Secret Lives of Interns: Field Trip to the Smithsonians Part IV

MEET THE PAPER PARTNERS!

Posing on the mall with their paper partners -
a selection of fantastical animals and personality mashups.

After we met with Shannon and Karen, the interns started on our “secret mission,” which included such tasks as taking a picture of our shadow in the National Sculpture Garden and visiting the Artful Animals exhibit in the Museum of African Art. Even though it was extremely hot outside, we ventured off to the sculpture garden.

We took pictures of our shadows “posing,” but it was more

fun just to watch the other interns as they tried to take pictures of their own shadow.

It was so hot, some of the interns had trouble resisting the giant fountain.

We had also been assigned a “paper pal” to walk around and take pictures with, and I had a lot of fun making my paper pal (the likeness of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors) look like he was eating everything.

His favorite treats were the Washington Monument and our newest intern, Melina.

Melina's paper partner continued the theme of eating everything in sight...

After our morning at the NMAH, we took our Paper Partners to lunch at Teaism.
Fabrizio felt refreshed after drinking some delicious bubble tea.

There were ducklings at the National Gallery sculpture garden!
They were delicious.

Fabrizio and Twoie couldn’t resist terrorizing this village in the NMNH.

Kristin's paper partner, President Raffi, is going House Hunting in Washington DC.

President Raffi wishes he was tall enough to go on the Carousel by himself.

This House is too flat…

This one is too archival…

He has a strange feeling he’s seen this one before…

But this castle may be just right!

Brittney's paper partner showcased another take on political/pop-culture mash-up identity.

Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Gaga joins fellow 2D friends at the Museum of Natural History

Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Gaga found her beloved pet sheep,
Franklin Delano Alejandro

Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Gaga takes a moment out of her busy schedule
to pose with the iconic United States Capital building

Lindsay took her mutating partner around DC...

Seth Brundle, from the movie The Fly, played by Jeff Goldblum,
gets tangled in one of the beautiful plants at the Sculpture Garden at the Hirshhorn.

Seth Brundle, in his fly stage from the movie, The Fly,
poses against a window with Washington DC in the background inside
Race to the End of the Earth at the National Museum of Natural History.

Rachael G.'s paper partner Squido...

Squido stops to smell the flowers. He likes flowers that are pink like him.

Squido learns about one of his relatives at the Natural History Museum

Squido thought the Ice Man was creepy.
Who would want to live in a place with ice?

At the Natural History Museum, I found a depiction of Oceanic currents, which are quite fascinating. I snapped Liam Lincoln in front of the currents for a funky background shot.

Liam Neeson cuts a fine figure as our nation's 16th President.

Secret Lives of Interns: Field Trip to the Smithsonians Part III

The National Museum of African Art
Photo via their facebook page. Check them out!

The National Museum of African Art is AMAZING! We love it's architecture, especially it's central fountain pool, clean lines and how most of the museum is tucked underground. As part of our interns' "secret mission," we asked them to check out the Artful Animals exhibition. While there we wanted them to draw an artful animal of there own! Sadly the exhibition closed this past Sunday, but you can still see much of it online at the link above.

Working hard on their own "artful animals"

Intern Julie decided not to draw her own,
but rather looked to real life for inspiration.

I LOVE Daffy Duck, and after having seen the cute, tiny ducklings snoozing in the Sculpture Gallery water fountain, I thought of one of my favorite Daffy moments, where he and Bugs Bunny find a treasure cave where Daffy greedily tries to steal everything. A magic Genie eventually shrinks him into a tiny version of himself (much like the Liliputian ducklings), where we see him attempting to abscond a pearl.

Pretty cute, huh?

A sneak preview...

Secret Lives of Interns: Field Trip to the Smithsonians Part II

Before we even headed south to DC, we decided to have a little fun with our interns. Each was given a mysterious packet, not to be opening until we were standing in front of the NMAH! Reportedly the temptation to open their packets early was high, but happily they all held out.

One of the items in their packets was a list of "missions," small tasks to accomplish throughout there day. One mission asked them to check out the "Read My Pins" exhibit in the Smithsonian Castle and choose their favorite pin (and tell us when/why they would wear it)!

My personal favorite, doesn't it just seem super useful?

Liberty, 1997. Gijs Bakker, Netherlands. Sterling silver, stainless-steel watches.
4.2” x 3.6” (10.7cm x 9.2cm). Photo by John Bigelow Taylor

At Read My Pins at the Smithsonian Castle, my favorite pin that Madeline Albright wore was the Heart pin, “Katie’s Heart.” I would wear the pin because of the meaningful significance attached to it, as it was given to Madeline Albright by her daughter, Katie, which represents love as well as the bonds that can be made between different generations. I think it is really special that Madeline Albright continues to treasure this pin as much as she has always done because it
signifies the everlasting mother-daughter bond that the two of them have. If I had a heart pin like this, I would wear it all the time, just like Madeline Albright does, to represent my special relationship with my daughter.

Katie’s Heart, 1972. Katie Albright, USA. Clay. 2.8” x 2.4” (7.2cm x 6cm). Photo by John Bigelow Taylor

My favorite Madeline Albright pins depicted animals. I love animal jewelry and I would be thrilled to have any of the pins pictured above in MY own private collection… but alas for now (and probably forever) I will have to merely daydream about wearing any one of the pins above. My favorite pin is black, circular, and features an animal head. I like that particular pin because it is open to interpretation as to what animal it depicts, and because I like the contrast between the bright stripes and the dark black circle. If I owned this pin, I would wear it all of the time… to bed, in the shower, when running a marathon, etc., etc.


I realize that it is probably supposed to be a palm tree pin, but I would like to think that it is really a palmetto tree pin, as I am from the Palmetto State. We South Carolinians have a lot of state pride and often wear various types of Palmetto tree clothing, shoes, bumper stickers, etc.


I feel that this lipstick pin would be appropriate for so many occasions. I was attracted most by its sass and sparkle, and by its color: bright shiny red. I like to think of Madeleine Albright putting on her shiny red lipstick and her shiny red lipstick pin and going out on the town with foreign dignitaries and heads of state. I’d like to emulate that kind of verve in my life as well. I’d probably wear this pin on the lapel of the nice fitted jacket of my power suit, were I to have one, and clearly I am going to need one if I am to be more like Ms. Albright.


I would love to wear this with my Renaissance costumes or for a special occasion!




Ever since I was a small child, my family has owned a fish tank. We owned the gamut--salt water, fresh water, tropicals, octopus, anemonies, piranhas-- you name it, we had it. I still love fish to this day, and must always have a tank set up; even if it is a small one gallon tank with a beta. My favorite Albright pin is the colorful fish in the upper right corner. (This is a salt-water fish, however I do not recall the name, but trust me, we owned one!)