Student Audrey Gleason ULAE Internship - Summer 2018
Universal Limited Art Editions is a renowned printmaking studio in Bay Shore, New York, with a rich history of collaborating with artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Kiki Smith, and many other influential artists of our time. Bill Goldston, OSU alumnus and current owner of ULAE, has been providing all-expenses-paid internships for three students in the OSU Art Department every year since 1987.
He is passionate about providing a platform for students to be immersed in a new environment and take advantage of everything New York City has to offer. I was honored to receive this opportunity for the summer of 2018, and living in New York on my own had an impact on my life that will stay with me forever. I am graduating in May 2019 and I will be working for Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition as the Events and Programs Coordinator, a position I'm so excited about because I was fortunate to learn a lot about what I wanted to do while I was in New York.
Even though I will always have a special place in my heart for printmaking, I found myself even more absorbed in attending as many arts events, performances, and festivals that I could. I loved seeing the art in every museum and gallery, and I loved being around the art and artists at ULAE, but my sketchbook mostly collected dust under my bed. I chose to be a BFA Studio Art major to “do what I love,” but I learned that what I love not only evolved over the course of college but will continue to evolve over my lifetime. Two things hold constant: I love art and I love being around people. The rest is constantly shifting.
That unknown and lack of control still ties my stomach in knots, but I made so much progress in accepting it each time I tried a new food over lunch at the studio or decided to walk randomly around the city without a specific destination or route in mind (previously unconquerable battles). I have always been independent and outgoing, but exploring such a huge city by myself for the first time gave me confidence to put myself out there, take risks, and appreciate the possibilities each new day brings. - Audrey Gleason