By Judy Carmack Bross
“Too often the blind and vision impaired are not invited to join in the world or told there are no accommodations for us. When I inquired about a tour I was prepared for polite rejection, but you said with planning you would be happy to set a tour date for us. And it was the best.”
Sally Kalmbach, right, leads a very special Art Institute of Chicago tour.
Wondrous when you find the spirit of holiday giving in the work of a friend. Sally Kalmbach shares her love of Chicago and its storied institutions with walking tour guests from around the world using her rare mix of knowledge, humor and story-telling talents. Recently, she got a very special request from Colm Ronan, Co-Founder of Chicago Museum Tours. The only local tour group on the Art Institute’s vetted list of authorized tour companies, Ronan has a team of over 30 guides who conduct two-hour plus tours tailored to suit guests’ interests.
Ronan described the request he received:
“A woman left me a message saying that she had a small group of friends who were visually impaired and blind and wanted a tour of the Art Institute. We hadn’t done this before, but it was important to me because I want our tours to be inclusive. I was thinking of my wife’s sister, who lost her sight in adulthood due to diabetes and often asked us to take her to the movies—an experience that brought her great joy.”
“I checked with the Art Institute and did some research on how this might be done. I then contacted my senior guides and was delighted that they all expressed interest in leading the tour. I was so happy that Sally stepped forward with great enthusiasm. She really is my go-to guide who always makes me look good. I offered more than one guide to the participants, but they were very independent and wanted to do it in just the way the tours are done.”
Kalmbach took it from there.
“I contacted my close friend Ann Grube for advice as she has a guide dog and is well-informed about visually impaired people.
She told me to describe myself to the guests and to tell them what I was wearing. Choose a bright color, she said. Good advice which I would not have done!
“What pictures would I choose? Many would have background material so that they could understand without seeing.
Song of the Lark”, 1884, by Jules Breton from the Henry Field Memorial Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.
“My choices included “Song of the Lark” by Breton. It was
chosen the most popular painting at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the most popular painting in the US at the Century of Progress World’s Fair 1933-34. The award was presented by Eleanor Roosevelt.
“What is the peasant girl thinking as she looks in the distance — HOPE. There is a story about Bill Murray looking at this painting after a disappointing job interview and thinking
that if the peasant girl is hopeful he can always think tomorrow will be a better day!”
From the Potter Palmer Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago: “On the Stage” by Degas, 1876-1877
“I also wanted to choose some paintings by Degas. I talked about his ballerina as well as the milliner painting. Degas went blind in 1889 and started sculpting small bronze ballerinas. I brought a small ballerina with me for them to hold.
“I also planned on bringing a canvas painted with oil paint impasto to illustrate Van Gogh’s use of thick paint. I should have used acrylic which would have dried faster. I put the canvas on our deck—it never dried and blew over in the wind and managed to spot my rug and deck!
“I did share this story with the group!”
Tour Guide Sally Kalmbach.
“I brought a small tube of paint to share while talking about Renoir since he said. on many occasions, that the Impressionists would never have been able to paint outside for hours without this invention.”
Mrs. George Swinton from 1897 by John Singer Sargent from the Wirt D. Walker Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.
“For John Singer Sargent I brought a satin pillowcase because he is the master of fabrics and nobody comes close to his ability to
create the feel of the fabric.
“They were most appreciative of the tour. The comments most telling and helpful about the experience.”
