This summer has gone by so fast! With the gallery torn down and the brand new installations, I have found myself with only a few weeks left in my internship! The new history gallery opens September 18th!
My boss designed this geodesic dome structure, and I could not be more excited about it. I helped stabilize the structure and was responsible for painting the entire inside. 30 hours later I found myself in the middle of a completely painted dome!
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From last summer's half room design prototype, a year later here we are at the FINAL REMODEL! I can't believe it has been a year since I helped renovate half of the museum's history gallery. Today we found ourselves involved in a lot of demolition! It took two fork lift-type contraptions and lots of communication and coordination to take down this archway. Sitting upon three pillars, which were in fact archives that belonged to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The archway itself was not in fact an artifact, and so we took it down.
Just a few days later and the whole gallery was ripped down to reveal a much larger room than we had known! With the upcoming opening the "Dear Jerry" show approaching, we find ourselves with a lot to do before then! The show focuses on Jerry Garcia, front man for The Grateful Dead, and his influence, his art, and the memorial held at the time of his death. I found myself tackling several challenges in the installation of this show... A House Made of Wood and Paper With a house frame built in the gallery, my job was to figure out the best way to attach 100'' long paper to the top of the frame. The job included a 12 ft. ladder, and I have quite a fear of heights, and being on ladders. The papers had to line up next to each other with equal spacing and had to hang straight. Easier said than done. Then there was the matter of getting the paper to stick on top of the wood house frame. I tried glue, double sided table, and clamps, but alas the paper would not fully stick. After some debate, we decided a staple gun was the best option and the work moved quickly from there with the work of the other exhibitions interns. Challenge #2: 12 x 12" piece of AstroTurf, and a a corner with many corners. The challenge: Make the AstroTurf fit in the corner, and cut protective plastic to adhere to the floor and fit underneath the AstroTurf. No problem! Many measurements, a blister from cutting through fake grass with leather working scissors, and several hours later.... With the exhibition manger's brilliant design, skeleton arms holding red roses were planted in the AstroTurf and wires attached underneath so visitors can sit amongst the graveyard and listen to recordings of people speaking about Jerry Garcia. Above the grass are framed artworks by Jerry Garcia himself.
Mission accomplished! This summer the History Gallery at the museum is getting quite the extensive update! Since last January this project has been going on, and I could not be more grateful that I have been able to be a part of it!
Before everything changes again this summer I wanted to make sure I got in some shots of the work I contributed to in the gallery! During my time at my exhibition internship at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History I have been able to see how an exhibition is re-designed from the beginning to the end, and then revised again. Part of my work has focused on creating an interactive component to engage visitors and teach them about agriculture and immigration in Santa Cruz County. Working with the exhibitions manager of the museum, we were able to create an awesome puzzle for the newly renovated part of the gallery. Here is the process of the puzzle! From paper to laser-cut MDF: Foam core version! 3rd Friday event at the museum where I tested out my prototype. Revisions....and...... TA DA!!!!
The summer update begins! Half of the gallery is closed as we revamp. All existing artifacts are taken out (except the lovely Cocktails neon sign) and the walls are given a new coat of blue paint. The room has life!
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A blog following the work I have done throughout my internship at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Archives
September 2015
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