Summer Interns Shine Bright At The Morgan
Our summer interns flourished in our studios this summer. We had a total of seven interns, Alex, Naomi, Sarah, Michelle, Kate, Libby, and Paige, working in the area of either studio, community arts, or garden. The Morgan Conservatory Internship Program has been an integral part of the organization since its creation in 2008. The Morgan provides several areas of study for interns, including studio, garden, marketing, development, workshops, and gallery. Interns are fully immersed in programming at the Morgan and are given direct instruction and supervision by dedicated staff members. This program provides rich educational and practical value through project-based work. We are committed to ensuring
that our interns leave the Morgan with the skills and knowledge of their area of interest and a fuller understanding of papermaking and community arts.
Our internships vary in length, but this summer, we welcomed our interns at the beginning of June, and they worked through the end of July. Our interns working in the garden with Papermaking Emeritus Tom Balbo were educated in the areas of sustainability and the history of the kozo plant. The interns working under Studio Coordinator Michaelle Marschall were educated in eastern and western styles of papermaking, marbling, printmaking, and archiving.
We asked our interns to share a little about themselves, and we would like to share a few of their responses with you. Starting with garden intern Libby “I will be attending Ohio University in the fall studying studio art through the Honors Tutorial College. I applied to the garden internship to dip my toes into the art world before I pursue a degree in art. The Morgan has given me useful connections and has provided me with opportunities in Athens before I’ve even got there. I am so appreciative of all the skills I’ve learned here, and I will certainly take them with me in my career in the arts. “ We also heard from Kate, “I have been a garden intern this summer. The only kozo I’ve ever harvested and worked with has been wild, so my time in the garden has shown me the benefit of working with cultivated kozo, and I’m hoping to come back this fall to help with the harvest here. My internship has also helped me gain confidence in my teaching skills. I am a graduate student at the University of Alabama, where I’m getting an MFA in book arts and a Masters of Library and Information Studies. I am interested in continued involvement in the hand papermaking
world when I’m done with school and have been particularly interested in spending time at the Morgan, so this internship has been a wonderful opportunity for me. “ We wish these ladies the best of luck in their endeavors moving forward in the arts!