Cidney interned as an Artist's Assistant for Tree of Life Foundation during Winter 2023 Semester.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
I assisted Angela in preparing her sculptures to be sent to the forge. This involved working with plasticine clay, painting figures with the clay, learning to rake and texture the clay to mimic the signature look of the artist.
What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
I learned to create work that is not my own; to let go of my ownership over the process and to work underneath Angela in her creation of her sculptures.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
Because of my internship I gained valuable experience about working with large figural sculptures. I learned about the process of turning smaller mock-up sculptures into large 3d milled foam statues, and how to use those bases to create the sculpture that would be cast in bronze as the final piece. I never considered working in Bronze because I felt like a large statue would take far too long, but learning that there are processes that can help ease along the work has made me more interested in trying large pieces myself.
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
I learned a lot about art by working under Angela, and instead of putting my own hand into the statue, learning to mimic hers. It helped me to realize that I can control what kind of style my work has, and it has given me useful insights into my own work.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Yes. I would recommend this internship to other students. Unfortunately, this current project will be ending at the end of summer so I doubt other students will be able to do it.