The Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC) has always held a special place in my heart ever since I attended the summer camp when I was six years old. I went from yellow group to red group and graduated into the art squad for four years and then proceeded to volunteer as an art assistant up until I left for college. My mom, stepdad, uncle and grandparents have been involved with the DFAC for a long time through volunteering, being members of the board, donations or taking art classes. This has resulted in many of the employees of the DFAC treating me like family, along with the fact that I have been working with them for so long. I learned not only new techniques in art and art appreciation, but I also learned many life lessons and met so many people that I will continue to remember and cherish. I will always think fondly about the likes of Mrs. Maria, Mr. Tom, Mr. Todd, Mr. Ray, Ms. Jackie, Mrs. Kimmy, Mrs. Stratemeyer, Mrs. Shannon, George Anne, Mr. Brian and Mr. Clay who early on encouraged my fondness for art. I am also immensely appreciative of the likes of Catherine Bergmann who helped put me in to this internship.
As an art history major, my advisor from Randolph-Macon College, Dr. Evie Terrono, suggested that I needed to take at least 2 to 3 internships to be properly knowledgeable of the field. Aside from my volunteer efforts at the DFAC, I was a junior docent at the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg who I was advised by Mr. Peter Tush and Mr. John Stewart who taught me more of the art historical aspect of the art I continued to have appreciation towards. However, I needed more of a direct curatorial direction if I needed an internship and the DFAC was more than willing to take me in. So far, I have learned the importance of setting up a gallery based on the wishes of the artist and how to make the show look presentable through lighting and carefully placed labels. I am excited to see where this internship will take me and tremendously thankful for Catherine Bergmann and the rest of the staff at the DFAC who have looked after me for so many years.
Oliver Allen
June 2019