By Jennifer Vazquez—

At the often forgotten part of NJCU on Culver Avenue lies the Visual Arts Building, home to some of the most hardworking students doing the messiest work. Very few know about the art majors and their experiences in some of the most diverse classes on campus, including some of the art students themselves.

Internships have always been a crucial component for most majors; they give you a fighting chance at gaining entry level positions. What about fine artists? Co-op internships are actually just as important in the arts as in any other major. Students do it for the connections, the field experience, and the challenge. Many art students choose to do their co-ops with art professors in NJCU, seeking one-on-one mentoring. These are always beneficial, but few realize NJCU is so close to the NYC art scene. Elizabeth Harney, 24, BFA Painting/Drawing major from Toms River, saw this opportunity and chose to do her co-op with Judith Shea, a sculptor from Manhattan.

The three-credit course required Harney to assist Shea at her studio once a week. She worked with the sculptor on pieces that are now on view at the exhibition “Her Own Style: An Artist’s Eye with Judith Shea,” curated by Shea. The experience was unforgettable for both participants and the experience gave Harney the confidence and experience for her BFA show in May. “I was able to watch her deal with the type of problem-solving and issues that often come while creating,” said Harney.

Harney had the rare experience of assisting Shea on pieces for a prestigious gallery. Having thought Shea would be a business oriented figure, she was surprised to find an open and welcoming colleague. “She treated me as an intellectual equal and didn’t dumb down things. She made her position as a professional artist seem obtainable,” said Harney.

Shea felt a similar comfort with Liz, stating that, “Liz is just a fantastic person and a fantastic artist…. Artistically, she’s sensitive to what you’re doing and what you’re working on.” After seeing Harney’s images of her recent paintings, she knew she could discuss art on a more intense level. “After getting to know her, I felt I wanted to also engage her with my thinking as we worked. I found her really interesting to talk to…. It was fun to hear her different opinions on things and what she was working on and why,” said Shea.

The exhibition that the pair worked on during the internship, on view until January 13th, shines light on women artists of the National Academy Museum whose artistic views have not been thoroughly observed in recent exhibitions. Shea decided to fill that void, and felt Harney was the ideal student to help her. “It was great because everything seemed like it belonged together, this idea of all these women artists and two women working on it. It was very special,” said Shea.

This is the type of unforgettable and rewarding experience that NJCU offers and students neglect to seek. For those who take advantage, co-ops are the crux of their higher education. For Harney, a true connection with an established artist was the reward. Shea would certainly hire her as an assistant for a project, given the opportunity. Harney confirmed she would surely do it again. To the skeptics, Harney said that, “It’s really important to meet and work with professional artists because, if that’s the career that you want, you need to get used to the idea that they are just people like you. It’s not just this distant world, but one that you can be a part of.”

Want to learn more about Judith Shea’s exhibition? Read the review and view her works online at www.gothictimes.net.