NYC Internship Gives Art Student New Perspectives on Her Work

Studio Art major and Arts Management minor, Allison Owens ’19, was one of only three students selected for an internship in New York with contemporary artist Lesley Dill. Dill was the keynote speaker for the Tri-State Sculpture Conference, which Converse hosted in the fall of 2018. Allison met and conversed with Dill at the conference, ultimately leading to this unique internship opportunity.

Read about Allison’s experience in her own words:

“For my summer internship, I worked for two months with Lesley Dill in her studio. I was an assistant in the making of her artwork along with two other interns and two paid assistants. Simply being in New York for an extended amount of time had an impact on me and the way I view my work. The access to boundless culture, knowledge, and experience in New York is very inspiring, especially as I was born and raised in a small southern town. In my opinion, the environment and the opportunities of the location were equally valuable to the work I did with Lesley.”

The access to boundless culture, knowledge, and experience in New York is very inspiring, especially as I was born and raised in a small southern town.

“Ultimately, by taking a break from creating my own work in an environment that continues to inspire my work, I have had the freedom to question it from all angles. This freedom allowed me to find out what I truly want to say in my work and, more importantly, how I want to say it. Working closely with an accomplished artist whom I admire basically amounts to giving and receiving valuable feedback, developing meaningful connections, and enhancing my perspective of the professional art world. Lesley has been a mentor, inspiration, teacher, and friend. I am incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to work with her and know that my work will be improved by my experience and this connection.”