What is LINK?
LINK is a program in which AHS juniors and occasionally seniors get to intern at an establishment. We are given three weeks to complete 90 hours of unpaid, real-life work experience. Students sometimes extend their internship into summer or senior year, or even retain a job at their internship location. Students at Animas explore careers beginning their freshman year, and are guided to experiment with different interests to find out which colleges to choose and what they want their future to look like. LINK internships allow for each student to expand on their interests, help make better career choices, and find out what suits them.
My LINK:
For the past few years, I have been thinking a lot about what I want my future to look like. I have many different interests and passions, but I also want my career to support the type of lifestyle I want to live. Since then, I have always considered taking over my fathers business with my brother. Since my father was a young teen, he has been passionate about art and design. He decided that after high school he wanted to pursue a fine art degree and own his own business. Following college, my dad decided to get the right documents and go through the process of having his own LLC. For his work, my mentor (dad) gathers different clients around the US and restores sculptures of all sizes and shapes. He has to gather what each client wants and use different materials to restore these sculptures. One of his most notable projects was one of the largest equestrian sculptures in the world in El Paso, Texas. Because I want to own this business in the future, I decided to do my internship with my father so I could learn more about the industry and see if it is actually what I want to do.
Sculpturesmart.net
Sculpturesmart.net
LINK Reflection:
Prior to my LINK internship, I had worked for this company since the age of 7. I learned how to properly clean, sand, wax, and patina bronze sculptures. For this part of the internship, it was very helpful to have experience with color mixing when we observed different colors and types of paints before applying to canvas or metal. When we worked on one piece, instead of using chemicals, we used paints. We both knew that acrylic is not an effective paint for metal, as it will flake, which helped me during my internship by saving lots of time. Instead, I knew that I needed to use a spray paint, a diluted water-based acrylic, or an oil based paint. Knowing what types of paints and chemicals to use for different materials and looks is very important. Because I want to own this business in the future, I wanted to develop skills that I had already obtained, as well as learn new ones, especially when it came to the legal aspect of the business. During this portion of my internship, I focused more on the artistic side of this job. Like I said, I have worked with many chemicals in my life on sculptures, but I only used what I was told to use. My mentor decided to teach me the effects of certain chemicals and the importance of diluting them, using heat, using cooling methods, and mixing. Even the way the chemical is applied can have a significant impact on the final outcome. For my internship project, which is a project all students must complete to represent the skills that they learned during their LINK, I wanted to experiment on my own with different methods and chemicals. I started with an old sculpture we already had on hand. I then cleaned and lightly sanded to get any old product or dust off the sculpture. It is important to have a clean base beforehand. I grabbed a sulfur chemical and dilute it with cold water, then I rubbed it back with red scotchbrite, then I heated the sculpture with cupric nitrate with a torch. This resulted in a beautiful teal-colored, wash effect.
During our scheduled internship time, my mentor had to leave due to a family member passing. Unfortunately I can not afford to go with him. At first, it was difficult to work on projects without his guidance, as I am very used to it. Though, once I began to work, I remembered important steps on my own. I was able to successfully restore a sculpture, and do patina work on my own. This built up my confidence in this job. As I had mentioned, this business is owned by my father, and I plan on taking it over. Being able to work both independently and collaboratively really increased my confidence in wanting to have the business as a future career. This internship showed me that no matter what, I always have another option if I don’t choose this as my main job. Not only did it create more initiative and confidence in me to take over this business, it also showed my mentor that with a few more years of learning and practice, I will be ready to carry on his business. I showed my mentor that I am passionate about this work.