Archive for the 'McDermott Internship' Category

Meet the McDermott Intern Authors

Elise Armani – McDermott Intern for Contemporary Art
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
As the McDermott Curatorial Intern for Contemporary Art, I support curators Gavin Delahunty and Katherine Brodbeck in realizing exhibitions and projects in the Contemporary Department. This often consists of researching objects in the collection, gathering information on potential objects and artists for upcoming exhibitions, pulling sources, and writing labels.

Three things about me but not about my work:
I have a pitbull mix named Miró, though he has yet to bark at the moon.
-My favorite film is The Silence of the Lambs.
-My favorite eggcorn is “cease the day.”

Favorite three works in the DMA:
Jim Hodges, Changing Things, 1997
-Phil Collins, the world won’t listen, 2005
-Lee Bontecou, Untitled (35), 1961

Kathleen Alva – McDermott Intern for Adult Programming and Arts & Letters Live
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I help brainstorm, prepare, and lead the DMA’s Gallery Talks, Late Nights, Second Thursdays with a Twist, and special tours. I also work with the Arts & Letters Live team to bring incredible authors, performers, and artists to Dallas.

Three things about me but not about my work:
I love dancing and rhythms: clogging, flamenco, and tap are my favorite dance styles to practice.
-I was once on America’s Got Talent (but will never tell you where to find the video).
-After living in the same California city for the first 17 years of my life, I have moved at least twice each year since.

Favorite three works in the DMA:
-Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, Front doors from the Robert R. Blacker House (Pasadena, California), 1907
John Singer Sargent, Study for “The Spanish Dancer,” 1882
-Vincent van Gogh, Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, September 1888  


Beth CreMeens – Dedo and Barron Kidd McDermott Graduate Intern for European Painting and Sculpture
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I work closely with the curator of European art, Nicole Meyers, on upcoming exhibitions, projects, and provenance research into the permanent collection. Additionally, I am curating an exhibition of our works on paper collection that will be open in May 2018.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I love traveling, and have been on two road trips up both the east and west coast, and into Canada.
-My cat Loki and I love to sleep in on Saturdays and read in bed.
-I like Latin music and dancing.

 Favorite three works in the DMA:
-Edward Jones, The Pilgrim at the Gate of Idleness, 1884
-Gustave Courbet, Fox in the Snow, 1860
-Thomas Sully, Cinderella at the Kitchen Fire, 1843

Samantha Evans – McDermott Graduate Intern for Family and Access Teaching
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I will be assisting the Family, Access, Schools, and Teachers team with all of their many wonderful programs this year!

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I like to cook.
-I like to visit new places.
-I love old musicals.

Favorite three works in the DMA:
-Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1901,
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Flowers, 1915–19
Thimble, late 19th–early 20th century

Olivia Feal – McDermott Intern for Interpretation
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I see this job as being in-between education and curatorial duties. I work mostly in the Center for Creative Connections interacting with visitors and the public, but I also get to do behind-the-scenes work developing materials for the Testing Zone and Pop-Up Art Spot. Outside of C3, I help with prototyping and evaluating interpretive materials used in the Museum’s permanent collection galleries and special exhibitions. This position is great because I get to work with the public, but I also get a chance to incorporate educational initiatives into the rest of the Museum.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-Any time I go to a new city or town I always make sure to stop in a diner at some point.  (I have this weird dream of going to at least one diner in every state; so far I have been to 10 states in the US).
– I love to watch foreign films and documentaries; one of my favorite movies of all time is Vivre Sa Vie. (I am super excited that Dallas has the Angelika Film Center.)
-I never learned how to drive.

Favorite three works in the DMA:
Sword ornament in the form of a lion, Ghana, Asante peoples, c. mid-20th century
Romare Bearden, Soul Three, 1968
-Tadeusz Myslowski, Avenue of the Americas, New York City: Works from 1974 to 1979, 1979

Tayana Fincher – Curatorial Intern for African Art
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I am helping finalize exhibition and publication plans for an upcoming show in April. Duties include dealing with photography and image loan requests, rights and reproductions, brainstorming object location in the gallery spaces, as well as creating and finding interpretive materials for gallery display.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I used to be an avid nail-biter.
-I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
-I collect movie tickets/stubs, and I have a pretty hefty collection since I started in 2010.

 Favorite three works in the DMA:
Anthology manuscript, Turkey, c. 1605–10 (Keir Collection)
Elephant mask (mbap mteng), Cameroon, Bamileke peoples, c. 1920–30
-Julie Mehretu, Epigraph, Damascus, by 2016

Danielle Gilbert – McDermott Graduate Intern for Arts of the Americas
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:

I work with Dr. Kimberly Jones on ancient and contemporary art from South America, Mesoamerica, and North America. With an archaeology and cultural heritage background, I am excited to help research, celebrate, and share the beauty, traditions, and meanings represented by these diverse cultures and artists.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I have participated in archaeological excavations in the Lurín Valley, central-coast Peru, and Mount Vernon, Virginia.
-I love to read 19th-century British and American novels.
-I love to go hiking or wander around cities with historic architecture.

Favorite three works at the DMA:
Quipu (khipu) with top and subsidiary cords, Inca, 1400–1570
-Mantle with condors, Paracas, 300–100 B.C.E.
-Hummingbird pendant, Olmec, 800–400 B.C.E.

Lea Stephenson – McDermott Graduate Intern for American Art
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I assist the curator of American art in preparing upcoming exhibitions and researching the permanent collection. Some of my tasks include writing object labels and researching paintings in the galleries. I’m often surrounded by books on 19th-century and early modern American artists, like Childe Hassam and Charles Sheeler.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I’m originally from Vermont, and a true New England girl, which means I love cold winters and old, colonial houses.
-I collect 19th-century photographs found in antique stores.
-I’m fascinated with Great Britain and always trying to find places for traditional English high tea.

Favorite three works in the DMA:
-John White Alexander, Miss Dorothy Quincy Roosevelt, 1901–02
-Sir Thomas Lawrence, Portrait of the Honorable Mrs. Seymour Bathurst, 1828
-Alfred Stevens, The Visit, before 1869

Yohanna Tesfai – McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching
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Me and my job in 50 words or less:
I assist with art educational programming for docent trainings, Go van Gogh school teachings, teen programs, and local community centers.

Three things about me but not about my work:
-I am a Tudor history nerd. My favorite queen is Anne Boleyn!
-I love all things from the 1980s. I have practically memorized all three Back to the Future movies.
-My dream car is a 1980s Volvo 242 DL sedan.

Favorite three works in the DMA:
Shiro Kuramata, “Miss Blanche” armchair, 1988
Alfred Thompson Bricher, Time and Tide, 1873
Asikpo Edet Okun of Ibonda, headcrest, late 19th–early 20th century

 

 

Falling for Dallas

Fall is one of our favorite times of year at the Museum: student tours return to the galleries after summer hiatus, special exhibitions begin to open, and–most exciting of all–a new class of McDermott Interns joins our ranks!

This year’s class is comprised of nine talented women: three native North Texans, three north-easterners, two Southern Californians, and one mid-westerner. We basically have the US represented from sea to shining sea! Some are more familiar with the Metroplex than others, but all are very eager to experience what Dallas and the Museum have in store this year.

Kathleen Alva, McDermott Intern for Adult Programming and Arts & Letters Live, recently graduated as a McDermott Scholar from UTD in Richardson–that makes her McDermott squared! Originally from the LA area, she’s excited to be discovering Dallas proper this year.

Yohanna Tesfai, McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching, recently moved back to Dallas after completing her MA in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. She recommends checking out NorthPark Center for some shopping with a healthy dose of art, which I wholeheartedly support.

Samantha Evans, McDermott Graduate Intern for Family and Access Teaching, has spent her past few years in Denton where she completed her MA in Art Education at UNT. Also from the LA area, she too is looking forward to getting to know Dallas.

Elise Armani, McDermott Intern for Contemporary Art, joins us from the Midwest, having recently completed her BFA from the University of Minnesota. She’s excited to get involved in the Dallas contemporary arts scene.

Lea Stephenson, McDermott Graduate Intern for American Art, completed her Masters in Art History at Williams College in Massachusetts. As a New Englander, shes excited to explore all the unique things Texas has to offer.

Beth CreMeens, Dedo and Barron Kidd McDermott Graduate Intern for European Art, is a native Dallasite who has returned after receiving her Masters in Art History from Tufts University in Massachusetts. Beth loves visiting White Rock Lake, her favorite Dallas spot for strolling and appreciating nature.

Tayana Fincher, McDermott Intern for African Art, also attended Williams College in Massachusetts, where she completed her BA in Art History. She is originally from McKinney, Texas, and is excited to participate in the myriad cultural opportunities available in the Arts District.

Olivia Feal, McDermott Intern for Interpretation, recently completed her BA in Art History at Smith College in Massachusetts. As a public transportation expert hailing from NYC, Olivia is enthusiastic to become acquainted with her new town via DART.

Danielle Gilbert, McDermott Graduate Intern for Arts of the Americas, received her Masters of Philosophy in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage from the University of Cambridge in the UK. Danielle is looking forward to enjoying a performance by the Dallas Symphony.

We look forward to working with them and helping them get to know Dallas better in the months to come!

Sarah Coffey is the Education Coordinator and former McDermott Intern at the DMA.

Fashion on Flora Street

One of the many things I’ve enjoyed since joining the DMA Intern Class of 2016 is working with Booker T. Washington seniors to develop their own projects for community engagement at the DMA. A few times a week, the students walk down the street to visit the Museum. We’ve been discussing different learning styles and how to appeal to all the diverse learners that visit museums. While assisting students with their projects is my main focus during their visits to the DMA, I cannot help but also pay special attention to their fashion choices. From week to week, each student’s individual style has inspired me.

So for today’s post, I wanted to highlight some pieces in the DMA’s collection that feature elements of these students’ style. Maybe they will inspire you too!

From the stage to the runway, septum rings have moved beyond counterculture to mainstream fashion.
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Find these nose rings at the DMA on Level 4 in the Ancient American galleries.

Carefully taut buns, messy half-up top knots, and lots of little Bantu knots—this unisex hair trend can be styled in so many different ways. Like it or knot, buns are here to stay.

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For top knot inspiration, look to Bodhisattva in the South Asian gallery and Monju (Manjusri) in the Japanese gallery, both on Level 3.

One-piece swimsuits and leotards have been back for a few years now. But with some of the Booker T. girls, I’ve noticed them as daily wear with skirts and sweaters or even cut-off shorts and a flannel shirt wrapped around the waist.

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This Bather in a one-piece carries off the look with some attitude. She’s a music video waiting to happen. Catch her on Level 4 in the American galleries.

Men’s patterned shirts mirror many of the patterns in our permanent collection. Some of the young men at Booker T. have been seen sporting stripes and floral prints on their button downs. The DMA is home to many intricate textiles as well as paintings that feature patterns that may inspire your own style.

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You can see these three men in patterned shirts in the folding backgammon board in the Level 3 South Asian galleries; the shirt for the figure of a saint is found on the Level 4 outside the Ancient American galleries; and Leon Polk Smith’s asymmetrical work Homage to Victory Boogie Woogie #1 is in the American galleries on Level 4. The paisley pattern is a detail of Alfred Stevens’ The Visit, found on Level 2 in the European galleries.

Stop by the DMA soon for your next style inspiration.

Whitney Sirois is the McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching at the DMA.

Images: Group of nose and ear ornaments, Columbia, Sinú, c. A.D. 500-1550, gold, Dallas Museum of Art, The Nora and John Wise Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the Eugene McDermott Family, Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Murchison 1976.W.451-454, 456-458,460; Nose ornaments, Columbia, Sinú, c. A.D. 1000-1550, gold, Dallas Museum of Art, The Nora and John Wise Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the Eugene McDermott Family, Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Murchison 1976.W.468, 810, 605; Maitreya, India, Kushan period, 2nd–3rd century, schist, Intended bequest of David T. Owsley; Monju (Manjusri), Japan, Nanbokucho, 1336-1392, ink, color, and gold on silk, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, 1970.8; Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Bather with Cigarette, 1924, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase Fund, Deaccession Funds/City of Dallas (by exchange) in honor of Dr. Steven A. Nash, 1988.22; Folding backgammon board, India, Mughal period, 19th century, wood, ivory, cord, and inlay, Intended bequest of David T. Owsley; Shirt for the figure of a saint, Guatemala, Kaqchikel Maya, c. 1910-1930, cotton and silk, Dallas Museum of Art, anonymous gift, 2008.194; Leon Polk Smith, Homage to Victory Boogie Woogie #1, 1946, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA League Purchase Fund, 2000.391; Alfred Stevens, The Visit, before 1869, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Pauline Allen Gill Foundation, 1997.112

Class of 2016

It’s time for us to welcome our 2015-2016 class of McDermott Interns to the DMA. Each year a new class joins the Museum for nine months in positions divided between the Museum’s curatorial and education departments. You will hear from each of the interns on Uncrated throughout their nine months at the DMA, but we thought we would share a few fun facts about this group before they delve into their internships.
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Devon Hersch, the McDermott Intern for Asian Art, plays the piano and has been recording music in Austin of songs he wrote during college.

Jenny Wang, the McDermott Graduate Intern for Adult Programming and Arts & Letters Live, has no luck with earrings—she’s had her ears pierced twice in the same spot but the holes always close up.

Nolan Jimbo, the McDermott Intern for Contemporary Art, has never had queso dip (a problem he hopes the other interns will help rectify). He also still has three baby teeth.

Erin Piñon, the McDermott Graduate Intern for American Art, uses coconut oil as a cure-all product (similar to Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

Paulina Lopez, the McDermott Graduate Intern for Visitor Engagement, was the only girl in her town’s regional baseball league during the 6th grade.

Emily Wiskera, the McDermott Graduate Intern for Family and Access Teaching, has had the same pen pal for eleven years. They only communicate through cryptograms and have never met face to face!

Franny Brock, the Dedo and Barron Kidd McDermott Graduate Intern for European Art, won a snow-sculpting competition in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Whitney Sirois, the McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching, made a time capsule with friends in college, but the gravel was too dry to bury it so they hid the capsule in ceiling tiles on campus . . . along with the shovel.

Amanda Kramp, the McDermott Graduate Intern for Ancient American Art, loves planning, hosting, and attending themed dinner parties. This includes themed decorations, music, and food and drink. She even requests that guests don fancy or period specific dress relevant to the theme.

Learn more about the McDermott Internships on the DMA’s website; you can apply for your chance to be a 2016-2017 McDermott Intern in January.

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Sarah Coffey is the Education Coordinator at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Master of Monsters

One of the annual projects for the McDermott Curatorial Intern for European Art is to develop and curate a small exhibition pulled from the DMA’s works on paper collection. Of the pieces within the European collection (which includes over 1,500 works!), I was immediately drawn to ones by old masters (artists working before 1800), like Rembrandt van Rijn, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Francisco de Goya. I found the work by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) to be particularly fascinating, and I chose fourteen of his prints for the exhibition Saints and Monsters: Prints by Albrecht Dürer, which focuses on Dürer’s depiction of both the religious and the monstrous.

Dürer was a prolific artist working in the Northern Renaissance who revolutionized the field of printmaking through his original iconographic models, dynamic compositions, and skill in capturing details. Today he is widely hailed as one of the greatest printmakers of all time; however, since these prints are so tiny (those included in the exhibition measure only about 3 x 5 inches), it can be difficult to appreciate Dürer’s printmaking prowess in the galleries alone. To supplement your gallery experience, I thought I might share a few details from one of my favorite works in the exhibition, St. George on Foot.

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot, c. 1502 - c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot, c. 1502-c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

This engraving portrays St. George, a 3rd century military saint and martyr associated with his mythical slaying of a terrorizing dragon, the moment of which is depicted here. With a closer look, we can find some of the finer details that may otherwise be difficult to see in the gallery.

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502 - c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502-c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Here we see St. George’s sensitively rendered expression as he looks off into the distance. Tendrils of hair escape his hairnet, evidence of the recent struggle between man and beast, while his beard and mustache are made of distinct curls. Framing St. George’s face is a spontaneously sketched halo, designating his holiness. Notice how Dürer was able to capture the volume and texture of the saint’s suit of armor through hatching and crosshatching, representing his remarkable ability to represent the metallic qualities of armor.

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502 - c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502-c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

The defeated dragon lies belly-up at St. George’s feet. This position makes the dragon appear especially grotesque with its open eyes, bared teeth, sharpened claws, pointed nose, and spiked wings. The monster’s neck and tail are marked with wounds created by St. George’s sword. During the 16th century, many Europeans believed dragons were real, so Dürer’s dragon both emphasizes St. George’s courage in fighting the beast while also instilling fear of the evil and unknown into viewers.

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502 - c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502-c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Behind St. George, Dürer renders a village and harbor, which reminds us of the people George protected by slaying the dragon. The trees and buildings in a sinuous line appear as if they are floating on the water’s surface. The divide between land and water is ambiguous, and Dürer only implies land, shadow, water, and wave through simple hatch and crosshatch lines.

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502 - c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Albrecht Dürer, St. George on Foot (detail), c. 1502-c. 1503, engraving, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Calvin J. Holmes

Following his victory, St. George cast off his helmet, which holds an elaborate arrangement of lush feathers. The extravagant plumes contrast with the metallic gleam of the saint’s armor and the coarseness of the dragon’s flesh. In the lower left corner is Dürer’s distinctive signature of his initials, “A.D.”  With a careful eye, you can find Dürer signatures in each of the prints included in Saints and Monsters.

I hope that with this closer look you will better be able to appreciate Dürer’s virtuosity in the print medium and ability to utilize shadow, texture, and form to convey drama and emotion. Come see this work and more in Saints and Monsters: Prints by Albrecht Dürer, currently on view in the European Works on Paper Gallery, located on Level 2 and included in the Museum’s free general admission.

Laura Sevelis is the McDermott Curatorial Intern for European Art at the DMA.


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