by Teisha Holloway,
BFA candidate, Art, Clemson University
18 August, 2016
To answer that I will first explain
what The Bascom is and where it is located. The Bascom is a non profit Art Center located in
Highlands, North Carolina about an hour drive from the Clemson University campus. They hold
regular exhibitions, artist talks, art educational classes, and workshops. The
mission of The Bascom is to provide access and education to the arts to the
surrounding community. Their stated mission is:
“Believing that creative expression transforms our lives, The Bascom is
committed to providing life enriching experiences through diverse exhibitions;
comprehensive arts education and public programs; support for regional artists;
and strategic partnerships facilitating cultural and economic development in
the Highlands-Cashiers community.”
Highlands, North Carolina is located just off
the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Nantahala National Forest. The Bascom is
surrounded by scenic mountain views, waterfalls, and wildlife. Some of these
are located within only a mile of the facility!
Being an
exhibition intern at The Bascom is a high performance job as you are
responsible for loan agreements, budgets, condition reports regarding artwork arriving and
departing The Bascom, preparing didactic materials such as wall text and identification labels, layout and design of exhibitions, and installing and de-installing
exhibitions. To do all of this I worked directly under the supervision of the
Exhibition Coordinator, Hayden Phelps. Hayden describes the exhibition intern
position by saying,
“The Exhibition Internship provides opportunities for students of Art
History, Fine Arts, Museum Studies, Curatorial Studies and related fields to
gain meaningful professional experience in curatorial and museum work. This
program helps improve the longer-term career prospects of students in these
fields, while helping to develop the skills of future curators and museum
workers in the region, encouraging production of writing and scholarship, and
enhancing the experience of visitors to The Bascom’s exhibitions. Exhibitions
at The Bascom cover a wide diversity of both regional and international
artists.”
We had six
exhibitions come into The Bascom this summer while I was interning, one of
which was a show about the Cherokee and included many precious artifacts and
work that has never left the reservation before. This was particularly
challenging and exciting as I got to travel to Asheville and meet many artists
and hold artifacts that were around 2,000+ years old! I was responsible to
inspect and document on the condition of artifacts and art that came into The
Bascom as well as its outgoing condition. I worked closely with the Exhibition
Coordinator, Hayden, to design layouts for these exhibitions.
So what are the most important things I have learned during my
internship at The Bascom?
First, professionalism as an
artist: Dealing with artists on a regular basis I have learned that it is easy
to become frustrated with a lack of professionalism. Having a well designed
website that is easy to navigate is one thing that can make you stand out from
the crowd, having dimensions of your work is also a huge plus. Proper
phone/email etiquette and communication is important to establishing a
relationship with the gallery/museum/curator who wishes to show your work.
Second, how
much good exhibition design can do for your work, and how easily good design
can be achieved on a budget. Something as simple as painting and arranging the
pedestals before placing your work on them can drastically improve the
appearance of your work.
Lighting can also make a dramatic difference. I learned
there are different ways to light all kinds of work; spotlight, broadlight,
backlight, light from within. It is also important to consider environment,
environment that surrounds the work and creating a suitable design for the
piece.
You might think that you wouldn’t
need math as an MFA/BFA major. You would be wrong. There is a whole math
equation just for hanging wall art so they are all level and at the right
height for the viewer. I got to layout and install my own exhibition while I
was at The Bascom as well as assist in the layout and installation with my
supervisor, Hayden. One of the fun parts of the job was traveling to collect
all of the artwork for these exhibitions and to speak with artists, collectors,
and museum staff. I was exposed to nearby museums that I didn’t even know
existed.
What was the best
part of my internship at The Bascom?
The people. I was surrounded by a
community of people who cared, not only about art, but about the success of The
Bascom. They believed in making a difference for the artists, children, and
general surrounding population. They are all passionate, friendly, and
committed to the mission of The Bascom and are all hardworking individuals.
Being immersed in this type of atmosphere helped to give me the drive to
maintain the same type of work ethic. The people who work here are truly unique
and make The Bascom a special place, without the dedication of the staff it
would not be so successful. Each and every one had a hand in enriching my
experience there and I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity
because I have gained so much knowledge, experience, and memories that will
last a lifetime.
The most important thing I gained
while working at The Bascom was self confidence. When I went to interview for
the position I thought I was not qualified enough for the position, or that
perhaps there were better candidates, or maybe my art history knowledge
wouldn’t be up to the same standards as everyone else. I almost didn’t apply
for the position for these reasons. I went back and forth in my head wondering
if it was a good idea. Finally I realized that the worst thing that could
happen is I would be told no, so I decided to go for it. On my first day I
remember feeling like at any minute my supervisor would think I was completely
inadequate for the position and would get rid of me.
After the first week or so
I started to realize that not only was he not going to get rid of me but he was
constantly telling me what a good job I was doing, and how happy he was to have
me there helping. It wasn’t long before I was given independent
responsibilities like installing a show on my own. I felt that my supervisor
would come back and tell me I did everything wrong and when instead he
reassured me I was doing a good job I started to realize that I was growing as
a professional and as a person. I feel confident now that when I go to apply
for a job in the art world I will know what to expect and what I am capable of.
I highly recommend this experience to everyone.
The Bascom
has many internship experiences as well as artist residencies and art classes.
They have state of the art exhibition facilities, a wonderful place to eat
lunch, and a gorgeous campus. I recommend a visit, but more so, participation
in one of their fabulous programs or opportunities. I am sure that any
individual will enjoy the experience as I have. I would be happy to speak with
any and everyone who is interested in applying for any type of position or
class at this art center, or even if you just would like a to go for a tour.
For more information about The Bascom's internship program, click here.
323 Franklin Road
Highlands, NC 28741
