2025 Getty Marrow Intern — Jana Mae Rubio

Jana Mae recently finished their Bachelor of Arts in Narrative Studies at the University of Southern California. A native Angeleno, Jana Mae grew up visiting many beloved institutions such as LACMA, the Getty Museum, and the Huntington Library. It was here that Jana Mae’s interest in museums began.

During their time at USC, Jana Mae always gravitated towards areas that prioritized hands-on experiences. From sewing traditional clothing for Troy Philippines, 3D printing her graduation sash at 3D4E, to becoming a writer within USC’s video games program, Jana Mae has always been a restlessly curious individual. Most significantly, Jana Mae’s love for handicraft started with researching her family history. Her mom comes from an island renowned for textiles in the Philippines, and as such, Jana Mae joined the Southern California Handweavers’ Guild to learn more about weaving traditions. Jana Mae’s senior thesis paper discusses piña, a traditional Filipino fiber, as a form of nationalism in the Philippines.

Upon researching handwoven textiles, Jana Mae learned about the laborious process of weaving, and the intimate nature of passing this knowledge on to others. At Craft in America, Jana Mae hopes to meet other people interested in workmanship and community-building. Especially after seeing how difficult primary sources were to find for piña weaving, Jana Mae hopes to utilize digital media during their internship to make handicraft knowledge accessible for all inquisitive minds.