End of Internship

The Story!

In October, late October, Robert Kuhl granted me the option of interning at MCASD, I had been asking over and over again if I could intern, and finally I had the option. So I said yes.

My phone, synched up with my computer account so it has my name (and extension)

Mentor #1, Gabrielle Wyrick

Mentor #2, Elizabeth Yang-Hellewell

Reflection:

My time here has been short, yes, but I have experienced a lot with a lot of people at MCASD, mainly my mentors and the Teen Art Council (which I am now a member of).

I have experienced a lot here, mainly because of the significant projects I have been assigned, and the people I have met. I never exactly knew how a museum worked, or what kinds of people worked in a museum, and though every museum is different, I feel like I understand more. The artists are not the only people who work hard, but its also the people who work tirelessly to get their art exhibited.

But more on my project...

On my first week I was stressed over not finishing my video, that my editing would take too long, little did I know that the rain storm would cancel the second Teen Art Council meeting on my second week, you know, the one that I had all of my interviews scheduled. Long story short I eventually got the interviews done at different times, and though they weren't what my original plan had wanted, they worked, and the video is done.

I really wish the 3 weeks could have been longer, because I feel like I'm only now getting used to working here and doing what my mentors want of me, but I guess that's life. I feel like I can return to school with more knowledge and experience after that little sample of what the real world is like.

Last Thursday!

Architecture

My workstation/office, it is a good example of what an average workstation looks like, simple yet professional.

This is a room that I spent a lot of my time at, a room that I had to organize and take inventory of art items, still not finished, but I have high hopes no one will ever finnish it, it is a huge task.

This is the hallway on the floor I work at, the architecture at MCASD is truly unique and displays an artsy yet professional visual

Last Wednesday

(Had to reuse image, mentor not in today)

Gabrielle Wyrick

Education Curator

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD)

Interview:

(Question 1)

Q: (Gabrielle went to UCSD) Specifically, which department or school inside of UCSD did you attend?

A: I went to Mur College at UCSD and the department was the visual arts department and I got my bachelor's degree in art history and criticism.

(Question 2)

Q: What did you originally want to accomplish or learn there? Did it change?

A: Umm, yes, so when I started college...I always knew that I loved art history, soI was very passionate, interested in art history..ummmm...but I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with it, I thought that I would become a professor or an art historian, and pretty much towards the end of my college-my senior year, I took a class called Curatorial Practices, basically it was a class where you learned about museums and you learned about what someone with an art history background can do in a museum, and we met different people all over the city, one was the curator here at the MCASD at the time, and we also got to participate in curating an exhibition that was at the university art gallery at UCSD...and I just loved working in a gallery in a museum context, it was so much fun, and I liked it so much because it was so concrete whereas art history was really abstract. In a museum you got to really interact with people and the works of art...

(Question 6)

Q: Did you original thoughts, plans, pretty much anything dealing with your perspective on MCASD change after working?

A: I've definitely had the opportunity to see and experience more contemporary art, I think the way it has changed the most is the opportunity that it's given me to meet contemporary artists and kind of have a greater understanding of them has just people...as regular people..and that certainly has been a positive attribute to this job and the belief of how crucial and how relevant contemporary art is to everyone out there no matter who they are and how interesting conversations and insight can be with every type of person about any work of art...I guess...yeah

Last Tuesday

This is the perspective of me, pretty much, it's my workstation from my point of view. I see it everyday (except for one day when I worked at a different workstation). I basically work alone for a very long time, but I'm okay with it, rather that then participating in a long meeting or giving a tour.

Recently, I've been getting a lot of work done along the lines of my video. I have to have it finished by thursday (I believe) which is very possible.

Last minute interviews are tonight, questions ready, camera prepped, everything that I can control or manage is ready, the only thing I have to worry about is getting people and trying to direct them to understand what I want from them.

Collaboration

Today is not the right day to do this post since about 85% of the staff in Downtown are away (either in meetings or just a day off), so pictures I will have to supplement tomorrow or later on.

In the coarse of one typical day I typically collaborate or work with either one or two or nobody. Since I'm the educational intern and my project is independent, I can't really work with other people. My office is on the second floor, everyone else's is on the third, so I don't really see them that often.

I am however collaborating (sort of) with the museum's Teen Art Council, their the voice of my project. I film them talking and edit it together. How that works is I come to their events and meetings, meet with them, film them doing things, take 4 or 5 people into my office and interview them (typically only one question per person, I want a diverse cast of characters).

When I read this next question, how I impact other people's work, I thought I didn't. And really I don't, except for my side assignment, cleaning and organizing the closets (lots and lots of stuff), really that is going to make someone's life much easier, and they'll be glad that some 16-year old had to do it instead of them, so in that sense I do, and it kind of makes me feel better about trying to accomplish that.

But on another note, every body here collaborates on everything, almost no position is a one-man position (ex. there are two education curators), and even if you have the only position in that job title, your job will entail working with others, the museum is a group effort.

Internship Week #2 Summary

Week two was fun, yes, but I got a lot less done than was originally planned. The storm definitely messed with my whole schedule, on Tuesday night I was supposed to film (about) 5 interviews with members of the Teen Art Council, but the session was canceled (their weekly session) due to the storm. Basically I am going to have to film some interviews on Saturday and Tuesday night.

The interview will be conducted today.

Thursday!

Well, my picture is of my current day assignment, now it doesn't look that messy, but it is. The whole floor (which is not that big), well, not the whole floor, but the supplies and materials are very unorganized, and no one really knows where everything is or how much of it we have. So that has sort of been my on again off again assignment throughout the entire internship, and today that's what I'll be working on (for the most part). It really has been playing a part in professionalism, actually. When something is clean, organized, and put away in a nicely fashion, it just reflect better on you or the company. MCASD is professional, and it's a very clean organization and deserves better representation than what the second floor offers, so I'm trying to help them (though I'm not the most organized person in the world).

But leading away from the photo, I have learned other things. MCASD has shown me that no matter how many employees have to be layed off due to budget cuts (due to the economic climate) they still have deadlines to meet, programs to run, and exhibitions to organize and manage. Adaptation is something that I have learned is very prominent in the real world.

Rough Questions:

Where are you from?

Where did you go to college?

What did you originally want to accomplish or learn there? Did it change?

After college did you try out different things before deciding upon a career in education?

Why were you interested in getting a job at MCASD?

Did your original thoughts, plans, pretty much anything dealing with your perspective on MCASD change after working?

How well do you think the museum is adapting to the economic downturn at the moment?

Mentor Background Research

Gabrielle Wyrick

From: San Diego

College: UCSD and Tuffs University

Major: Art History

Job Title: Education Curator

Tuesday Blog

Choice B: What new appreciations (for who? of what?) have you gained through internship that you did not have before? How did you develop these appreciations?

I chose this prompt because I did specifically develop a new appreciation for something, contemporary art (I intern at the museum of contemporary art), and though I have not really found a friend of mine who appreciates it as much as I do, I'm hopeful for the future. Most of my friends still label it as trash, or easy to do, which in a way I used to, but I'm not anymore. And in a way I can't, because I'm going to be giving tours of the museum's exhibit.

Internship Project Description

Internship site: Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego MCASD

Department: Education

Project Title: Teen Art Council Promotional Film

General Description: I will be creating a 5-10 minute promo film which will detail what exactly is and what exactly the teen art council does.

Learning Objectives: To learn the answers to the basic essential questions and work on my office and film skills simultaneously.

Organization/Company Objectives & Benefits: Hopefully more people will know about the Teen Art Council, which means more applicants which means good.

Schedule: Basically, my schedule is mixed up, week 1 is pre-production and also production, production (filming) will also span all of week 2, and at the same time post-production (editing) has been taking place since week one, and will end in week 3.

Academic Skills: Communications, design, basic knowledge of films.

Technical Skills: Camera equipment, editing programs, etc.

Collaboration—Skills and Opportunities: The whole film will be a collaborative work between myself, my mentor, and the teen art council, which will in the end probably be an interesting experience.

Exhibition Plans: Youtube, on the main MCASD, DP, and will also be exhibited at various 'shows'

Schedule & Timelines: Basically week 1, 2, and 3 demonstrate pre-production, production, and post-production. And on the first two tuesdays I will film misc. shots and interviews.

Week 1:

I thought this was incredibly successful in both getting to know my job, workplace, and my co-workers. I feel like already I'm getting used to the workplace and my project. I did face some problems with technological issues, but using my skills and past experience I was able to overcome them, much to the surprise of both my mentor and I.

Pre-Mentor Interview Blog

I want to learn more about my mentors past and how or why she ended up at the place doing what she is doing right now. She has sort of an odd job and I don't know how someone even lands a job like the one she has (education curator).

This interview will probably take place next week sometime when we have a lunch scheduled.

Ideas:

Person's personal history: where they're from, college, etc.

Professional information:

Internship Blog #5

Project title: Teen Art Council Promo Film

Project description: Student will create 5-10 minute promotional film marketing the Teen Art Council to teenage demographics, will be featured on website, will be presented to try to reel in members.

Project schedule:

Tuesday(s): Teen Art Council (TAC) meetings, that is where I will gather information, B-Roll Shots, and the various interviews which will act, once edited, as the narrative for the film.

Friday (1/15): Teen Art Council (TAC) field trip to UCSD lounge and concert center (titled "The Loft"), will gather shots.

Saturday (1/23): Teen Art Council/Teen art workshop, will gather shots.

Materials & Equipment needed:

The museum is letting me use all of the required materials except a few, heres a list:

Camera (w/ tripod & microphones)

Computer (w/ Final Cut Pro and/or other editing programs)

Misc. Cords

And thats pretty much it.

Project documentation:

My project will be completed by the 29, but how I will show it or show proof or show a document I can just show my project, a digital file.

Blog #4

1. What academic skills could you use on the job?

Academic skills? My project uses a lot of writing, but it is a more/so creative product.

2. What forms of collaboration could you use in a project?

My project is a film and the narrative is/will be told through interviews of members from the museum's Teen Art Council, so the whole thing is pretty much a collaborative piece.

3. What technical skills can you use at your internship?

Everyday I am faced with assignments that require technical skills, for instance, today and yesterday I was given about 3 videos (ranging from 3 hours to 35 minutes, through 4 DVDs), using my technical experience and skills I downloaded shareware applications which would allow me to rip the videos from the DVDs, take screenshots, and then finally cut the videos into 10 minutes segments, prepping them to be youtube ready.

4. What new things can you learn while working at your site?

People skills, art skills, overall office skills, so far I have learned a lot of work habits and work ethics, trying to do what I'm expected/told to in a timely fashion.

5. How can you exhibit, showcase or otherwise share your work?

My film will be presented on a website (I believe) and used to try to requite applicants for the Teen Art Council program.

6. How can your work or your skills & abilities help your company or organization?

Well, already my technical skills and abilities have helped the company involving youtube and trying to promote things, but I will also be using my skills to promote their teen programs, and also their flickr accounts and other websites.

Internship Blog #3

Post your project ideas here!

Projects should be coherent collections of work samples and/or work experiences that are relevant and meaningful to both you and your company.

1. What skills would you like to develop at your site?

I would like to further develop my skills and interests into the project that my mentor wants me to complete, which is a film. This works perfectly because the subject matter would both work as an informational project for me but a helpful promotional video for the museum.

2. What interests do you have regarding the work done at your site?

My main interest outside of school and work is filmmaking/film production, so I found/find it incredibly interesting how much filmmaking is involved at the museum. But interests I have devopled during my time here include; how the museum operates ‘behind the curtains’

3. What needs can you address (needs your mentor has, your company has, etc.) based on your skills and interests?

Well, currently the museum is trying to expand their teen programs, and that’s where my project comes in. My mentor wants me to create a 5-10 minutes promotional film on their current teen program.

Project Idea: Film

Internship Blog #2

What have you actively done to start off on the right note?

I believe that I have started out by treating my mentor and all of the employees and faculty here with respect, trying to go above and beyond with all of my assignments, and just basically trying to be a good intern overall.

What have you actively done to create interesting opportunities for yourself?

I was honest with my mentor on my interests and skills, so she has been giving me assignments and projects which relate to those things, overall its busy work, but its interesting and on some degrees fun.

What have you actively done to advance the interests of your mentor and/or site?

I participated in a one hour long educational meeting voicing some ideas, opinions, and memories from past work experiences (mainly from my summer internship at the Birch Aquarium).

What can you do in the immediate future to improve yourself and your experience in the above areas?

Just try to keep up with what I’m doing, everyone at HTHMA basically scared me straight into doing exactly what I’m expected and told.

Internship Day 1

Firstly, my internship is at MCASD, if you are wondering.

5 Photos or Less: (Brandon)

This is my workspace on the second story, where one of those computers and phones are dynamically linked to my information.

This is a screenshot of some of the work I did today, which includes preview renders for a movie.

This is something that struck me, the styrophome cup art that sits in the corner of my workspace, at first I thought it was just trash, can you see why?

This is my mentor Gabrielle in her office on the third floor. She is one of the 2 Education Curators at MCASD, example of more formal dress.

This is Elizabeth, the 2nd Education Curator along with Gabrielle, example of casual dress.

Economic Questions: (Sara)

1. How has MCASD been affected or impacted by the current economic climate (i.e. global recession)?

Money supply / overall budget has been cut down along with charitable funding i.e. the money coming in, resulting in a lot of programs and other extra things the museum does either being cut completely or just cut down.

2. Have you professionally encountered situations affected or impacted by the current economic climate (i.e. global recession)?

Gabrielle is one of the two education curators at MCASD, it used to be a five person job which was cut down to two people due to the economic climate and loss of funding. MCASD in general has had to cut almost about 25% of their entire staff.

Basic Questions: (Randy)

1. When did you wake up?

6:30 a.m., did not sleep well

2. What did you have for breakfast?

Nothing. I wasn’t hungry; I was too busy having a mental storm of anxiety.

3. How did you get to internship? How long did it take? How did it go?

My older brother drove and dropped me off a few blocks away (due to the one-way street in front of the museum it is sometimes difficult to get there on car depending upon the direction you’re coming from.

4. What did you do when you first arrived at internship? Who did you see? Who did you talk to?

When I first arrived I came 10 minutes early on an already early schedule today (due to a meeting my mentor had to attend, she wanted me to come in 30 minutes early to help me get setup), I talked to the…well, I don’t actually know his position, he typically runs the welcome/info center in the lobby, Javier, as I awaited my mentor.

5. Where do you work (in the company, in the building, etc.)? What is your area like?

Well, all of the offices are in a building called ‘Copley’, on the 3^rd floor, on the 2^nd they have empty workspaces and an outside type of balcony meant for parties and such, along with a large conference room. One of the empty workspaces is where they have me set up at for Mondays, weds days, and Fridays, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I’m on the 3^rd floor working directly with my mentor.

6. What did you do for lunch?

I didn’t have breakfast to do being so anxious, but I had a protein bar for lunch.

7. What did you do during the afternoon?

All of the reading material, logistical specifications, interview questions, and the forms, I went over with my mentor.

8. What type of work do you see yourself doing in the next few days?

For the next few days they’re going to have me work on inventory and basic office help, the majority of the time of my stay here will be working on a promo film about their teen art council (yet be approved by my cohort).

9. What do you feel prepared to do? What do you think you'll do well?

I feel prepared to do what they are asking me of, and mentally I want to go above and beyond.

10. What are you going to need to learn to succeed at your internship?

Just mental calmness, I can complete my internship, I just need to relax.

11. What makes you excited about working there?

How cool it is, the whole idea, and the building / workspace I’m at can only be accessed if you have a keycard, and the whole security system at the museum is very futuristic (for lack of a better term) compared to other buildings or places I have worked at.

12. What makes you nervous about working there?

Not finishing my project in time, but my mentor and the people I work with are very professional, welcoming, and nice to me.

13. When did you get home? What was your afternoon/evening commute like?

I got home around 4:30 p.m., the rest of my night was much better than the night before in that I was much less stressed out knowing how cool the people are at my internship.

Professionalism Questions: (Karl and Sabrina)

1. How have you been professional at your workplace?

I followed the basic professional code, even though at my workplace it’s a very casual environment. During my site visit I got to meet my mentor and see the people and see what was acceptable and what’s not, in terms of addressing her and in terms of clothing. My uniform is or clothing regulation is essentially the HTHMA dress code.