Summer intern thoughts: Focusing on the Future with I AM Art House

Aug 6

by Abigail Gwyneth Rizzo

August 6, 2021

During my Spring internship with I AM Art House, I worked on videos, journal posts, and miscellaneous graphics. Truthfully, I was consistently disappointed with my contributions. I always felt like I could’ve done better, but just didn’t. Senioritis and procrastination were both at an all-time high. It was like I forgot how to create. Everything just fell flat.

In May, I graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Art History. Since then, I’ve been anxiously searching for a job. Applying to jobs with little enthusiasm, feeling doubt and insecurity with every application. I’m not qualified enough. I don’t have the right personality for the job. I don’t have enough experience. They won’t like me. This is the result of applying to probably 300+ jobs over several months and interviewing for very few while receiving the occasional rejection letter that stings more than you’d expect. I won’t blame the Real World for my own insecurities, buuut the Real World has helped to humble me, there’s no doubt about that.

The unending job search does have its benefits. For one, introspection is required for the process or else you’re just mindlessly applying to jobs in hopes of a cushy salary and an update to your LinkedIn. I realized eventually after applying to countless positions at art galleries in New York and LA that I could apply to any kind of job, really. I knew I wanted an art-related/creative position and explored from there. I was able to rediscover my interest in graphic design that had been stifled and set aside when I first started my college journey in pursuit of poetry and writing. Graphic design is the perfect combination of art and communication that I realized really fits my personality and the way my brain works. I love to research and collect data, but I also love being a visual creator. As a result, I began to study UI/UX fundamentals and creating for the web & apps alike. I use Canva and Figma and Illustrator on a daily basis and I genuinely look forward to creating for both the sake of enhancing my skillset and for sheer enjoyment. It’s incredibly rewarding to acquire new creative skills, especially ones that are particularly relevant to the ever-expanding, ever-changing digital landscape. I get to be a part of it! It’s encouraging to realize you are capable of a lot more than you were previously made to believe.

I believe I am returning to I AM Art House with a different perspective on creating. These days I ask myself, ‘what do I want to create? What do I want to share with the world? Who do I want to be?’ There is only one of yourself, and you can’t just give that away in exchange for career prospects. I am very excited to bring this new perspective with me to I AM Art House for my Summer internship, and hope to continue to carry it no matter where the Real World takes me.