Thursday, December 6, 2012

Hello Copenhagen, you and I are about to get real friendly...

"I didn't even know you were applying for an internship," a friend said to me last night.

"I didn't really tell anyone," I replied. Maybe it was fear I would jinx it. Or maybe it was born of simple laziness. But for some reason, I decided not to tell anyone I was applying for an internship at the MoA.

Rewind to yesterday afternoon. I was sitting on the couch in the MoA administrative offices, and for the first time all day, I took a deep breath. Wednesdays are my busiest days and I had barely had time to eat, let alone think about preparing for an internship interview.  I mentally took two minutes to prepare myself, wracking my brain for creative questions that I could ask after that awkward moment when interviewers always ask you if you have any questions for them.

Luckily I was meeting with the curator of Religious Art at the museum. I had met her earlier this semester when I asked for help on my Women in Art project.

I sat down in her office.

"Well, since I've already met with you and talked to you pretty extensively, I don't think I need to interview you. Reading your writing samples was an absolute pleasure. I'd like to work with you next semester. Would that be alright?"

My mouth gaped open. No interview? Reading my writing samples was a pleasure? An offer on the spot?

"Yeah, that would be great!" As she explained more about the project I'd be working on her with, my smile grew broader.

"Are you sure you want to work with me? It won't offend me if you'd rather work in American art, or Contemporary," she said this a couple of times.

I tried to explain to her how art, the spiritual and religion are all so closely related to me. There's no place I'd rather work than in Religious Art.

I'm going to help research an exhibit on the Danish (Carl Bloch, Thorvaldsen, etc.). I'll get to help with writing the exhibit explanation and individual picture plates. And if it interests me, I'll take trips to design to see how they put exhibits together, and I'll get to sit in on team meetings.


So, I know it's just the Museum of Art on campus. And I'm not exactly sure how competitive the intern applicant process is. But is it ok for me to be a little bit prideful about this?

I'm not the prettiest. Neither am I most spiritual or righteous person around. And I'm for sure not the most intellectual person I know. But here was this moment where I was picked to do something I love because I'm good at it.

It just makes me hopeful for the future.

Gethsemane, Carl Bloch

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