Getty Marrow Intern – Sharde’ Alexander

Today marks the halfway point of my internship (5 weeks), and I can say that I have been learning the ropes with ease. The Craft in America team has been tackling quite a few projects currently, and I have had the opportunity to sit in on conversations and learn about what everyone has been working on. 

As of now, I am being introduced to the processes of creating a well-functioning server and am receiving training that will allow me to contribute to making the server easier to navigate for those who access it.

My favorite project I have been tackling currently are the artist profiles for the Craft in America website. I have the opportunity to do research each week on a few artists (about 2-5 per week), and with the information I find, I create thorough descriptions of the artists and post them on our website along with a few images that display their work. This opportunity has been an eye opener and has largely influenced how I have been approaching my own art practice. Though I mainly do video work and paint, I have been increasingly motivated to try my hand at tapestry weaving and basket making when researching other artists, and have slowly been incorporating these practices into my daily life.

Lastly, some small and somewhat exciting adventures I have had are the location scouting tasks I have been doing for my mentor. Currently I have “visited” small cities in Oklahoma, Kentucky, and recently Alaska. Calling coffee shops has weirdly been the most interesting thing, but somewhat heartwarming because of the friendliness of the people working there.

Overall, the past 5 weeks have been filled with knowledge, fun, and a bit of adventure. I am getting to know every individual in the Craft in America organization and it has been a great experience to be a part of this team and to then come together to create a great resource for the world to access and learn from.

– Shardé N. Alexander