Internal
More Than a Gallery: Stepping into a Conversation through Art.
The group exhibition Internal, hosted in the Hank and Dolly Gallery for the month of July, celebrates the creativity and camaraderie of the 2026 Harrison Center summer interns. This is Harrison’s first intern-led show, and it showcases the work of Ruth Tesfaye, Jack Mahaffey, Claire Lafiosca, Caroline Otto, Chace Bailey, Bridget Peck, Aysha Edmondson, and James Lefebvre.
Among the impressive works on display, two pieces particularly stood out to me. "Hobbies" by Ruth Tesfaye is a striking charcoal drawing that beautifully captures distinct forms through a masterful interplay of luminous highlights and deep, overlapping shadows. Meanwhile, "Eeny Meeny Miny Me" by Chace Bailey resonates on a deeply personal level, reflecting the constant scrutiny and pressure from societal expectations to conform to standard norms, while exploring the poignant question of what happens when someone chooses to break those boundaries and stand out as different.
Within this space, we interns find our role, each task we are given a piece that makes Harrison Center more whole. Whether that’s with helping run events or assisting with gallery tasks, we help to support the staff in any way we can. We take a hands-on role with local artists to create, while offering studio help to decide our artistic fate. Community help is the thread that keeps us all tied, ensuring the spirit of art has nowhere to hide.
"It really is a collective effort," says intern Alex Cuellar. "Seeing how an event coordinator's logistics mesh with the creative vision of the studio helps—it taught me that the art isn't just what hangs on the wall, but the community we build to put it there."
Tesfaye further explained, “Art primarily springs from the subconscious. I often find myself creating things I hadn't planned or previously attempted—ideas that seem to surface on their own.”
When asked, one of Harrison Center’s summer administrative interns Alex Cuellar reflected, “Art is subjective. I think the beauty of art is that everybody sees something different. A huge part of the art community is that once the artist is done with a piece, it leaves my hands, and art becomes defined by how people interpret it and how they feel about it. Basically, art is in the eyes of the beholder. It has no limitations, no detachment that makes art, art. Art is always going to be looked at differently through someone else's lens. Some may be more focused on direct narratives, while others lean into the abstract, but every piece relies on the viewer to complete the story.”
Jack Mahaffey shared about his work, “The focus is really on the viewer's interpretation. I presented two distinct series—one more directed and one abstract—, and I feel that this open approach to interpretation defines much of the First Friday exhibition.”
Internal serves as far more than a simple display - it is a hub where voices converge. It offers a platform for the interns this year who are passionate about art to present their latest work, allowing their expressions to interact with the world outside. Sharing this space alongside fellow artists was an incredible honor, as it allowed my own work to become part of the larger conversation. Walking through the room, you could feel the camaraderie and teamwork woven together through each display. This exhibit has shown me that art is not just an object on a wall, but a living dialogue between the artist and everyone who steps through the door.
As I was writing this blog and listening to the reflections made by my other interns, the gallery took on more life, as if the space was revealing the hands, minds, and hearts behind every piece. Overall, art doesn’t simply decorate walls; it changes the way we see everything beyond them.