Skip to main content

IUPUI Works Indy: Melissa McDermott unites art and history interning at the Indiana State Museum

Oct 24, 2018

You know internships provide great experience. You also know that Indianapolis provides great opportunities. Put them together, and you have a dynamite combo that prepares you for a lifetime of success.

See how Herron School of Art and Design senior Melissa McDermott colors outside the lines with her internship at the Indiana State Museum.

Description of the following video:

Melissa McDermott speaks: My name is Melissa McDermott. I’m from St. John, Indiana. I’m a senior at IUPUI, and I’m studying painting along with an art history minor, both from the Herron School of Art and Design, and I’m interning at the Indiana State Museum.

[Video, various shots: Melissa McDermott appears on camera in side view walking along a sidewalk with three signs, some trees and a building in the background; McDermott appears with her back to the camera walking up to the doors of the Indiana State Museum; McDermott is shown standing off to the right of the camera inside an elevator that is moving down a floor; McDermott is shown from behind walking out of elevator as the door to the elevator elevates above her head; Shot begins focusing on “Wood Shop” sign above a door and then tilts down to show McDermott walking toward the door underneath the sign; McDermott appears on camera, sitting in front of a red backdrop]

McDermott speaks: I’m mostly working on a new display, called “The Three Sisters,” painting each individual bean leaf, each individual pumpkin leaf … I’m doing all the detail work.

[Video, various shots: McDermott is seen sitting at an art table painting an item, with paint supplies on the table and school lockers behind her; The camera pans in closely to McDermott; A close view of one hand holding a paint tube and another hand painting a green stem with a paintbrush; hand is shown painting a green stem with a paintbrush; Camera pans down on McDermott, who is shown from the front painting a green pumpkin stem; McDermott is shown leaning over, painting a green pumpkin stem; McDermott is shown from the side, painting a green pumpkin stem]

McDermott speaks: Working at the State Museum and getting that experience – it’s something off the traditional path that’s not just going straight into a gallery or straight into an art museum. It’s something I didn’t consider at first, but I would love to be kind of a behind-the-scenes person, being hands-on, making the little details that sometimes you just overlook when you go to a museum.

[Video, various shots: McDermott is shown walking across room while gathering painting supplies in her arms; McDermott appears on camera sitting in front of a red backdrop; McDermott is shown from behind walking across room with wood shop machines and two other individuals working in the background; McDermott is shown placing painting supplies on a table; McDermott is shown from the side sitting down at a table painting green leaves; McDermott leans over table as she points to direct another individual to pick up a paint bucket from off the table; A paintbrush is seen inside a paint bucket or orange paint; McDermott is shown painting orange paint onto a pumpkin; Closeup of paintbrush smoothing orange paint onto pumpkin; McDermott is shown holding orange pumpkin]

McDermott speaks: I didn’t realize it before coming here that Indianapolis had so many opportunities in every field and anything that you study. But it really is a great hub of businesses and companies and opportunities.

[Video, various shots: McDermott is shown holding pumpkin as another individual picks up a stem of leaves from off a table in front of her; A close portrait shot of McDermott turning her head to the side; McDermott appears smiling while sitting down painting a pumpkin, another individual stands right next to her smiling as she watches McDermott work, McDermott appears on camera sitting in front of a red backdrop]

McDermott speaks: I really think it’s so important to have internships, and it really prepares you for what life is like in the real world, once you graduate. I sort of really regret it not getting an internship any sooner, but at the same time I’m happy where I’m at right now, and I think that it’s a great start to where I might end up.

[Video, various shots: McDermott and another individual are shown standing inside a large elevator walking toward the opening elevator door; McDermott appears, reaching up to tend to leaves of art display; McDermott is shown from the side folding over leaves on display; McDermott is shown from behind tending to leaves in the display; McDermott smiles as she reaches up to grab a leaf on the art display; McDermott bends down toward the bottom of the art display to tend to leaves; Camera zooms in close to McDermott’s hands tending to leaves of art display; McDermott is shown from the side, reaching up and tending to leaves of the art display.

McDermott appears walking along a sidewalk next to the canal with the Indianapolis skyline in the background.

[Words appear: IUPUI WORKS INDY]

[Image appear: Red-colored silhouette of Indianapolis skyline in portrait format]

[Screen changes to black]

[Words appear: IUPUI]

[Words appear: Fulfilling the promise]

[Words appear: iupui.edu]

[END OF TRANSCRIPT]

Intern Melissa McDermott

Media Contact

IU Newsroom

Becky Hart

Communications Specialist/Content Strategist, IUPUI

More stories