Author: Museum Career Internship Program

by Dariana Baez (she/her)

I’m currently attending LaGuardia Community College to pursue a degree in Fine Arts. Like most people in the world, the pandemic derailed the plans I thought I had for my life at the time. After getting a degree in psychology, I completely changed career paths and went into the culinary field, a field which would be abruptly halted when the world shut down for quarantine. Shortly after this, my father passed away unexpectedly, and the decline in my mental health made it even more difficult to find my way back to the life I had previously worked towards. Through my background in psychology, I was able to recognize my mental health struggles and actively look for ways to find my way back to myself. I turned to crafts and art practices to learn emotional regulation and expression and grew to love creating and the confidence it develops within the artist. When I learned that art therapy is an actual career path that incorporated my past goals with the practice that helped me heal, I knew I had to return to school and become certified so that I can help others in the way I didn’t know I needed in my hardest times. My time at LaGuardia has been immensely rewarding in pursuing this goal, as I’ve learned so much about myself as well as the importance of community in the pursuit of education.

This artwork initially caught my eye because of the bold lines and bright colors used throughout the work. The painting shows a city, with each building outlined in heavy black lines and filled with bright colors, being visited by two U.F.O.s that hover in the sky above. The way the artist painted the river or street in the foreground of the painting almost looks like a collaged element when compared to the background, which looks more drawn or painted. This technique provides a sense of depth and space for the viewer, despite the painting being two-dimensional. Upon further research I learned that the artist had a fascination with U.F.O.s after seeing one as a child and created many works with this as the main theme. I’ve always had a fascination with outer space, so that relation may be another reason why this work stood out to me among the collection. Overall, this is a very dynamic and visually interesting painting, despite how simple it may appear at first glance.

by Suleyma Aguilar Martinez (she/her)

I was born and raised in Queens, New York, and growing up, I was surrounded by endless cultures and backgrounds. Queens is known as the “World’s Borough”, and no description fits better. Since I was a kid, I was exposed to so much creativity: graffiti, the stickers on mailboxes, the differently designed storefronts, the “for rent” advertisement taped on lampposts with a tear-and-rip phone number on them. As a child, my playground was a museum, and when my mom took me, it always felt like a treat. My most beloved memory was going up the stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time. I didn’t know it then, but I know now that moment changed everything. I remember thinking I could be here all day, and luckily that feeling never left me. It wasn’t just the Met; I had that feeling at every art museum.

I went to college in hopes of getting a degree in political science, but the only class I truly enjoyed at the time was my art history class. I held on to the fulfillment that I felt in that class until I ended up back in school. This time around, I decided that I wanted to do what I actually felt was right. Truthfully, I’m not sure what a political scientist does, but I know what makes me the happiest: art. I have always been inspired by artists like Frida Kahlo, who didn’t choose the safe side of things. Instead, she chose expression and vulnerability. I love going to museums and learning about how artists see the world, their reactions, emotions, and testimony. I love the connections people make with themselves when they look at art. I love going to museums and seeing other girls just like me holding their mother’s hand and staring until they find their own meaning. That is why I love museum work: the feeling of safety and self-expression that I found in museums comes from the workers who pour their time and energy into creating those spaces. That is who I crave to be.

A piece from the Museum’s collection I chose to look at further is Luna Park by Vestie E. Davis (1903–1978). As soon as I saw the piece, I recognized the Luna Park sign and was immediately transported back to my childhood. I was drawn to the bright, whimsical colors of the painting. In this piece, we see people lining up to enter Luna Park–it seems the purchase of a great day is about to begin. We have ticket booths welcoming visitors, and on the left-hand side we can already see that water and sodas are being sold. Based on the background of the painting, we can tell the day is just starting as the sun is just reaching the top of the sky. A whole marching band stands right next to the ticket booths, getting the party going, and there are lots of families and even dogs right outside waiting to enter. Looking at this painting gives me a lot of nostalgia, especially the ticket booth, as nowadays everything is online. Though it’s time-saving, I can’t help but miss the feeling of an actual ticket in my hands. Luna Park has always been advertised as a place for everyone to get together and have a good time, and I believe one of the bigger themes I see in this painting is exactly that. This painting depicts life’s simple joys by showing people gathering to enjoy time together, bringing their pets and children, possibly going with their neighbors or long-time friends to create memories. 

Hi! My name is Nik Martinez (he/him) and I’m a second year Fine Arts student at LaGuardia Community College. I come from an immigrant Dominican family in the Bronx and have lived in New York City my entire life. I’m really interested in anime, fashion, live music and all the things that make New York a one of a kind place to live and grow. I’ve been drawing my whole life and don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. The only future I can imagine for myself is one surrounded by art, where I’m not only making it but I’m discussing it with likeminded artists every single day. In the future I see myself doing freelance work and hopefully landing a position working in a museum.

Subway Riders by Ralph Fasanella captures the diversity of the people who take the train every day. Each of them are sitting next to each other, not knowing anything about one another, having their own lives to worry about. When they get off the train they’ll go back to whatever they were doing before, but while they’re on the train, for that moment everyone is just doing the same thing: trusting the train to bring them to where they need to go. The painting’s style is simple and straightforward–it doesn’t need to be anything else to get its message and feeling across and that’s why I like it so much. The painting was made in 1950, and I think showing such diversity and a real reflection of what the world looked like during a time of so much injustice and hatred is really powerful.

Hi! I’m Jade (he/she) and I’m a second year Fine Arts student at LaGuardia Community College. Growing up, I thought I would go into science. I loved everything about science and tried to get into anything that was science-aligned. Although I was a science nerd, I loved going to museums. One day on a class field trip, we went to an art museum and it changed my whole perspective. I drew as a kid, but that trip made me want to draw for the rest of my life. In high school, I met one teacher who changed my point of view on everything I wanted to do. She became a positive role model and inspired me to become an art teacher. Now I’m at LaGuardia on the fast track to being an art teacher, since I also want to become a positive figure in student’s lives.

I first chose this painting because I found the style of the cats to be very unique but also very silly. I had to do a double-take because they don’t actually look like normal cats. The more I looked at this piece, the more I noticed the small details. The strokes of yellow and green that surround the red-dotted area complement each other. I interpreted the area where the mother cat and the kittens are enclosed within the green and white border as a metaphor for her taking care of and protecting her kittens. Hirschfield’s quirky style works in this painting’s favor because it really caught my eye in the sea of other pieces from the Museum’s collection.

Hi, my name is Aaron Vasquez (he/him). I am 20 years old and I was born and raised in Queens, New York. I am currently a Fine Arts major at LaGuardia Community College, and I plan on transferring to a 4 year college. My top pick is currently the Fashion Institute of Technology, and I would love to have the opportunity to study abroad in Brighton, England.

I like to draw and paint as well as sew my own clothes. I particularly like painting and drawing realistic portraits–the realistic elements and all of the small details stood out to me very early on within my art journey, and I can pinpoint my interest in realism as early as 13 years of age. When it comes to sewing, I’ve always had an interest in creating my own clothes and turning drawings into reality. I finally bought my first sewing machine when I turned 19.

I found out about the American Folk Art Museum internship program through past alumni and was interested immediately. It was always my goal while in college to be a part of an art based internship and I found this to be the perfect opportunity. My overall goal with this internship is to obtain a level of professionalism and to further envelop myself in a more varied spectrum of art to hopefully inspire and push my style. I am looking forward to becoming more involved within the art world and understanding how the inner workings of the world of art function.

This piece by Eugene Von Bruenchenhein stood out to me due to its variety of colors. At first, it reminded me of tie-dye. The vibrant reds and oranges contrast with the muddied greens–juxtaposed, they work really well together. The piece has an almost watercolor look even though it is made of oil paint. The artwork also has so many varying textures–the sharp lines mixed with the softer, circular brush strokes makes the work very interesting to look at.

My name is Maryhelen (she/her), and I’m a Business Administration major at LaGuardia Community College. I have always loved art, more to analyze it than to do it myself. My goal in being here is to expand my understanding of art, and use that understanding to market the creativity and passion of artists who are under-recognized.  

This drawing by James Castle illustrates an eerie grey homestead, surrounded by tall dark trees that swallow the house into darkness from the sky. The contrast between the trees and house, with the cool ashy grays of the ground and sky sandwiching the illumination, portrays the house as a cautious yet inviting entity. The scenery creates a sort of stillness, as if looking into the mind of Castle, reliving this memory in the moment. From standing at the wooden fence, the barrier between the wooden house and endless trees and forests of Idaho, hearing the everlasting silence only to be disturbed by the crunching sounds of branches, or the melodic sounds of the chiming wind hitting the leaves. Within the silence, the whiff of the prevalent smell of ash, soot, smoke travels to the tongue, swallowing the scenery as if the scent is engulfing, or the house itself is. The memory leaves the viewer still with the eerie, yet comforting feeling you wish you could relive, rejoin, and return to. 

My name is Maddi (she/her) and I am a student in the Associate of Photography program at LaGuardia Community College. I have an interest in historical photographic techniques and photography that speaks on the issues closest to me, namely queer and feminist ones. Originally from Kentucky, I moved to New York City just shy of 5 years ago, looking for a place to grow and expand my own artistic practice, that of studio photography. That desire to grow eventually brought me to LaGuardia Community College, and from there, to the American Folk Art Museum via the internship program.

This particular image from the Museum’s collection strikes a chord with me in many ways. First, it calls to mind an “all-American” aesthetic which represents a way of being in America which is either quickly vanishing, or, more likely, never existed in the first place. Secondly, there is a sort of voyeuristic male-gaze to the presentation of the doll. The pose of the doll demonstrates the innocence and naivety that comes with youth, but is paired with an erotic undertone. Finally, there is this advertisement-like quality to the composition. All of these qualities come together to form a fascinating visual tension, not unlike a David Lynch movie, that keeps the viewer fixated.

A photographer and graphic designer, Morton Bartlett spent most of his spare time crafting and photographing lifelike carved plaster dolls, which he shared with close personal friends and acquaintances. In the photograph above, Bartlett crafted a plaster doll of a girl with caucasian skin, blond hair, and brown eyes in his standard  ½ scale, wearing brightly colored dress and straw cowgirl hat, doing a curtsey. During his life, Bartlett took some 200 black and white photographs and 17 color slides of his dolls, 15 of which survived after his death. Speaking on his craft in the 25th Anniversary Report of Harvard’s 1932 graduating class, he said, “My hobby is sculpting in plaster. Its purpose is that of all proper hobbies – to let out urges that do not find expression in other channels.”

Hello there! I am Josiah Walker (he/him) and I attend LaGuardia Community College. I am a Fine Arts – Graphic Design major working toward my goal to work as a graphic designer. I have a strong passion for digital art and the traditional medium of paper and pencil. I grew up drawing, and my illustration background is what inspired me to follow a career in art. Growing up in New York, I observed that the city is always moving, no matter where you are. The simple act of drawing cartoons and thinking of characters to escape hectic city life feels amazing. As I explore new mediums to paint, draw, or draft something new, I feel that childlike joy of drawing all over again. I enjoy creating because once I have a spark of inspiration, I can’t let go of that urge until it’s complete.

My goals as an undergraduate are evolving, because I am still learning about opportunities I can participate in with my level of experience. For some, this might be a hindrance, but to me it just means there are more skills to acquire in order to clearly define my goals. I am happy to be able to make progress with my education while also being able to pursue life as a professional creative.

I chose this image because of its bold colors and cubist style. The painting reminded me of Pablo Picasso. This was my initial reason for selecting this piece, but what really interested me is the background of the artist. He led a relatively humble life and became a painter during his time as an immigrant in the United States. He also became very socially conscious. Monza criticized wars and the pollution of a world that, at the end of the day, affected the working class and not so much the bourgeois ruling class. He continues his criticism of war by dressing the soldiers as clowns, trampled by the same horses that they ride into battle. I believe he is symbolizing the aristocratic upper class leading these soldiers, knowingly leading them to their deaths.

My name is Tamara Diaz (she/her), and I am originally from Argentina. I first studied Business Administration in my country, but I have always felt a strong connection to the arts. When I moved to NYC as an international student, I found the chance to study Fine Arts at LaGuardia Community College, and without hesitation, I jumped into this beautiful artistic journey. I love spending time with family and friends, reading about history, and making art such as drawing, design, and collages.

As an intern at AFAM, I see art as a powerful tool that helps us learn from the past and shape the future. The arts have always played a role in shaping rights and achievements in different parts of our lives.  That is why I am especially interested in how a museum builds meaningful connections with the community and how those connections can help us grow together as society.

I identify with the AFAM collection through  “In the World” by Consuelo González Amézcua because it evokes feelings of happiness, joy, and empowerment. If I were to  create a story about this artwork, I would say:

Here she is.
Her walk shows resilience.
With every step, there is hesitation,
Because she doesn’t know what might happen to her.
 
She longs for freedom
She fights for freedom.
She fights for equality.
 
Her dress enhances her beautiful body,
Red, blue, black, and green,
Like wings at her feet,
Wings she will one day use to go wherever she wishes,
The day she feels free.
 
Behind her,
Intricate embroidered shapes appear,
Brow, purple, lilac,
Representing the obstacles and triumphs she has survived.
 
At her sides,
Lie the victories and the fall,
Those ones that have shaped the person she is now
 
And finally,
The precious white dove,
Symbol of freedom,
The freedom we all long to meet.

Hi! My name is Isabella Wood (she/they); I’m a sophomore at LaGuardia Community College majoring in Fine Arts. I’m a Texas native but reside in the heart of Queens. New York City is the place I always knew I’d end up in. Since I was a little girl, I had the classic dream to move to NYC and become an artist–and while it has not been a linear path at its core, I am still striving for that. My mother is an artist, so it’s been intrinsic to my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up my passion stemmed from material; the idea you could make anything with virtually anything allowed me to hold a wonder and aspiration towards being a creative. As I got older, I began to examine art through a wider scope–it was so organic in my life, what if it was organic to life itself? Things like the Fibonacci sequence and the Latin term “horror vacui” (meaning fear of empty space) drew me to humans and nature, interpersonal or worldly connections, unspoken but recurring across time and the globe. 

My career goals now are to be a gallery curator, to work in community outreach making art more accessible, and to rethink ideals of what it means to be an “artist”. I plan to go on to a four-year university, get my master’s and possibly doctorate. The ethos of the American Folk Art Museum is what initially drew me in, what it means to be a self-taught artist, and the perspective you gain when pieces and people are recognized and put into context. I’m hoping for better clarity and guidance through the program of what it looks like to be in the art field, as well the inner workings of a museum. I’m excited to learn about people and their creations.  

One of the three-dimensional works from the American Folk Art Museum’s collection that stood out to me was Golf Ball on Rubber Ball by Matteo Radoslovich. Radoslovich was from Croatia but immigrated to New Jersey in his early adult life, only creating after his retirement at the age of 65. What drew me to this piece was its simplicity that allows your mind to wander, a dirty golf ball teed on a worn badminton birdie atop a pale blue rubber ball, cracked akin to an old porcelain doll with a ring of seemingly strategically rusted scrap metal. It’s composed of metal and wood, almost unnoticeable. At first, I saw the stack of objects, but the longer you look the more ways you see: an old carousel, a feminine person, a joystick. The golf ball serves as head, light, or handle. The birdie a tent top, a blouse or silhouette, stabilizer. The scrap metal horses needing a paint job, containment, a seat, or a base.