice a week before work. I am enrolled in a BA program for Adult Education at Brock University and I am a member of a local Toastmasters group.

And besides all that, you work?

Yes! I work for the largest Canadian producer and distributor of commercial and estate wines, as a production supervisor. I work with our estates and off-site manufacturers across Ontario.

Why did you decide to volunteer at the AGO, in Toronto?

One of my classes at Brock briefly touched on education in public spaces. It sounds cheesy, but I was SO intrigued, I began spending all my time reading about public programming in galleries and museums and happened to be on the AGO website when I noticed the call for volunteers for the Anthropocene Exhibition [in September 2018]. I immediately submitted an on-line application and went through a great interview process with Paul Ayers and Holly Procktor. They were both great! I felt so lucky to join the team and had an amazing experience. During my Exit Interview with Paul and Melissa Smith, at the end of Anthropocene, I let them know how much I would enjoy continuing as a volunteer gallery guide at the AGO. They brought me on and I joined the Friday Evening group and started the process of learning about art and the art of touring. I was lucky enough to team up with another new Gallery Guide in training and we would study in the library together, critique each other’s speaking points, and we created a joint tour to spice up our Friday night shift. The support we received from each other, fellow volunteers and staff made a real difference.

What was one of your memorable experiences at the AGO?

I was a pretty serious fan girl of Anthropocene. I went to the viewings Anthropocene, Watermark, and Manufactured Landscapes in Jackman Hall. I bought the DVDs, the books. I was lucky to be able to attend the Anthropocene artist talk with another volunteer; we had a list of questions about the exhibit for Ed Burtynsky that we were determined to bring back to our volunteer group. It was so much fun and I am so thankful for the great memories.

What is the most important element of preparing to give a tour?

My number one tip is: before you start, make sure the art in your tour is actually on display in the gallery! If a piece is out on loan, it can be tricky! I spend the first part of every shift making sure each of my pieces is where it should be. If you do bring your group to a space and the object of your talk is missing, you soon realize the value of the advice from the more experienced Gallery Guides; be prepared and have a related alternate near by for a quick substitution …. and no one will ever know you have changed it up.

Thanks Breah! Glad to have you on the Gallery Guide team!