Dave Jones Studio
Sanding, finishing, and buffing pieces
was a large part of what my day to day
looked like. I used a wide range of fin-
ishes, from oil, varnish, and even top-
coat. I got a better idea of what works
best with different wood species. I am
now able to look and feel a piece of
wood and name what type of tree it
came from.
This internship was essential in my future, as I now know everything that goes
into running a custom fabrication shop. I was taken to lumber yards where I
found how to pick the correct wood. I was tasked with picking up materials
which helped me recognize where to source sustainably.
The values I found a part of this studio were somewhat individualized. He
shared his space with another artist, but they don’t work on projects togeth-
er. I had hoped there would be some more collaboration between other art-
ists, but working one on one led to it being more of a mentee in this situation.
This experience has contributed greatly to my goals and career path. I gained
immense knowledge that will influence my thesis and future beyond. I have
learned that I want to go into this industry, but I think I want to work with a
slightly larger team in the future. My goals have changed slightly for my career,
but the experience was beneficial in getting me there. I was surprised how
fast paced even a small studio can be. I learned I can be resilient and take on
the roles of many in order to make things happen when they need to. The ex-
perience was slightly different in that I wasn’t aware of how much travel can
hurt your progress and sometimes can get in the way more than you can ex-
pect it to.