My name is Sophie Fisher, I am a Senior Illustration major with a Book
Arts concentration. This summer I had the amazing opportunity to intern with
the Newark Print Shop, a grass roots non-profit printmaking studio based in
Newark, NJ, a vibrant urban city close to Manhattan. Its facilities are open to
an entire community of artists, and according to their mission statement, has
“the focus on supporting the fine art of printmaking by providing an affordable
and accessible workspace for everyone, as well educational programming through
classes and workshops.”
As the summer approached and I was searching for internship
opportunities, I recalled my connection to Lisa Conrad, the Executive Director
and founder. She had previously worked as a teacher when I was a senior in high
school. I attended Print Club back in 2015, a weekly Wednesday night gathering,
where artists of all levels pay a small admission to access to the screen-printing
facilities and equipment for the night. An internship would be the perfect opportunity
for me to reconnect with the shop and to learn the screen-printing process.
After reaching out with a letter of inquiry to Lisa, she quickly got back to me
with enthusiasm, stating that the print shop would love to have me as an intern
for the summer.
My experience at The Newark Print shop has been extremely impactful and
rewarding. I was taken under the wing by the management and learned the
fundamentals of the screen-printing process. I was thrown into the mix of the
energetic, and fast paced environment of Print Club and not only had to learn
as I went, but was expected to help aid and teach individuals of all ages
coming to the shop who needed assistance, some of whom had never screen printed
before. Throughout these experiences, I met a vibrant and extraordinary
community of artists, whom I have been inspired by and have made lasting connections
with. I also had the opportunity to apply my skills in design and pre-production
as I worked on a project in collaboration with another artist, to reinvent the
old city publication called The Newarker. We explored different ways of
redefining it in a contemporary setting, which included accessing the Newark
Public Library’s private collection of artist books and old letterpress type
used for The Newarker as research.
Altogether this internship has provided the important skill of screen
printing in my tool kit as an artist. I have gained an important connection
with the Newark Print Shop and expanded my insight into the different
opportunities and paths in which I would like to apply skills in the professional
world.
