Category: Praxis Fieldwork Seminars

Mary-Grace Culbertson, BMC ‘25

Archives, Catalogs, and Collections at the Fabric Workshop and Museum

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: Fabric Workshop and Museum

Field Supervisor: Justin Hall

Praxis Poster: 

Mary-Grace Culbertson_Poster_Final S24

 

Further Context:

This semester I did an internship at the Fabric Workshop and Museum. Since this was my second semester at the FWM, I was already fairly acquainted with the collection and the tasks I’d be expected to do. Most of what I worked on this semester was related to organizing and streamlining information so that it could be easily accessed.

My first task was to compile a document that made readily available information regarding objects owned by the museum. To do this, I had to gather all information related to the object, like material, dimensions, and photo. I also had to delve into some files to determine what kind of contract the museum had with the artists and what it outlines in regard to object ownership. This was an interesting glimpse into the logistics of museums and collection building. The evolution of the contracts from the beginning of the museum to the present day was fascinating as the older contracts give most rights to the museum while the newer ones are more specific and individualized. This task took me quite some time and amounted to something close to 50 pages. I was relieved to be done with this task and rewarded by the completion of the file!

My next tasks were all in a similar vein of collections inventory. I did some work in locating objects and recording that in Excel sheets. I then updated this information on their collection database CollectionSpace. My final project of the semester involved doing some more work on CollectionSpace making exhibition records. This process included making a file for each exhibition that has happened at the FWM and attaching necessary files to it (this included the gallery checklist, wall text, and press release). I was able to make records for every year through 2012.

Overall, I really enjoyed my internship at the Fabric Workshop and Museum. I learned so much about museum processes and developed important organizational skills that will benefit the museum in future years. I feel so lucky for this experience and want to express my deepest gratitude for the FWM and for Bryn Mawr’s praxis program for allowing me to take part in this opportunity.

Lucy Frank, BMC ’25

Curatorial Methods Internship at Public Trust

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: Public Trust

Field Supervisor: Aaron Levy

Praxis Poster: 

Lucy Frank_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

My internship at Public Trust, an arts organization situated on the University of Pennsylvania, has been a journey of exploration, learning, and meaningful contributions. There I worked closely with Aaron Levy, its director and a professor at UPenn on a variety of projects. During my time there, I learned the ins and outs of a non profit arts organization and community engagement center, and the vital role these play in shaping our collective future. Public Trust’s ethos revolves around pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions. With a focus on creative approaches to health, education, and ecology, the organization underscores the belief that public
trust can only be rejuvenated through a commitment to these foundational concerns. Through innovative exhibitions and dynamic public programming, Public Trust creates spaces for dialogue and reflection regarding political and social issues.

My time at Public Trust not only broadened my skillset but also enriched my
understanding of the intersection between art and societal issues. I worked on a plethora of projects such as conducting research for a permanent exhibition engaging the archives, editing curatorial language for the exhibition, developing several procedures and protocols (e.g.
memorandums of understandings) to support upcoming programs and partnerships, and contributing to grant application brainstorming. Most importantly, I familiarized myself with their twenty-year archives and conducted relevant research about contemporary artists working on issues concerning public trust. Crafting memorandums of understanding and brainstorming grant applications highlighted the importance of strategic planning and collaboration in driving impactful initiatives forward. However, it was my engagement with Public Trust’s extensive archives and research on contemporary artists that truly resonated with me as an artist myself. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take Bryn Mawr’s Praxis Program. My internship experience has equipped me with invaluable skills and insights, reaffirming my belief in the transformative power of art, and preparing me to enter the art world post-grad.

Lily Wallis, BMC ’25

Monument Lab

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: Monument Lab

Field Supervisor: Maya Bjornson

Praxis Poster: 

Lily Wallis_Poster_Final S24

 

Further Context:

As I reflect on my recent internship with Monument Lab, a nonprofit public art and history studio based in Philadelphia, I am struck by the profound impact it has had on my personal and professional development. Over the past semester, I had the privilege of immersing myself in the dynamic world of arts administration while actively contributing to Monument Lab’s mission of fostering critical conversations around monuments, memory, and social change. From the outset, I was captivated by Monument Lab’s innovative approach to public engagement and collective memory. I quickly realized that my role in directory research, data cleaning, and management
was not merely about compiling information but was integral to the larger goal of facilitating inclusive and participatory dialogue within communities. Conducting research for directory information allowed me to delve into the rich tapestry of Philadelphia’s history and cultural landscape. It was a process of discovery that deepened my appreciation for the diverse stories
and voices that shape our understanding of the past. Moreover, assisting in cleaning and managing data records underscored the importance of accuracy and attention to detail in supporting the organization’s mission. In addition to my responsibilities in data management, I also had the opportunity to contribute to the smooth functioning of Monument Lab’s daily operations. Providing general assistance with office tasks may have seemed routine, but it was a vital aspect of ensuring that the organization could focus on its core objectives and I gained valuable insight into the logistical challenges of running a nonprofit arts organization.

Beyond the practical skills I acquired, my internship at Monument Lab provided me with a rich understanding of the intersection between administrative operations and social change through art. Through conversations with my colleagues and exposure to the organization’s
projects and initiatives, I came to appreciate how effective administration can amplify the impact of artistic interventions in public spaces. Looking back on my time at Monument Lab, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a dynamic and inspiring organization. My internship has not only equipped me with practical skills and knowledge, but has ignited a
passion for using art as a tool for social justice and community empowerment. I am excited to continue exploring the intersection of art, administration, and activism, and to contribute to positive change in the world around me.

Lilly Lakritz, BMC ‘26

Science Education at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Field Supervisor: Mariah Romaninsky

Praxis Poster: 

Lilly_Lakritz_Poster_Final_SP24

 

Further Context:

Maya Hofstetter, BMC ’25

The East Coast Well Core Inventory Project

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Field Supervisor: Alejandra Martinez-Melo

Praxis Poster: 

Maya Hofstetter_Poster_S24

 

Further Context:

This spring, I interned in the Invertebrate Paleontology collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (ANSP) as the fieldwork component of the Museum Studies Praxis Seminar. I worked on the East Coast Well Core Inventory project, which involved sorting, rehousing, and logging a collection of artesian well cores. Most of the cores were collected by ANSP member Lewis Woolman from 1889 to 1903, but the collection includes samples from as late as the 1970s. It came to the Invertebrate Paleontology collection through former Curator Horace G. Richards, but the samples were never accessioned by the ANSP. They are not technically ANSP samples, and no information about the numbering and organizational conventions given to them by Gordon has been found. My day-to-day activities included data input using Excel, rehousing bags of dried silt, sand, and gravel, and consulting logs and maps to decipher locality information. I only came to the collection one day a week and would spend most of my time working with the cores alongside Owen Goodchild, the full-time Collection Assistant working on the project.

The well cores are housed in tall metal specimen cabinets that overflow into the halls outside of the official collection space. Most of the cores do not have enough location or collection data associated with them to be viable in research, or enough fossils. The samples, especially those housed in fabric pouches, release fine clay dust into the air whenever they are moved. Fly ash, a coal manufacturing by-product, coats most of the boxes (and whoever touches them) in a black, powdery residue. Oftentimes, we would have to check each box, envelope, or pouch for a core to figure out the depth range, which got messy quickly. Having another set of hands to input data into the spreadsheet, even for just one day a week, sped up the project. As of late April, inventory has officially been completed and efforts had shifted to contacting organizations (i.e., state geological surveys) or institutions (i.e. universities) who can accept sections of the collection. A total of 777 cores were inventoried, and 65% of cores described in a set of inventory notecards have been located (355/510 cores). The most popular locality was New Jersey, at 55% (433 cores), followed by North Carolina at 27% (215 cores). If all goes well, portions of the cores will be transferred to new, better-equipped homes soon!

Grace Sawyer, BMC ’26

Teen and Adult Education and Documentation at Fleisher Art Memorial

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: Fleisher Art Memorial

Field Supervisor: Suzanne Seesman

Praxis Poster: 

Grace_Sawyer_Poster_Final_SP24

 

Further Context:

This semester, I worked at Fleisher Art Memorial, a community art school in south Philadelphia. Fleisher is a nonprofit that aims to make arts education accessible through both free and affordable classes and workshops for children, teens, and adults. I greatly enjoyed my time there with the education department. I started my internship working solely under the manager of adult education, but one of the best parts of working in a small institution like Fleisher is that I was given flexibility to work with other members of the department on different projects. My typical day at Fleisher could involve sitting in on an education department meeting, proofing adult class listings, and finishing the day assisting in Teen Lounge, a free after-school art and community program for Philly teens. It gave me a very well-rounded sense of how arts education and nonprofits function: I worked both behind-the-scenes and hands-on.

Working with the teens was always one of the highlights of my day. Teen Lounge is unique in the autonomy it allows the teen members: they choose their own teachers and workshops, vend their work at craft festivals across the city, organize events, and use the space however they want. My work with them was very hands-off, but I was able to help facilitate small, lower-sensory environments on busier days.

I chose to focus my presentation on documentation: I did not take photos every day at Fleisher, but the times that I did were incredibly memorable and fun. I spent a few nights photographing adult evening classes. My main objective was to take photos of classes that were dynamic and showed the fun, community-building aspects of Fleisher’s classes. I never wanted my photos to look boring or overly academic, as that is not the environment I observed. This was a very fun way of both practicing my photography skills, which I haven’t used for most of college, and getting to know the students and faculty of the adult programs. I also spent a few days in Teen Lounge both taking pictures and conducting interviews for a grant application.

I am so grateful for my experience at Fleisher, and it has gotten me interested in the world of arts in communities outside of museums.

Annalise Ashman, BMC ’24

Connecting the Past to the Present: African Collections at The Penn Museum

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: The Penn Museum

Field Supervisors: Dwaune Latimer with the support of Larry McClenney, Sister Anne McCloskey, and Monique Scott

Praxis Poster: 

AnnaliseAshman_Poster_FinalS24

 

Further Context:

Reflecting on my recent collections management internship at the Penn Museum, I immersed myself in a world of artifacts, databases, and exhibition research within the African Collections. Under the supervision of Dwaune Latimer, the keeper of the African Collections, I embarked on several research projects to delve deeper into the museum’s behind-the-scenes operations.

At the beginning of the internship, my primary goal was to gain insight into how museums process, catalog, and organize information within their databases, mainly when the collections are often used for research purposes to support academic and curatorial projects. I was eager to expand my knowledge and skillset in object handling, database management, and archival research. From day one, I learned the ins and outs of inventory, data entry, and archival research, focusing on artworks and objects from Ghana. I compiled a list of over one hundred objects, including the use of Adinkra symbols, a visual language rich in cultural significance and symbolism in West Africa. Throughout this process, I gained a deeper understanding of how these symbols communicate ideas about culture and identity through objects like gold weights, stools, knives, and curtains. Among my other projects, I also researched Moroccan jewelry-making done by the Amazigh or Berber people to provide an updated illustration of how one of the original necklaces in the collection may have looked.

Beyond the technical aspects of collections management, the internship also afforded me invaluable experience working with objects. The knowledge and skills I have gained will undoubtedly serve me well in future endeavors. As I bid farewell to the Penn Museum, I carry a new experience of dedicated research and hands-on learning.

Anna Keneally, HC ’26

Loom Weights and the Humanity within Objects not on Display

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: The Penn Museum

Field Supervisor: Katherine Blanchard

Praxis Poster: 

Anna Keneally_Poster_Final S24

 

Further Context:

During my time at the Penn Museum’s Near Eastern collection, under the supervision of Keeper Katherine Blanchard, my main tasks involved rehousing various artifacts from the Beth She’an site, located in modern-day Israel, and photographing them for inclusion in the digital database accessible to researchers. As we removed the objects from their original packaging, we ensured that each piece was accounted for before photographing them and placing them in new, clean bags. Each shelf and drawer presented a new array of materials representing different troves of material culture, stratified by excavation level and object type.

The Beth She’an site, which was my primary focus, was excavated in 1921. Over several excavation seasons, the museum acquired over 8,000 artifacts for its permanent collection, despite half of the finds being retained by the host country and now housed in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. For photography, we employed “shot-on” and “shot-down” techniques depending on the orientation of the objects. “Shot-on” photography emphasized the third dimension, ideal for objects like bowls and amphoras, while smaller items without a prominent third dimension, such as sherds, didn’t require this approach. By photographing and arranging the objects, I gained insights into their original use, enhancing my understanding and appreciation of their cultural significance.

Throughout this experience, I frequently photographed and rehoused loom weights, totaling over 100. Loom weights, typically made of clay or stone with a hole for securing strings on a loom, may appear visually similar at first glance. However, handling a large number of them allowed me to appreciate their diverse shapes and sizes, revealing the human aspect of material culture. Unlike artistic objects, loom weights prioritize function, serving as practical tools used in daily life. This aspect resonates with my love for material culture, as these artifacts provide glimpses into the lives of past peoples through seemingly mundane objects.

This experience afforded me the freedom to indulge my curiosity, challenging my interpretations of the past and deepening my interest in cultural heritage preservation. Not every day in a museum’s collections yields a significant find or groundbreaking discovery, but my passion lies in safeguarding objects for future generations, interpreting complex histories through visual culture, and connecting with past civilizations through the artifacts they left behind, even if it’s something as humble as a loom weight.

Keyla Benitez ’24

Bringing Fleisher’s Past to the Future: Digitizing their Artistic Archives!

Semester: Spring 2023

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisors: Matthew Feliz &  Monique Scott

Field Site: Fleisher Art Memorial

Field Supervisors: Bailey Dodds & Catherine Lee

Praxis Poster:

NEW_KeylaBenitez_FinalPraxis Poster_rez

 

Further Context:

The Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, located in South Philadelphia, has provided art education and cultural programming accessible to all since 1898. As part of their commitment to accessibility and inclusion, they have initiated a project to digitize their creative archives and bring Flesher’s past to the future. The project’s primary goal is to identify historically significant documents and methods for digitization. I worked with Bryn Mawr’s Archivist and Digital Collections and Metadata Librarian to develop digitization and outreach strategies that are effective and sustainable.

The project’s social justice lens means that the digitized archives will be accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities or background. The project also created a preservation plan for a 116-year-old scrapbook created by Samuel S. Flesher himself. The scrapbook provides unique insight into the founder’s vision for the institution, its early days, and the founder’s life. However, the scrapbook is deteriorating due to its age and delicate nature. I worked to develop a plan to protect and preserve the scrapbook for future generations.

The project serves as a reminder of the vital role that institutions like the Flesher Art Memorial play in promoting community engagement. By digitizing historical documents and making them more accessible and inclusive, Flesher is preserving its history and making it available to a broader audience. This highlights the importance of accessibility and inclusion in safeguarding cultural heritage and fostering creative spaces welcoming to everyone.

In conclusion, an important initiative is for Flesher to digitize its artistic archives and bring Flesher’s past to the future. The project’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion is crucial in preserving cultural heritage and making it available to everyone. The project also demonstrates the Flesher Art Memorial’s ongoing commitment to its mission and the people of
Philadelphia.

Nyla McNeil, BMC ’26

Ancient Artifacts and Contemporary Connections

Semester: Spring 2023

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisors: Matthew Feliz &  Monique Scott

Field Site: The Penn Museum

Field Supervisor: Katherine Blanchard

Praxis Poster:

Nyla McNeil PRAXIS Poster - Final

 

Further Context:

Participating in the PRAXIS: Museum Studies course gave me the incredible opportunity to work at the Penn Museum on a rehousing project in the Near East Department. Before beginning the project, I established multiple overarching goals to give me insight into my potential career possibilities and explored my ethical questions about museum work. My time at the Penn Museum satisfied these goals, gave me a stronger sense of purpose in the museum sector, and cemented my profound appreciation for the behind-the-scenes collections management in Museums.

Our rehousing project was relatively simple, but it became a space for constant hands-on learning and complicated my understanding of preservation practices within museum collections. At the Penn Museum, several large shelving units housed artifacts in rows of wooden boxes. Our jobs were to complete an inventory of each box’s artifacts, photograph them based on proper orientation sanctions, re-bag each item, and return it to a more compact plastic bin. This work was seemingly simple but posed several challenges throughout. Photography was particularly challenging as my coworker, Samantha, and I had to learn dynamic practices for two different photo orientations (shot down and shot on).

Moreover, we frequently handled delicate materials, some of which needed to be photographed as a collection of several sherds or broken pieces. This tedious procedure taught me to pay greater attention to detail and to view object photography through the lens of a researcher. For example, when taking a photo, I had to ask myself questions such as: What unique grooves or curvature do I need to capture, or How would this item be oriented upright if it were still fully intact?

Despite the significant takeaways from the project itself, much of my newfound insight came from the questions and conversations brought up with my supervisor and coworker regularly. My supervisor, Katy, was incredibly willing to answer our questions and share her expertise from many years of experience in archaeological excavations and at the Penn Museum. Furthermore, Katy gave my coworker and I uniquely insightful opportunities such as:

  • Letting us sit in on a meeting that discussed a new exhibit’s cultivation (from the ground up).
  • Setting us up with meetings with department faculty that met our interests.
  • Taking us on a private tour at another local Philadelphia Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Throughout the experience, Katy’s openness to questions, her relaying of archaeological insight, and her genuine appreciation for her profession made it memorable and valuable.