On the cloudy Monday morning, I started my work day with Catherine Alexander as we discussed future exhibitions to come. As I will soon be able to have a special project, we talked about which showcase would be of great interest to me as there are many to choose from. I looked over Artist Callings on the SAA website and am curious about my future responsibilities as a curatorial assistant. Then as a normal intern, I licked and stamped envelopes as every day I have at least one small duty to help out with. I then took a project in my own hands and edited the exhibition catalog for the Young Artists' Showcase that I previously worked on with James O'Shea. Transferring the book to a Blurb Bookify version compared to InDesign, I transferred more of the edited images and turned it into a real book (but not totally completed yet). Here are some of the pictures from the showcase so you can get a taste of what the Young Artists' Showcase looked like as well as the photos I ended up PhotoShopping last week. 

Paintbrushes and Photo Shoots

Today, instead of the normal Wednesday meeting, I was able to paint and reorganize the arts & crafts gallery. Apron, paintbrush, and a lot of pink Spackle helped me go over nasty hanger holes and dents to perfect the walls of the gallery. Using a step ladder around the fragile art pieces helped me gain access to the whole area and finish with nice and clean walls. I then was able to exchange some wall paintings for others, and re-organize the layout of the gallery walls. After the paint dried, I was able to add more to the gallery and style the layout of the gallery. Catherine Alexander, the SAA gallery director, guided me through my little jobs and activities. It was fun to be able to paint early in the morning as well as style the parts of the gallery to my taste and overall look. 
Then at the ending parts of my interning shift, I head upstairs to the "nest" and help James O'Shea, the marketing/program supporter with duties like editing books, photos, and even postcards through the Salem Art Association. I get to learn programs like InDesign and PhotoShop as we create cool visuals on the computer. 
Today I also had a miniature photo shoot where James (also the photographer of SAA) was able to take a few photographs of me in the gallery. Here is a picture of myself in the morning at the downstairs gallery. I also learned more of the skills of PhotoShop by editing my own picture for the purposes of displaying it here.

InsTagRAm

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I go by melimoe :) 
http://instagram.com/melimoe

The Monet of Reality

Today was a beautiful day. At SAA, we even held a marketing meeting out in the sunshine. If the sun didn't make you or your cloudy pores smile, here is a Monet to remind you that SPRING IS HERE!
(Three pots of Tulips, 1883)

We All Like Pinterest. . . . Don't We?

Along with my daily/weekly posts about my art internship, I will occasionally add photos, quotes and ideas that thread together my inspiration for life outside of working at the Bush Barn Gallery. Professionally and personally, art is a major part of my life through learning, experience and knowledge. 
Confession: along with many other girls my age, I am slightly addicted to Pinterest (but not as much as coffee). Attached is my "must.love.art" board where I have pinned pictures I have already loved, things I wanna create someday and artistic ideas I admire. If you are bored and want to learn pieces of art and even styles I enjoy, I hope you get as lost as I do in the beauty of the artistic image
http://www.pinterest.com/melmelmeows/must-love-art/

Young Artists' Showcase//The American Dream

salemart.org

After the Clay Ball, the Bush Barn turned to a new project less extravagant but equally as exciting. Heads turned from the flapper gala to the Young Artists' Showcase. The upstairs walls of the Bush Barn soon got littered with artworks in all shapes and sizes. Local children created masterpieces of paintings, drawings, collages, and brilliant sculptures. In opposition to the colorful children's art, downstairs I helped set up an installation of classic photography. Learning the art of installing an exhibit with the artist himself, we used mathematics and symmetry in creating the look of The American Dream. The film series by James Brandon O'Shea creates a modern environment of black and white blended with splashes of sunset bursts within the solid frames.The experience was interesting and still presently is at the Bush Barn if you want to visually visit both amazing exhibitions. 

Clay Ball 2014

 

When starting out at the SAA, I was able to help out with their annual Clay Ball 2014. My first days on the job was moving paintings for auction, center pieces and pretty much any decoration for the amazing event. It's funny how everyone spent so many months planning this spectacle and I merely jumped in and got to dance with the rest (badly and barely). We moved items to the Salem Convention Center where the ball was hosted and even then I was excited. I then dove straight into the main event as a volunteer and a mingler for the many people to meet on this opportunity. Art, wine and live music made the event one for the books. My favorite part was the theme of choice. The 1920's have always been my favorite era. I still remember years ago when my dream was to be a fashion designer, I fantasized and drew a complete 1920's inspired fashion line for a school project. I'm sure Coco Chanel would be so proud. I'm also sure she would of loved the outfits and suits worn by all of the fabulous guests. Long strings of pearls, feathered top hats, sequined dresses, pinstripe blazers and fierce faces around the halls made everyone a sight for sore eyes. Being able to wear heels for the first time in a while, I walked around the ball feeling like Cinderella but with no prince, pumpkin, clock, or shoe, but mostly filled with the feeling of wonder as I curiously walked around and gazed. No evening was quite as glamorous as that one and instantly, I was draw to the people, art and life within this field. Some people hum and ha over my career decision wondering if it is a real career and if I'll actually make money. I envisioned myself that night as a part of something. Something special. Art really made things happen. And this learning experience at the SAA will help me get there and make things happen in the future. 

*newbie alert*

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for visiting my new blog. The last time I wrote on an internet blog was in middle school where for a school project. . . I made a website about peaches. Yes, I made a blog about peaches. It was ridiculous. But here, I plan to talk about art and how it affects our lives. I got an internship at the Salem Art Association that I wish to document here not only for record purposes, but also my memory purposes. The world we live in is all about constant documentation. With social media today, it affects art as well. Art was the documentation of the past and now, it seems the internet has taken its place. For me, art documents more from the heart. Here you will find my progress at the internship as well as my inspirations. Enjoy!