Author Archive
Shoshana Ross, the brains behind Food: Feast for the Eyes
Hailing from Northern California, Shoshana attended ASU for her undergraduate studies and received a Bachelor’s of Art in Art History with a minor in Design Studies, cum laude, in 2007. She is currently studying for a Master’s of Art in Art Education and expects to graduate in 2011. Chosen as the Windgate Intern for the 2008-2009 year, Shoshana says that it “has been a fabulous opportunity to work with many different people at the museum, and I’ve enjoyed the responsibility.”
Want to know more about Shoshana and her work at the museum as a Windgate Intern? Scroll on down…
What did you do on a daily basis?
“I selected the art works, found information about the works and artists for labels, researched and wrote text panels, designed activities for the gallery and for the event, contacted and worked with collaborators, helped design the layout for the show, and much more!”
What did you learn from designing the exhibition?
“I truly got to see how an exhibition is created, from the ground up. I’ve probably had the most fun getting into the mindset of a child to design fun interactive components for the exhibition and event.”
What are the perks of the Windgate internship?
“It’s exciting to see the wheels turning for exhibitions, including those other than my own. Just the whole experience of being “behind the scenes” is fascinating.”
What have you learned from your internship experience?
“I’ve learned how to work independently, but also with lots of different types of people and organizations. I’ve learned how to think outside the box for an exhibition, cliché as that might seem, yet appeal to a wide variety of audiences. It’s a lot about balance and autonomy.”
Do you have any advice for would-be Windgate interns?
“I’d just remind them to work hard! The museum is all about what you see and experience, so everything we do has actual physical importance that affects people everyday.”
Now that you know who she is and what she looks like, you might just say “hi” to Shoshana when you stop by the museum Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m for ASU Art Museum’s Family Fun Day. Also, you can always stop by and see the Food: Feast for the Eyes exhibit (for !free!), Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am -5:00 pm, until August 29th.
And yes, you too can play with the cute vegetable and fruit puppets!
~Crystal
Interview with an Intern
Jenny Robertson, Intern with the Registrar’s Office (Spring 2009)
I had the opportunity to interview Jenny Robertson, one of our spectacular interns at the Museum. Over the past four months, she has unpacked, numbered, conditioned, recorded and re-packed over 250 pieces from the Cecere collection, logging approximately 160 hours!
Why did you decide to work as an intern?
Two internships are required for the Museum Studies curriculum. I think it’s great; so many aspects of museum work and organization can only be learned through real experience.
Marking a box= a priceless organizational learning experience
Did you know where you were going to be interning?
Nope. Before my first semester here, it was the middle of summer and I knew I needed to get my internship plans squared away. I sent Jean Makin an email because I really liked the Print Study room. At first there weren’t any projects that still needed intern assistance, but when the Warhol prints were donated, Jean remembered me. It’s a really good example of how helpful it is to start a dialog.
During the middle of last semester I mentioned to Jean that I needed to start looking for another internship. She referred me to Anne Sullivan, and that’s how I was eventually introduced to the Cecere Collection.
Why did you decide to intern at the ASU Art Museum?
The ASUAM has a great collection. I had visited the Jules Heller Print Study room with a class, and I loved the facility, so I wanted to come back for more.
Jenny packing art in the photo room.
How often do you come in?
I’m in 3 days a week this semester, 10 hours a week total.
What do you do on a daily basis? What is the process for this collection?
I do a variety of things day-to-day. I’ve been focusing on accessioning a big portion of one collection, so I’ve been going through phases beginning with marking and inventorying, conditioning, database entry, and packing. It’s been very hands-on, and I’ve been given a lot of freedom to manage my time in the most effective way I see fit.
She made a list and she's checking it twice.
What have you learned from your internship experience?
The most obvious skill I’ve been honing is organization. Not only do I have to keep track of the pieces I’m working with, but also the information associated with each of them and what I have yet to complete. Since the group of pieces I’m working with is so large, I’ve had to keep my pace up to ensure that my assigned project is complete before I’m done. Something else I’ve really come to understand is perseverance; there are so many pieces and associated procedures to complete that sometimes I felt like I’d never finish. I just had to learn to keep my head down and work, and to resist wasting my time by looking around at everything still left to do and becoming overwhelmed.
What is your favorite piece in this collection?
This collection contains a lot of variety, and I haven’t even seen the whole thing! Of the pieces I’ve been working with, there are two Ecuadorian farm animal figures – a horse and a cow – that have managed to charm me.
Love at first sight!
Is interning better than job?
Interning is different than a job. I don’t think one is particularly better than the other; they serve different purposes. One very nice thing about an internship is that you’re known to be learning. The staff members know that you’ll have questions and you’ll need guidance, so it takes some of the pressure off.
What are the perks of the internship ASUAM?
The ASUAM offers flexible hours and projects, it’s on campus (how convenient is that?!), and interns can be exposed to many different styles of work.
Would you intern here again?!
I would intern here again in a heartbeat!
Interviewer’s note: Jenny will graduate this May with a major in Museum Studies and a minor in Anthropology. After graduating, she plans to go back to school (fun!) and take more courses in Economics and Math so she can apply for a doctoral program in Economics (more fun)!
If you are interested in an internship at the ASU Art Museum, visit our website to learn more!
-crystal
*Spring* Sculpture Cleaning
Outdoor artwork in Arizona tends to get dirty with the incessant wind, dust-storms, and monsoons. But with the right supplies, outdoor art can be made clean (at least for a few days).
To clean most of the outdoor ceramic art pieces, we use distilled water and tissue or cloth.
It is a sweaty, dirty, dusty job-but somebody (usually an intern ;o) has to do it.
Now that the weather is nice, the sun is out, and the NCECA conference is here, it is the perfect time for you to visit our sculpture court!
How to get there:
Follow the stairs up to the third floor…
go through the doors…
and experience art outside, in the fresh warm air!
Peanuts anyone?
We’ve been unpacking boxes and crates for the upcoming NCECA Biennial.
It’s been fun!
And messy…
but did you know that you can use the non-edible, constantly disintegrating, static-loving foam things for something other than packing?
How to Unpack a “fully functional chair”
Tom Eckert’s MM-342:Tank Chair (1978-79) just got back from the Craft In America: Expanding Traditions Traveling Exhibition, and our preparators had to unpack its crate!
Quote of the Day:
“Any fool can make a wood chair, but it takes a tough of imagination to put tank tracks on the chair. It looks like a mechanized wheel chair. I was looking for the gun mount.”
-Hardy Price, 1982, about MM-342:Tank Chair
Betcha didn’t know…
We have HOBO©s in our galleries!
Our HOBO©s really look like this…
Every week, I roundup the little guys up, plug them into my computer, and use BoxCar Pro 4.0 to collect Temperature and Relative Humidity data in the galleries and storage areas. Monitoring the environment of the objects is important, and it would be hard to do without our HOBO©s!
Goodbye Fall ’08! Hello all!
The fall semester is finally over! Winter break is here!
Hi, my name is Crystal and I am working as an intern for the Registrar. Throughout the year, I will be making posts about internships at the museum. If there is anything you would like to read about internships, please send an email to clburnet@asu.edu.
And, for your amusement, here is a clip from the movie Bean.
(It is museum related!)
~Crystal
ASU Art Museum 