2023 Getty Marrow Intern — Mary McCord

We are pleased to announce that our 2023 Getty Marrow Undergraduate Intern, Mary McCord, has joined us for the summer.

This spring, Mary completed their Bachelor of Arts in Art History at California State University Long Beach. Prior to enrolling in CSULB’s Art History program, they studied fashion design and fine arts at Mount San Antonio College near their hometown of Claremont, CA. Exposure to the scale and speed of today’s garment industry, as well as its ecological implications, led Mary to explore the world of artisan craftsmanship in pursuit of a sustainable alternative. Their interest in craft was solidified at CSULB, where they were lucky to take several Art History classes in conjunction with the University’s thriving American Indian Studies department. During that time, they became enamored with the vibrant history of craftsmanship on the North American continent, as well as craftsmanship in the Caribbean diaspora. Naturally, an internship at Craft in America seemed like an excellent fit.

In just one week at Craft in America, Mary’s appreciation for a variety of craft traditions has already deepened. They are especially excited to continue learning about the communal element of craftsmanship: from the teachers who form a link between old and young generations by passing down traditional techniques, to the artisans who dedicate themselves to making their crafts accessible to local communities. They are inspired by the dedication of craftspeople to the lifelong process of honing their skills, as well as their ability to create deeply personal works within traditional craft techniques. Mary hopes that this experience will inform their own multimedia arts practice, teaching them to utilize craft for the purpose of community bonding and resilience as generations of craftspeople have done before.