Tag: intern

A “konnichiwa” to you!

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It seems like I’ve lost the race to reach this blog, but nevertheless I am delighted to introduce myself to you!

My name is Yuiko Sugino, a recent graduate from UC San Diego, and I am this year’s Production intern here at the Japanese American National Museum. You are probably aware by now from the previous posts that there are three interns total at this museum, and I am very excited to meet staff members and get to know one another through the next few weeks.  It is unbelievable that two weeks have already gone by, yet every day seems to be different.  To be honest, I was not exactly sure what to expect when I applied for this position as a production artist.  And when I arrived and spent my first few days at the museum, I’ve noticed one thing: the reaction I received when I explained who my supervisor was.

“I’ll be working under Clement as a production intern.”

Responses: “Uh-oh.” “Seems like you’ve pulled the short straw.” “Good luck!” and the big-eyed, raised-brow facial expression with the stretched “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

So it is fair to say that I have been warned.  But I must say I am very excited and fortunate to have such active and humorous supervisors (the other being Mae, an equally kind yet quirky person with whom I love to converse) (I hope they are not offended by the adjectives I’ve chosen…).  I must thank them in advance for everything they’ve offered me 🙂 Let me say that a Production internship entails so many interesting things!  From using vinyl cutters to create the visual texts that are to be put up on the walls of an exhibition, to designing and applying small display panels by utilizing a laminating device (which I might add was quite frustrating at first, because the tape kept on creasing and causing bubbles to appear – so I had to redo a handful of them), so much has been drilled into my brain and hands.  I have attended several meetings and a screening, and I’ve realized that there is so much to learn in terms of exhibition development, the history of this country as well as the nicks and knacks of networking.  Not to mention the amount of food that exists in this building!  I’ve been told that this place is not the place to be if you are on a diet… seems like my luck has run out.  Through incredibly generous offers, losing weight is not going to happen for me within the next two months.

I am extremely anxious to learn and acquire the new skills and knowledge within the next couple of months, and I look forward to sharing that experience along with my fellow interns with you! And now, it seems like my 15-minute break has come to an end, so I will bid you a good day!  Happy Wednesday, everyone!

A Summer for the Books

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For many years my summers have consisted of friends, sunshine, and sleeping in, which some would like to call, lazing around and being the opposite of productive. However, this summer, I have been back in my home-state of California for about three weeks now and have spent two of those weeks at work, behind-the-scenes of the Japanese American National Museum as this summer’s curatorial intern, one of the three Getty interns this summer.

I am Alexa Kim, a soon-to-be second year at Kalamazoo College, in the little known city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Last year, I, a lifelong California girl, decided that I would be spending the next four years of my life, across the country, in the wild wild Midwest, a place where the winters are cold and the authentic Mexican food is scarce, a place I’ve learned to call home. I’m set on the path of becoming a full-blown art nerd, a.k.a. an art history major, since I discovered years ago that I would not make my living as an artist since the “art” I created, or attempted to create, resulted in works faintly resembling Picasso, when I had been aiming for more of a Caravaggio-esque look. If you don’t know who on earth I’m referring to, like I said, art nerd in training.

Bright and early every morning I hop on the train to commute to Little Tokyo, where I am greeted with the hustle and bustle of everyone grabbing their pre-work coffee fix at Starbucks, me included, and then proceed to head to my desk at the National Museum. I have been met with various projects here, but the majority of my time here will be spent in the Collections department. A room where one must always remember to bring a sweater because even though it may be a sweltering 90° outside, it is always a brisk 67° in Collections. Down there, safety first means putting artifact preservation above one’s preferential temperature level. Despite the chill, Collections is a candy store for little art historian children. As I have been becoming more and more acquainted with Japanese American history, every artifact I come across has an amazing story behind it just waiting and wanting to be told. Stories that will eventually be told, as we continue to work on the hefty task of creating a new exhibit, which will shed a new light onto the WWII story. What I will be doing at the museum this summer, is simply a small piece to an eventually big puzzle.

This marks the end of my second week working at the museum and I cannot wait to see all the cavities I will have by the end of my ten week trip to the candy store and the great tan I’ll have from spending all my time under artificial lighting. But seriously speaking, the lack of a tan I will have by the end of these ten weeks will so be worth it.

A Word From One of This Summer’s Getty Interns

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And with each summer brings a new opportunity…

June gloom is finally beginning to burn off, and all my school friends are enjoying the break tanning on the beautiful Santa Barbara beach by day and partying by night.  I, instead, sit typing at my internship desk, with loaned keyboard, computer, and office space.  My days are filled with waking up earlier than I have in years, falling asleep, against my will, exhausted, the moment I get home, battling the 110 north, and having the time of my life at the National Museum.

My name is Alyctra Matsushita.  I’m going to be a senior at University of California, Santa Barbara (go Gauchos!), studying English and Asian American Studies.  I’m also the Japanese American National Museum’s Media Arts Intern, one of three undergraduate students commissioned for ten weeks to intern at the Museum by courtesy of the Getty Museum.

I’ve been here less than two weeks, but I’ve already learned so much.  I’ve met the huge multitude of volunteers–some of them several times over.  It feels like every time I walk into a room, I’m introduced to a new crop.  Even though there are gaggles of them, they’re each personable and kind—in the mornings they offer the interns coffee cake and other treats, they have potlucks and snacks, and every one has dozens of stories, from war memories and tales that they share willingly with my fellow interns, to gardening secrets and other gossip secretly whispered to more trusted fellow docents.

In the last two weeks, I’ve also learned more than I ever even knew existed about the multimedia world.  I’ve gotten to cut and edit tape to be used for the Discover Nikkei website—as a self-proclaimed Asian American Studies nerd, this was especially exciting because I’ve explored the site multiple times for both academic research, as well as recreation.  To see the behind the scenes work involved after exploring the site myself was especially satisfying.  I also did my first solo shoot—a book party with testimonials from the Japanese Americans from Lompoc!

All in all, the first two weeks have gone by quickly.  Getting the hang of things the first couple of days was a bit wracking, but now that I know what’s what, things are smooth sailing.  I’m very excited for the next eight weeks, and can only imagine the fun they will bring!