THE LIFE OF AN INTERN: DAY 1

Entering my final semester in undergrad is exciting and nerve-wracking. One of the most exciting parts of my final semester is the opportunity to intern at COCO Art Gallery. The Art Council of Southwest Florida’s oversees the COCO Art Gallery in Estero and Naples, Florida. Their mission is to promote artwork made by local artists by coordinating exhibitions, art demonstrations, workshops and classes.

I was drawn to intern at COCO Art Gallery because the visual arts has been extremely important in my personal growth. I grew up attending art museums on the weekends and painting watercolor for fun. When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to exhibit some of my photography work at the Sidney and Berne Davis Center in Fort Myers.

For my first day at COCO, I helped transport and hang artwork by five local artists at the Furniture Factory Direct at Miromar Outlets in a new partnership with Blaze Interiors. All the volunteers and artists safely transported the artwork and President Resa Abbey of COCO Art Gallery, and I labeled all of the artwork appropriately. I hadn’t had the opportunity to work on an exhibition since 2020, so this was an incredible experience to be hands-on.

This partnership is crucial because it demonstrates how art is inherently tied with our everyday life and makes up a part of our home and identity, even when we don’t think about it. Art doesn’t just belong in traditional museums or galleries. Art can become part of our living spaces, workspaces and where we gather.

After my first day, I’m excited to see what else I am going to learn during my time interning at COCO. Not only the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating exhibitions, but also about the role that local art and artists play in bringing the community together.

Follow along at www.COCOArtGallery.com 

Article written by Natalia Nava, COCO Art Gallery Intern