Mentor Interview

Lauren Popp; Educations, Exhibitions, Extraordinary.

Lauren reflects on being a nanny in Ireland, travelling, her childhood and her love of immersive artwork.

"I just wish I could have split myself in two after college"

Lauren Popp is the Educations Programs Coordinator at the New Children's Museum. She was cool, calm and collected when I conducted our interview. She was dressed casually in dark denim jeans a black blouse and holding a coffee cup. Her answers go past her years in San Diego and into her childhood as an Air Force daughter. She's down to earth when she talks about her experiences with travel, and college life and how she got to where she is now. If she was ever tardy, as soon as she stepped in the room you were sure to forget it with her easy going attitude and light personality. She has a sort of aura surrounding her, which you can't help but admire.

Lauren was always very college driven, she danced throughout her life and through college, worked with choreographers and started college as an English major. Her sophomore year in college, she called the Art History professor Mary Vidal and asked why she would want to be an Art History Major. Mary said that “art history is literature, visual art, science, history, politics and more all in one,” and if Lauren wanted to “be surrounded by beautiful things all her life” she should major in Art History. She took one of the classes in Impressionism and was sold. She changed her major and has been dedicated to being an educator of Art History since then.

Throughout the interview Lauren mentioned artists that worked with more material items, rather than just paint. I asked if she preferred those to paintings and she said she likes "to be immersed in a space with a piece of art." Some of her favorites include Tara Donovan who is currently showing at MCASD. She also mentioned she favored the work of controversial artist Eduardo Kac.

Growing up, Lauren had a pact with her best friend in college that if they didn't have jobs by the time graduation came around, they would move to Ireland for a year or so and become nannies. All for the experience. When going into detail about the story Lauren lightly responded to my question of if she regretted anything with: "it doesn't do you any good to regret, so I don't regret not going, I just wish I could have split myself in two after college to do both things. Have a job, and go travel."

Currently, Lauren has been to Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. She has plans to travel more and wishes she went abroad for a year or two to teach English. She has plans to potentially go to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands this year as well. She mentioned that she thought it was "valuable to stay in one place for a longer extended time."

The New Children’s Museum is home to many dedicated workers such as Lauren Popp, many who have different but still interesting stories to tell. This internship and mentor interview taught me nothing other than that. Everyone has their own story to tell, and you owe it to them to appreciate that they are different and have different things to offer that you might not be able to.

Blog Intro

Lauren Popp is the Educations Programs Coordinator at the New Children's Museum. She is cool, calm and collected when I conducted our interview. She's dressed in a business casual outfit and holding a coffee cup. Her answers go past her years in San Diego and into her childhood as an Air Force daughter. She's down to earth when she talks about her experiences with travel, and college life and how she got to where she is now. If she was ever tardy, as soon as she stepped in the room you were sure to forget it with her easy going attitude and light personality, she has a sort of aura surrounding her, which you can't help but admire.

Highlighted Questions:

"What is your favorite type of art/artist/gallery?

Throughout the interview Lauren mentioned artists that worked with more material items, rather than just paint. I asked if she preferred those to paintings and she said she likes "to be immersed in a space with a piece of art." Some of her favorites include Tara Donovan who is currently showing at MCASD. She also mentioned she favored the work of controversial artist Eduardo Kac.

Where have you travelled and where do you wish to travel?

Lauren has been to Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. She wishes to travel more and wishes she went abroad for a year or two to teach English. She has plans to potentially go to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. She mentioned that she thought it was "valuable to stay in one place for a longer extended time."

Do you have any regrets in your career path?

Growing up, Lauren had a pact with her best friend in college that if they didn't have jobs by the time graduation came around, they would move to Ireland for a year or so and become nannies. All for the experience. Lauren said "it doesn't do you any good to regret, so I don't regret not going, I just wish I could have split myself in two after college to do both things. Have a job, and go travel."

How did you choose your major in college, since you mentioned you were a dancer prior to being a museum educator?

Lauren was always very college driven, she danced throughout her life and through college, worked with choreographers and started college as an English major. Her sophomore year in college, she called the Art History professor Mary Vidal and asked why she would want to be an Art History Major. Mary said that art history is literature, visual art, science, history, politics all in one, and if Lauren wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things all her life she should major in Art History. She took one of the classes in Impressionism and was sold. She changed her major and has been dedicated to being an educator of Art History."

Blog #1 S2

My first professional interview would be an interview with Lady GaGa done by Elle Magazine. There are the sic's in it, and helpful information in brackets.

http://www.elle.com/Pop-Culture/Cover-Shoots/Lady-Gaga

This one is a little bit different style than the Lady GaGa one, because the Lady GaGa one, it is exact quotes, no different information, but it still gets what the reader wants to read out there, and this one with Slash is long, detailed and has quotes and background information on him and his band Guns N' Roses at the time, so even someone with no knowledge of GN'R could read it and understand it.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/15808331/slash_the_rolling_stone_interview

Good interviews not only have good questions, but they have good interviewers, if the interviewer is not serious and doesn't ask questions that need to be asked the article will suffer. The vibe always has to be a good one too, if it's not much like a conversation it doesn't particularly go as smoothly. That's mostly what I've noticed. Writers can use a various amount of methods to record the interviews, they could use a recorder, a video camera or just pull specific quotes from what the interviewee says. Or just ask the interviewee to speak really slowly.

Internship #14

*My mentor picture will be posted tomorrow morning when I get back in the office*

Lauren Popp, Education Programs Coordinator, The New Children's Museum, Downtown San Diego.

Interview Highlights:

What is your favorite type of art/artist/gallery?

Throughout the interview Lauren mentioned artists that worked with more material items, rather than just paint. I asked if she preferred those to paintings and she said she likes "to be immersed in a space with a piece of art." Some of her favorites include Tara Donovan who is currently showing at MCASD. She also mentioned she favored the work of controversial artist Eduardo Kac.

Where have you travelled and where do you wish to travel?

Lauren has been to Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. She wishes to travel more and wishes she went abroad for a year or two to teach English. She has plans to potentially go to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. She mentioned that she thought it was "valuable to stay in one place for a longer extended time."

Do you have any regrets in your career path?

Growing up, Lauren had a pact with her best friend in college that if they didn't have jobs by the time graduation came around, they would move to Ireland for a year or so and become nannies. All for the experience. Lauren said "it doesn't do you any good to regret, so I don't regret not going, I just wish I could have split myself in two after college to do both things. Have a job, and go travel."

How did you choose your major in college, since you mentioned you were a dancer prior to being a museum educator?

Lauren was always very college driven, she danced throughout her life and through college, worked with choreographers and started college as an English major. Her sophomore year in college, she called the Art History professor Mary Vidal and asked why she would want to be an Art History Major. Mary said that art history is literature, visual art, science, history, politics all in one, and if Lauren wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things all her life she should major in Art History. She took one of the classes in Impressionism and was sold. She changed her major and has been dedicated to being an educator of Art History.

Internship #13

Post 3 Pictures.

These blogs are getting harder to complete with the end of internship approaching because I have so much to do, so if one isn't up very early, that's why.

My desk is my primary base for the day, I do my blogs for NCM here, try and balance the school work we get with my internship work here as well. You can see I'm working on the Podcast Project since GarageBand is on the computer and my script is out on my desk.

"AEH Conelrad Device" is another Teen Studio installation, and I spent a lot of time assembling those little IKEA chairs, and thinking of possible safety restrictions. I spend a lot of time in Teen Studio.

My notepad, since I wasn't able to get a picture of my mentor since she was ill is the most important thing in my internship. I take it home with me and I always have it with me, it helps me remember everything since I have terrible memory. It remembers dates and deadlines and ideas for me like a good little notepad.

Internship #11

Please post a summary of your week at internship. What were the highlights? What were the challenges? What was memorable and why?

Well, this week I was sick on Friday, and we didn't have any internship on Monday due to MLK day. I spent a lot of time at the computer researching podcasts to finish my project and I spent some time researching green ideas for a camp NCM is doing during the week. I FOUND POLAR TREATS! They are so cute and they symbolize how global warming is drowning polar bears and they're edible! Kid friendly of course. Some challenges I had were I really didn't feel well toward the end of the week, and it was kind of tough to be running around doing everything I needed to be when I felt under the weather. But Tuesday I'm having a meeting with Margaret and Lauren! And Friday is my Panama meeting and the POL and a guinea pig show. So I'm foreshadowing an excellent week!

Sidenote: I am really upset that I missed my site visit with Sarah and Sabrina though :( I was really excited to show them the show and everything I'm working on/doing. :( :( :(

Internship Pictures!

I had a request to put more pictures in here, so I figured I would make a post dedicated solely to pictures of my internship. There is some of my work I've done, some of the museum it's self etc..

My newest favorite installation in Teen Studio. Currently writing a blog for it for NCM.

Typical desk for me.

Assembling stools from IKEA for the newest Teen Studio installation.

You know, being business casual and whatnot.

This is "Missing Links" by Felipe Dulzaides. It's a huge jumpy.

Entrance Animal Art sign.

"Toy an Horse" by Marcos Ramirez Erre. You can go in it's belly!

One of our Art Studio options is to create your own Birdhouse.

The Fundreds installation was just replaced, but this is what it was prior, idea by Mel Chin.

One of our own installations "Animal Sounds!"

Oh and just a shoutout to Diana's advisory, my favorite advisory for actually reading these things and making me take pictures for everything!