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Friday Photos: To Denver We Go!

Each of the McDermott Interns here at the DMA have the opportunity to participate in an approved professional development opportunity. In early February, I took a trip up to Denver to learn from their Education staff and observe some of their Access Programs. I also connected with Access Gallery, a smaller local nonprofit. I had never been to Colorado and was blown away by both the geographical beauty and the warm welcome I received from each of the museum and art professionals with whom I was able to speak.

On my first full day, I met up with three different members of the Education Department at the Denver Art Museum, then observed their Art and About Tour, which is similar to the Dallas Museum of Art’s Meaningful Moments program that serves individuals with early stage dementia and their family members or caregivers. On this tour, we went to the Japanese art galleries and learned about Japanese tea ceremonies and Samurai.

Here are some photo highlights from my trip!

On day two, I met with the Director of the Access Gallery, who gave me a tour of their space and of their current gallery show, Stick’em Up Chuck, a show of artwork made out of donated stickers.

Take a peek at some of the students’ artworks, their work space, and one of the pieces hanging in Stick’em up Chuck!

The Access Gallery is a drop-in style art-making space where teens and young adults can learn about art, develop their skills, and gain economic opportunity. The students all have a chance to sell their individual art pieces in the gallery’s store, as well as contribute to the larger pieces that are on sale as part of the current gallery show. Through these opportunities, mentally or physically disabled students who may not be able to hold a traditional job gain access to valuable skills like teamwork, time management, and listening to a boss.

As a growing museum professional, this trip was truly enlightening and I’m so grateful to have gotten to experience the incredible programming going on in Denver!

Until next time!

Grace Diepenbrock
McDermott Intern for Family and Access Teaching

Intern Insights | Grace

Meet Grace Diepenbrock.

In my new video series, I focus my camera lens on one of the Museum’s nine McDermott Interns. We each do very different things and my goal is to highlight each one of our respective responsibilities and passions.

 
Are you interested in becoming a McDermott Intern for the 2017-2018 year? Applications will be open in January 2017, so visit the Internships page of our website for more information.

Be sure to check back next month for another installment of Intern Insights!

Angela Medrano
McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching

A Fairly Good Time

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A view of the Esplanade at Fair Park from Jessica Thompson, Manager of Teen Programs.

Last Tuesday was our sixth annual Education Fair Day, a chance to escape the chill of the Museum for some deep-fried fun in the sun at the State Fair of Texas. For some, like Jessica Thompson, going to the Fair is a time-honored tradition. Jessica’s paid a visit to Big Tex nearly every year of her life. For others, like our McDermott Interns, it was a super-sized introduction to a slice of Texas history and culture.

Emily Wiskera and I tackled the trip together. While we chowed down on Fletcher’s corny dogs (a must!), admired the blue ribbons in the creative arts building, and searched for our favorite haunted house ride, I started wondering about what connections could be made between the fair and the DMA. A set of photographs recently installed in the Center for Creative Connections certainly provides some fair feels, but what about elsewhere in the Museum?

State and World’s Fairs

The above pair of posters was an easy connection to make. On the left, we have the 2016 State Fair of Texas poster; on the right, the DMA’s poster from the 1968 World’s Fair in San Antonio. Each was designed around a unique concept. Hemisfair, San Antonio illustrates the overarching idea of people coming from all over the globe for the World’s Fair. The artist, Robert Indiana, used circles with arrows drawn in towards a star in the south of Texas to convey this message. The star, besides featuring prominently on the state flag of Texas, acts a giant X-marks-the-spot, where the Hemisfair and San Antonio are the treasure.

Immediately recognizable in the State Fair of Texas poster is our celebrity cowboy, Big Tex, surrounded by fields, livestock, and farming equipment. The design is graphic, straight forward, and conveniently explained by a page from the State Fair of Texas website:

Originally established as a livestock exposition back in 1886, it is without question that the Fair has deep roots in agriculture. In honor of its history, the Fair constantly strives to promote agricultural education and aims to further support this initiative through its 2016 event, themed “Celebrating Texas Agriculture.”

Though on different scales, state fairs and world’s fairs both bring people together for a variety of cultural experiences. Here’s how the State Fair of Texas compares to world’s fairs:

  • The State Fair of Texas, at 24 days per season, is the longest running state fair in the United States. A World’s Fair can last up to six months–the 1968 Hemisfair in San Antonio did!
  • An estimated 1.5 million – 3 million people attend the State Fair of Texas each year. For reference, the population of Dallas is 1.3 million people, and Texas’ population is 27.47 million people. The 1968 Hemisfair brought in 6.4 million people from all over the world, and the recent 2015 Expo (or World’s Fair) in Milan had 20 million visitors.
  • This year marks the 130th anniversary of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. In contrast, world’s fairs are held in a new city and country every year.

Creative Arts

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Baltimore, Maryland, “Album” quilt, c. 1861, Martha E. Keech, Dallas Museum of Art, anonymous centennial gift

The Baltimore album quilt above, despite being 155 years old, isn’t too different from a quilt you might find on a visit to the creative arts building. This kind of quilt, with its trademark white background and squares (or blocks) with floral designs in red and green, first became popular in… you guessed it: Baltimore! The style remains popular today. This particular album quilt was made by hand by one woman, Martha E. Keech. Sometimes groups of women would join forces to make one of these quilts and each would sew one block and sign their name, hence: an album quilt.

The more than 25 categories for quilts at the State Fair this year include sections for ones made by individuals, pairs, and groups, both by hand and by machine. Overall, there are over 1,100 categories in the creative arts competitions! Many people are familiar with submissions like pies, quilts, and collectibles, but did you know the Fair also has LEGO assembly categories for kids and adults, as well as a “Glue a Shoe” contest? This year’s Glue a Shoe contest features such entries as “Grumpy Flat,” after everyone’s favorite internet cat, and “Hamilton: An American Shoesical.”

Fantastic Foods

No Fair day is complete without sampling some of the sensational snacks! Here are some numbers from Eater Dallas on a fair-goer favorite, Fletcher’s corny dogs:

  • On average, 630,000 corny dogs are sold each 24-day State Fair of Texas run.
  • Fletcher’s is in its 74th year of selling corny dogs at the Fair.
  • To satisfy corndog purists, 1,500 gallons of mustard are needed each year.
  • To satisfy heathens like myself (see selfie above), only 800 gallons of ketchup are required.

Yes, corn (sometimes called maize) is a key ingredient in the batter used for corny dogs, but it’s more than a family resemblance that ties together this State Fair staple and Otis Dozier’s Maize and Windmill. Dozier, a native Texan, was a member of a circle of artists called the Dallas Nine. He regularly submitted works of art to the State Fair of Texas’s creative arts competitions – and he often won. According to a DMA docent, Maize and Windmill is one such blue ribbon winner!

A bonus connection: Dozier’s upbringing on a Mesquite farm instilled in him a lifelong love of agriculture which can be found in his many paintings of farms, fields, flora, and fauna. This ties in pretty neatly with this year’s Celebrating Texas Agriculture theme, don’t you think?

The Fair closes this Sunday, October 23, but these three works of art will still be here to greet you on your next visit, up on Level 4. What other fairly relevant connections can you find? You know that something has to relate to the butter sculpture!

Jennifer Sheppard
Teaching Specialist

Friday Photos: Intern Tips

About four weeks ago, I left my home city of Los Angeles to embark on a new adventure in Dallas. Now, here I am, settled into my McDermott Internship at the Dallas Museum of Art! So, I wanted to share five tips of knowledge gathered in my four weeks of working here.

2016 McDermott Interns

1. Be on time.

I’m going to be brutally honest with you. I was late on my first day. I had my lame excuses, sure (*ahem* DART) – but nothing is worse than showing up a little pink in the cheeks and frazzled in the mind. Do your research the night before and block time in your first morning schedule for potential mishaps.

2. Be brave.

On my first day as an intern, I met loads and loads of people. They looked smart. They looked professional. They looked like they have been adulting for quite some time now. Even though I may have been the newest fish in the sea, I tried my best to be brave enough to ask my questions and make my shiny and new presence known.

DMA’s Multimedia Producer, Gregory Castillo  & me

3. Dress the part.

You’ll not only look professional but also feel more professional (and thus, confident) knowing that you are dressed to the same par as your (possibly more-adult) peers.

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4. Get to know your work environment.

Explore your new work-home while it’s still okay to look a little lost and slightly confused. Be aware of your surrounding and make a mental map of it all.

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Alfred.

5. Be you.

Even though this may be one of my first work ventures, I still feel my best when I am being organically me. Thus, I still am me: unfortunate jokes, crafty(ish) desk décor and all.

Here’s to many, many more weeks of lessons learned and tips to give!

Angela Medrano
McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching

Friday Photos: Smell Ya Later!

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It’s already that time of year when we must wish our current class of McDermott Interns farewell! We’ll certainly miss their smiling faces in the office next week, but we’ve made some lasting friendships and had some fun along the way.

Check out what they’ve done this year, and wish them well in their next adventure!

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Meeting staff their first week at the Museum

Having some holiday selfie fun!

Sarah Coffey
Education Coordinator

Friday Photos: Gridiron Gallery

Last Friday, the McDermott Interns and I enjoyed a visit to AT&T Stadium. Did you know that, in addition to being home to the Dallas Cowboys, the stadium boasts a world class contemporary art collection? So the next time you’re there cheering on America’s team, when you go for those nachos, don’t forget to look up!

Sarah Coffey
Education Coordinator

Friday Photos: Look Who’s Back!

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If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you probably recognize this face! Jennifer Sheppard was the McDermott Intern for Family and Access Programs for 2014-2015 (applications for this fall’s McDermott Internship close next week! #shamelessplug), and quickly won our hearts over with her quick wit, excellent teaching, and thoughtful work. It’s always sad for us to say goodbye to our interns as they go on to new adventures, but this month we managed to get one back!

Jennifer has joined the Education team as our new Teaching Specialist and has jumped right back into the thick of things. She’s been out driving the Go van Gogh van, teaching lessons to preschoolers in the gallery, facilitating conversations with visitors attending our access programs, and adding a cheerful smile to our office.

What is she most excited about in her new position? “How do you say EVERYTHING?” (that’s a direct quote, folks!)

Welcome back, Jennifer!

Leah Hanson
Manager of Early Learning Programs

Leaping for Leap Day

Leapin’ lizards! Some of the McDermott Interns celebrated Leap Day by putting a little spring in our step, following the footsteps of past interns and staff inspired by Jumping in Art Museums…

Source: Leaping for Leap Day

Leaping for Leap Day

Leapin’ lizards! Some of the McDermott Interns celebrated Leap Day by putting a little spring in our step, following the footsteps of past interns and staff inspired by Jumping in Art Museums. You don’t need to wait another four years to join the fun–the next time you stop by the Museum, take your own jumping photos (from a safe distance of course!) and share them on Twitter or Instagram!

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Reaching for the stars in front of Rufino Tamayo’s El hombre (Man).

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It was just a hop, skip and a jump to Robert Rauschenberg’s Skyway.

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Our love for Barbara Hepworth’s Sea Form (Atlantic) grew by leaps and bounds.

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One small step for man, one giant leap for Mark Di Suvero’s Ave.

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Jumping for joy in front of the Kimbell Art Museum.

We came to get down, we came to get down, so come to the Museum and jump around!

Arworks shown:

  • Rufino Tamayo, El Hombre (Man), 1953, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association commission, Neiman-Marcus Company Exposition Funds
  • Rober Rauschenberg, Skyway, 1964, Dallas Museum of Art, The Roberta Coke Camp Fund, The 500, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Mark Shepherd, Jr. and General Acquisitions Fund, © Rauschenberg Estate/Licensed by VAGA, New York
  • Barbara Hepworth, Sea Form (Atlantic), 1964, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark, © Alan Bowness, Estate of Barbara Hepworth
  • Mark Di Suvero, Ave, 1973, Dallas Museum of Art, Irvin L. and Meryl P. Levy Endowment Fund, © Mark DiSuvero

Paulina Lopez
McDermott Graduate Intern for Visitor Engagement

Whitney Sirois
McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching

Emily Wiskera
McDermott Graduate Intern for Family and Access Teaching

Friday Photos: Intern-errific

This year’s McDermott Interns have already made quite the impact on us here at the DMA: from leading myriad programs for every type of visitor, to contributing to varied exhibitions, to researching our global collection–the list goes on and on. We simply couldn’t accomplish it all without their enthusiasm, skill, and gumption!

With four more months and much still left to accomplish, we certainly aren’t ready to say goodbye to our current bunch just yet. But as 2016 is already well underway, it’s time once again to open up our online application for this fall’s 2016-2017 McDermott Internship!

Be sure to peruse this year’s flyer for complete details and descriptions before plunging in to the application. Then check out all the fun our interns have had thus far and imagine yourself in their shoes this fall!

Sarah Coffey
Education Coordinator

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