Blog Question #1- What did you learn from your first week at your internship? Did anything surprise you or make you excited? Were there any challenges? Did you make any connections with co-workers? Did you engage in any code switching?
The week I started at Museo I also got hired at Pizzeria Locale, so my first couple of days at both jobs leapfrogged each other, leaving me super busy. Museo is a one-level, creaky-floored, Latin American museum with a lovely, mostly-female staff. I met Claudia, the executive director, and Alexis, the education coordinator, but I haven’t had many interactions with them so far; I have mostly worked with Janel, my supervisor, who is in charge of memberships and guest services, and Victoria, who coordinates the marketing and public relations at Museo.
I’m not sure what I expected when I started my internship, but I was really, really bored for a while. My first day, dusted the entire museum and alphabetized craft materials. I have to say, I did learn a lot about the education department’s workshop through this tedious task. On Friday, my second night, there was a special event that I was really excited to be a part of- a museum tour and mural walk down Santa Fe. I should have taken my intern status into consideration, as all I did was stir hot chocolate and clean some more. Nevertheless, I am super psyched to be working at such a unique museum! Saturday, after some grueling data entry, Janel asked me to make a few proposals for membership competitions to encourage guests to get memberships and be involved. My ideas included a scavenger hunt, a pop quiz on the Pachucos y Sirenas exhibit, and a connect the dots contest; Janel loved all of them, and said I could begin working on the connect-the-dots. I think my biggest lesson of that day was that it is really difficult to make a connect-the-dots page of a pachuco skeleton. The next exhibit starts installation next week, and I am really excited to see the artwork I will be dusting!
As a teenage gringa interning at a Latin American museum, I have been struggling with my horrendous Spanish accent. Most of my coworkers are middle-aged women who speak Spanish fluently, and while our interactions are all friendly, it has been awkward and difficult to connect with them. I have attempted to code switch with short, limited conversations in Spanish, but most of my code switching is my assuming a professional demeanor while at Museo. (393)
Blog 2: Networking
Begin by interviewing 2-3 of your coworkers with the following 3 questions (about 10 minutes of their time). Time allowing: feel free to ask them more questions to get to know them better. Following the interviews answer the questions below for Blog 2.
Interview questions:
- Did you study art after high school? Art or traditional college? Internship or apprenticeship?
- How did you get your first job in the creative industries?
- If you were in an intern in this field, where would you focus your learning during your internship? What is the most important learning one can do when beginning a career in this profession?
- (Time allowing) Is there anything interesting about you that is non-work related that you would like to tell me about? Hobbies or interests?
Blog Question # 2: What co-workers did you interview? Did your co-workers study art after high school either through higher education or internships/apprenticeships? What recommendations did they have for what you should try to learn as an intern in this field? Did they have any advice on how to begin your creative career? Did you learn anything interesting about your co-workers that was non-work related?
I interviewed my coworkers Janel (my supervisor) and Sophia. Surprisingly, they weren’t very art focused in college and didn’t participate in any art-based internships, which is interesting to me for people in this field. Janel took a couple art classes in college, photography and art history, while Sophia took unconventional art classes like dance and poetry. They both got involved with careers in the arts through Colorado nonprofit websites, driven by a passion for art and creativity. Janel recommended for me to base my internship activities on my own passions and interests, and Sophia suggested that working with the public and public speaking would be incredibly beneficial for an intern in this field. Both of there skills I deem valuable, especially because I would never want to work somewhere I am not passionate about, and working with the public is an essential skill in nearly every field; at Museo I am currently working between the marketing, education, and membership departments, and I am really excited to be working with artists on the side as well. Janel and Sophia know I am really into making art, and they encouraged me to stick to what I like to do and never stop doing what I love. Janel is an artist herself, from running her own sewing business to painting mermaids and angels. Sophia told me that she likes poetry, but “life happens” and it is difficult to keep up with hobbies sometimes. I hope that when I have a career in the arts I can follow my passions on top of supporting myself, while also having time for hobbies. (271)
Blog Question #3 How do your actions affect your workplace? Are you able to be mindful and bring a good attitude when you come to your internship? Do you contribute positively?
Do you feel like you have a good work ethic so far? How do your co-workers actions affect your internship? Are you beginning to develop any work place friendships?
At Museo, the environment is relaxed and quiet, but I know I am still expected to show up on time and complete my work. So far, I have a great work ethic at Museo, completing all the tasks they give me with my best effort. I am able to contribute creatively, which really motivates me to do quality and timely work. However, I have been falling behind on my internship blog posts, mostly because I work every day, the lacrosse season has started, and I have 6 college-level and AP courses that I have lots of classwork and homework for, but I am starting to set more time aside for my internship blogs and project.
When I am at Museo, I feel like I bring really positive energy and enthusiasm, and I know that is valuable at a small art museum, where it can feel kind of lonely. While I have not started to make any friendships, mostly because my coworkers are all middle-aged women with families and whatnot, I have made connections with Janel and Victoria, as they both love art and I work with them a lot. My coworkers all have a strong work ethic, and are passionately committed to their jobs. Many say they are much happier at Museo than at previous jobs, which shows me that Museo is a caring and close community; this makes me excited for the future events and projects I will be participating on! I am having a really good time so far, and it is nice to have a happy place so different from my busy life at work and school. I have sacrificed time, sleep, and my social life to maintain such a hectic schedule, but I am really grateful Museo is part of it. (298)
Blog Question #4: Freestyle blog week. Write your own blog prompt about your internship, then answer it in 200-250 words.
What connections and opportunities have you made at your internship? How have you contributed to the space and community?
A few weekends ago, I worked with Las Vegas Artist Justin Favela on an incredible life-size lowrider piñata. While helping paper mache the car and apply the dozens tissue paper layers, I networked and met real-world artists; some did art as a hobby, while others, like Justin, have made it into a profession. It was really intriguing to talk to artists about art, which I rarely get to do at school. I really look up to Justin and the name he has made for himself, blocking out those who call his art “craft” and connecting with those who appreciate the unique take on Latino art. The lowrider piñata was an incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life; I would have never guessed that a high school intern could meet and work with a real artist, much less actually install an exhibit in a museum. My contributions to the project were not only accepted but praised, which made me feel valued and important at Museo.
Aside from the piñata, I worked with marketing to create contests to encourage visitors to become members. I was given freedom to make any sort of contest, so I designed a pachuco themed connect-the-dots page as well as an easier color-the-pachuco page. I am really proud of my work, which is being used as the current membership contest for February-March. While at first I was hesitant to work in marketing because I felt it didn’t relate as much to art, I quickly discovered that this area allows me the most creative freedom, which is really cool. (274)
Blog Question #5 How do you feel like your internship is going so far? What are the highlights? What are the challenges? Do you feel like you are making connections with your co-workers? Are you using your internship inspired project as a creative connection between you and your supervisor? What can you do to improve your experience?
Challenges: I am really stressed out right now. I have a lot going on, and with my job, school, lacrosse, internship, and scholarship applications I am DROWNING in things to do; I’m not eating regularly, sleeping enough, or spending any time at home with my family. However, I am having a great time at Museo when I am there, which is really good. I was talking to Janel last week about how cool my intern responsibilities are compared to others in the cohort, and how fortunate I am to have ended up at Museo. It is really challenging to be able to coordinate between all my commitments, but when I am there I am able to de-stress a litte and and really concentrate on the fun tasks they give me!
When I am there, I am usually with Janel working on membership contest ideas and gift basket proposals, but I will probably be working with Victoria for my internship project, as that is who the last intern (Joe) worked with. It is really hard to connect with them because they are usually doing their own work and are also a lot older, but I have become more comfortable being around them as I spend more time there. I am also really excited because now that I have spent 20+ hours volunteering there, I have a membership for the rest of the year! I’m really excited to take my friends to the exhibits in the Summer and Fall; the exhibits are about tacos and then stars, both of which are among my favorite things. (263)
Blog Question #6 End of the quarter check- in. OK to do 150 words this week. Please do an inventory of your hours completed up until now and make sure your electronic time card is updated coming into the end of the quarter. How are you doing so far on completing your hours? Do you have the amount of hours complete that you should have at this point in the internship? If you are behind on your hours, what is your plan to make up the hours you are missing? How are you doing with the challenge of maintaining your intern work schedule? Are you using your google calendar to keep track of your intern schedule and homework assignments? Is there any other challenge you feel the Internship Program Director should be aware of at the end of the first half of your internship?
Tonight I will be at Museo for 2.5 hours, which will bring me to a total of 56 hours (roughly, according to my calendar, as I don’t have my timecard on me right now). So far, I am ahead on my hours, and Janel and I have already scheduled the rest of my shifts, and I will have 110 hours total (extra hours in case my lacrosse game schedule changes). My plan to maintain my hours is to stick to my scheduled shifts and go even when I am sick, so I don’t fall short of hours right at the end. I use my calendar to keep track of all my shifts and assignments, but sometimes because of my job, I can’t get the assignments done until later. I think a challenge the Internship Program Director should be aware of is making intern applicants award how how much work the internship is (blog posts, project, blog, 10o hours, and paperwork is a lot, and caught me off guard). We were loosely aware going into the program, but I think there were some assignments I didn’t know of until later into the program. A syllabus with dates, requirements, login instructions, and an overall program outline would be a really helpful tool for future interns. (214)
Blog Question #7: What is your favorite part of working on personal art projects? What challenges do you face on personal art projects? What have you learned about working in a creative business? What is your favorite part of working in a creative business? What is the difference between working on personal art and working in a creative business? *(Please read below now in preparation for Blog 8)
I really enjoy the process of watching a painting or watercolor develop. When I start, there tends to be general blobs of color that transition into the fine details of the finished product. The feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction from finally finishing a painting really make the work worth it. Most of the challenges I face stem from time because I am so busy, but I do my best to fit in little projects when I can. When I am working on personal art projects, I have the freedom to explore and create whatever I feel like making that day; this week, I sat down and decided to watercolor two hummingbirds, which my mom loved so much that she got them framed. When I am at Museo, I work on the tasks they give me which sometimes include art projects. Last week, I drew them fruits for their membership logos. It took 5 hours, but it was a really cool and fun project to work on! It varies from personal projects because I have a specific thing I have to make, but I like to add my own style and personal touches so the creative business projects are fun too. My favorite part so far of working in a creative business is the room for creativity and fun. Lots of the projects they give me could be boring, but I do my best to have a good time and enjoy what I am doing. I consider myself to be very lucky that I have the opportunities to create that Museo has given me! (263)
No Blog Next Week- you will need to use the week to work on your Internship Inspired Project in preparation for blog 8. You cannot write blog 8 if you have not talked to your supervisor about your internship project. Make talking to your supervisor about the project #1 priority if that hasn’t happened.
Blog Question #8 : How is your internship project going? Describe the progress of your project. How did the conversation about your project go with your sponsor? (If you haven’t discussed the project with your sponsor yet, how do you plan to do so?) Did they have good insights into how to improve or expand the project? How does your project bridge what you do at your internship and what you like to create for yourself? Has your relationship with your sponsor evolved as you have engaged in a creative dialogue about your project? Art there any challenges you are experiencing planning or doing your project?
I had to change my internship inspired project because I am very short on free time thanks to my incredibly busy schedule. Originally, I planned on painting a set of mannequin legs with details from Museo’s current exhibit, Pachucos y Sirenas, but I recently decided to do a ceramic piece. My plan is to make a doughnut-shaped teapot with a mermaid (sirena) theme and really pretty pink and turquoise glazing. The only problems would be around making the teapot body, as it is really difficult to throw that shape and not have it break or cave in. While I have finished my plan and timeline, I haven’t started the teapot yet but plan to start it next week. I discussed these changes with Janel and she told me that if I need some time to work on my project at Museo that would be okay, but I respectfully declined because I am working on my project at school in the ceramics room. She was really encouraging about my project ideas and really excited to see the finished project! Ceramics is my favorite hobby and brings me a lot of joy, and I am excited to integrate it into this internship. I struggled initially with what elements I could incorporate from Museo’s exhibits into my piece, but I realized that mermaids are a relevant and aesthetically pleasing subject to style a teapot after. Before I start the mermaid details, I want to talk to Janel about details other than tails and scales I can incorporate into the teapot to really tie in a mermaid/Sirena theme. (265)
Blog Question #9: What have you seen or experienced in your internship that has inspired you the most on your own artistic journey? Has this experience changed your artistic ambitions? How? Have you used this experience to diversify your skill set? What skills have you added?
At Museo, it is really inspiring to see successful local artists. Many people stigmatize being an artist with being a broke or “starving” artist who struggles to make it in the professional world, but Museo features artists with incredible talent and unique style. I filmed a Q&A panel with the artists from the Pachucos y Sirenas exhibit, and listening to the artists’ stories of struggle and success were really inspiring. Working at Museo has opened me up to new styles and voices, which is really important for an artist in developing breadth and a wide skill-set. I have also started working on art more since I started here, and I have set a new goal to be featured in a museum or gallery, even if it is a really small one! I have always wanted to sell my own art, and seeing artists at vendor stations and galleries and exhibitions has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of getting my art into the world.
I am now more confident in my drawing abilities after drawing fruit for the membership brochures (a grueling 5 hours), my graphic design skills after designing invitations to the annual fundraiser (a frustrating night at the computer), and my crafting skills after making the low-rider pinata (a long, sticky week). I am so thankful that I had opportunities to make art here and not just during the internship-inspired project; I am still considering if I want to donate the teapot to the Museum, or if I want to take it home because it was quite the landmark in my ceramic career! (267)
Blog Question #10 : Has this experience been a rewarding one for you? Why or Why not (keep it positive, if you had negative experiences, focus on what you learned- make yourself look good!)? How has the reality of your internship matched or contrasted with your expectations? What is the most important learning you did during your internship?
I was completely psyched to find out I was selected for this internship program! I love art and I was really excited to gain some work experience in the art world. However, I made the mistake of overbooking myself, and I have to say that second semester of your senior year- especially if you play a Spring sport- is definitely not the ideal time for an internship. I love being at Museo de las Americas and I have learned so much about different cultures, traditions, and countries, I just wish I could spend more time enjoying the experience rather than worrying about my hours, blogs, and other assignments on top of my crazy busy schedule.
I started this internship expecting boredom and high-labor, low-excitement tasks. To my surprise, I was adopted as a valuable asset and was assigned artistic and rewarding tasks. While I do have different taste in style and layout than some of the staff members I have worked with, the work I have done has felt very appreciated and welcomed.
The most important thing I have learned during my internship (other than a new respect for those with good time management) is that art is valued in the real world, and if you want to make a career out of art you can. It might be a little hard to get going, as is every career, but working for yourself and making money doing what you love is incredibly rewarding. Being an intern at Museo and meeting local artists and art lovers has given me a new respect for professional artists and hope that I can incorporate art into my future career as well. (277)
Spring 18 Updated Syllabus:
Bringing Back the Arts Student Syllabus spring 18
Final Portfolios: