CEP Intern

Exchange Visitor Profile: Katherine Man

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Name: Katherine Man

From: United Kingdom

Trainee at: Vera Wang (New York, NY)

Q: Tell us about one of your favorite projects you are working on.

Whilst working at Vera Wang, I was able to assist the design team on three collections: Ready-to-wear Fall 2014, Bridal 2015 and Resort 2015. I enjoyed working with the bridal team as I was able to experiment with fabric manipulations in delicate tulle and hand-sew embroidery samples. It was great to see my samples being used and inputted into weekly fittings which were further developed. I was honoured to see the final collection, knowing that my creative eye had been a part of these beautiful designs. It was amazing to see gorgeous gowns in production every day as I realised how much craftsmanship and time was put in, from draping the silhouette to pressing each individual pleat of a bodice. As an aspiring designer it has been a truly inspiring experience.

Q: What is your favorite place to go in New York?

The Lower East Side is my favourite area of the city because it’s perfect for the younger crowd and it’s very chilled. My favourite area is Soho, which has a mix of designer boutiques and smaller art galleries. East Village is great for restaurants that are not too expensive - I’m addicted to bubble tea and dumplings so I always head to a place called Tkettle!

Q: Tell us about an interesting moment you have experienced during your program.

I have been blessed to have met some amazing people. You never know who you may bump into in NYC. I met Gok Wan, a UK fashion stylist, whilst on an errand at work and got a photo with him. I also made great friends outside of work and we bonded like glue. We even went to a Brooklyn Nets game and saw Rihanna! I have made the closest friend for life that I will stay in touch with forever, despite being on the other side of the world.

Q: What is your favorite new food you have tried in New York?

I’m not too adventurous when it comes to trying new foods as I’m a vegetarian! But I found an amazing restaurant called Westville that is known for healthy and tasty vegetarian meals. They make vegetables taste really good with their seasoning from oyster mushrooms with garlic and herbs to kale with shallots - I will be making a trip back!

Q: What has been your favorite cultural activity so far?

I visited the “Ai Wei Wei: According to What?” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum which was powerfully moving. I also went to the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art which allowed me to see the sculptural, mathematical and scientific methods of constructing his gowns from sketches and pattern pieces to completed works.

 

Check out some collections Katherine worked on:

 

You can also connect with Katherine on LinkedIn.

Exchange Visitor Profile: Alessandro Gallo

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Name: Alessandro Gallo

From: Genoa, Italy

Scholar at: Archie Bray Foundation (Helena, MT)

Q: What have you worked on as a part of the Professional Program?

In the past couple of weeks, I attended a meeting of and for Montana Clay Artists, which was held in Helena, and went to open studios of three Old School ceramic artists: Richard Notkin, Sarah Jaeger and Robert Harrison. I also gave a Slide Talk/Lecture at Montana State University in Bozeman. I worked and am still working very hard actually to finish two pieces.

Q: What was your major project while you were here in the United States?

That is the snake wrapped around the hare. Title: Tangled Up in You. Beth Cavener did all the sculpting and I painted the Tattoo. It’s been the most exciting project that I’ve done here and it was a huge success, having been shown at the Milwaukee Art Museum during the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).

Q: What are you plans for the future as your finish your program in the United States?

I’ve accomplished all that I wanted to, met awesome people, learned a lot and shared a lot of technical information and ideas. So now I’m ready for some serious Montana fly-fishing!

Read about Alessandro’s collaboration with Beth Cavener Stichter, Tangled Up in You! Check out more of Alessandro’s work here.

Exchange Visitor Profile: Adrienne Lipson

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Name: Adrienne Lipson

From: London, Canada

Trainee at: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (Chicago, IL)

Q: Tell us about one of your favorite projects.

My favorite projects that I’ve worked on in my internship with Hubbard Street 2 have been my involvement in the creation of two brand new dance pieces. Hubbard Street annually holds a National Choreographic Competition through which they choose two emerging and talented choreographers to create work on the second company. This year we worked with American choreographer Loni Landon, as well as Brazilian choreographer Alex Soares, each for a two week period. It was amazing to be directly involved in the process of creation with both choreographers alongside the dancers of Hubbard Street 2. The knowledge and experience I gleaned from those four weeks alone was truly immense and unforgettable.

Q: What is your favorite place to go in Chicago?

My favorite place to go in Chicago would have to be around Millennium Park to see Cloud Gate (or, as it is commonly known, The Bean). It is very tourist-y, yet somehow I am struck again and again by how beautiful the Chicago skyline is in that stretched and skewed reflection. It reminds me how exciting it is to be living in this big, beautiful city.

Q: Tell us about an interesting moment you have experienced during your program.

Every day that I’m with Hubbard Street 2 has had both its funny and interesting moments. One interesting experience that stands out for me was collaborating with the Art Institute of Chicago in a performance celebrating and exploring the works of the Old Masters. It was a completely unique experience because we performed in the actual galleries, full of priceless paintings, with an audience watching from only a few feet away. This is a completely different experience than the usual dancing on a stage, where lights make the audience look like deep black nothingness. Dancing at the AIC was extremely close and intimate, and something I’ll never forget!

Q: What is your favorite new food you have tried in the United States?

Coming from Canada, essentially all of the food available is the same as in the U.S. However, I have been delighted with Chicago’s particular affinity for Brunch! One amazing restaurant that I discovered around my neighborhood is called Longman and Eagle. Although they also offer a dinner and extensive drink menu, their brunch is truly phenomenal. (I recommend their smoked Scottish salmon benedict on pumpernickel rye, for any who are interested!)

Q: What has been your favorite cultural activity so far?

So far, my favorite cultural activity in Chicago has been being able to see The Second City of Chicago on two separate occasions. Sketchy comedy and Improv is big in Chicago, and The Second City is definitely the ultimate destination for it. I saw two revues (‘A Clown Car Named Desire’ and ‘Let Them Eat Chaos’), both of which were hilarious and completely inspiring!

See some of Adrienne’s works here:

Exchange Visitor Profile: Emilio Vavarella

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Name: Emilio Vavarella

From: Monfalcone, Italy

Trainee at:  Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center (New York, NY)

Q: Tell us about one of your favorite projects you are working on.

Among many other projects on which I’m collaborating at Harvestworks, the one I want to talk about is a personal project that I started when I moved from Venice to New York. It’s called MEMORYSCAPES and it’s a multimedia installation, based on my research on memory, error, technology, subjectivity and virtuality. The project investigates how memory and reality affect one another, through notions of architecture and related mental images, resulting in a complex body of work. To carry out the project, I’m using Harvestworks’ computers and recording studio, with the support of audio engineer Kevin Ramsay for a series of interviews with Italian and Italian-Americans who I’ve met in NYC. At the end, I will produce a series of holograpich photographs that will present a 3D model of Venice, altered by the collective memory of the people I’ve interviewed. The project is also supported by the Jarach Gallery in Venice, so it truly represents a bridge between these two amazing islands: Manhattan and Venice, which I consider my two adoptive homes.

Q: What is your favorite place to go to in New York?

I love to walk along the Brooklyn Bridge at night, and look at the beautiful skyline while listening to music. I love working in Manhattan, and spending time at the art galleries in Chelsea, but I also love living in the peaceful and beautiful neighborhood of Fort Greene, where I can work and relax in silence.

Q: What is your favorite new food you have tried in the United States?

I love that I can find all the things I loved in the countries I’ve lived in over the last few years. If you spend some time and energy looking, you can find a perfect espresso or Turkish coffee, amazing Israeli rugelach … basically everything you can find in the rest of the world, but all in one place!

You can view Emilio’s work here.