My name is Sophie Kraft, and I am going into my final year at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, studying Art History and Communication Studies with a minor in Management. I was awarded the Max Stern Internship in Art History Award. During my internship at Cowley Abbott Fine Art, I learned so many skills that are vital for my future career in the art world. My coursework as an Art History major at McGill has provided me with a strong foundation in art historical research, as well as an appreciation for the role of art in shaping cultural and social contexts. I have grown up visiting museums around the world, and I continually read about and visit art exhibitions, whether in my hometown of Toronto, or abroad. Some of my favourites include the Botero Museum in Colombia, The Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, and The Prado Museum in Spain. I have always been inspired by art, which has fuelled my passion to work in the art world and has dictated my course of studies at McGill.
I pursued this internship at Cowley Abbott to deepen my understanding of the art auction industry, particularly in Canadian art. My primary learning objectives were to gain hands-on experience in handling and cataloguing artworks, understand the dynamics of an art auction house, and explore the integration of e-commerce with more traditional auction practices.
Cowley Abbott is a prominent art auction house based in Toronto, Canada, that blends traditional art auctions with an innovative online marketplace. This approach enhances accessibility for buyers and streamlines the auction process. Their mission is to connect art collectors with works of art through a seamless integration of traditional and digital platforms. Cowley Abbott offers semi-annual live auctions of important Canadian art and monthly themed online auctions.
As an Intern, I learned how to handle and package artworks for pickups and deliveries, manage artwork releases from their database, and process various documents such as invoices and shipping receipts. Additionally, I worked on cataloguing a collection of books from renowned Canadian Curator and Art Historian Dennis Reid.
One of the major highlights was being involved in the preparation for Cowley Abbott’s annual live auction scheduled for May 30th, 2024. I had the opportunity to see the collection on display and interact with high-profile clients. This provided me invaluable networking experiences.
A challenge of my internship was mastering the intricacies of the database system and ensuring accurate cataloguing of artworks. I dedicated extra time to learning the database functions and sought guidance from my supervisor to ensure each inscription and book title was entered correctly.
This internship has significantly enriched my university experience by bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application. Working at Cowley Abbott allowed me to apply concepts from my coursework in a real-world setting. This hands-on experience has also improved my professional skills, such as communication and organization.
I received funding for this internship through the Max Stern Internship in Art History Award, which greatly supported my ability to focus on my role at Cowley Abbott. The funds helped cover essential expenses such as transportation and work-related materials.
