It’s like walking into your favorite coffee shop for the first time. You don’t really know what the outcome is going to be, like, do they burn their beans? Do they even offer coconut milk? Who knows, but you have that special, rare, warm feeling that this is going to be a place that steals a piece of your heart.

That’s what it was like for me, walking into the Museum of Outdoor Arts on the first day of our Design and Build internship. After meeting everyone, doing cheesy ice breakers that I always shamelessly delight in, and learning about the similar yet vastly different backgrounds that everyone holds with the arts, I was just so charged. Honestly, none of us really knew the exact scope of what our eight weeks working with Prismajic would entail or look like, but I was charged and awakened by the energy, talent, and kindness that our group possessed. Who wouldn’t be beyond stoked to work with a group of people that possess the same passion for art as you do? It was cool, to say the least, to know how much technical and intellectual skill is just floating around in the room, waiting for Jen and Eric to harness it.
After doing a solid two days of getting to know not only each other, but getting to know the deeply rooted history of the Museum of Outdoor Arts, including a tour of Fiddler’s Green and Marjorie Park, The Madden Museum of Art, and more, we finally got to tour the Prismajic Studio, meaning, we finally got a taste of what we were in for. Eric and Jen let us into their curated world. The Prismajic studio is truly somewhere that I wish I could wake up every morning. Full of charm, character, and sweet little artistic surprises hidden all around, you can tell that Jen, Eric, and others that help out with Prismajic’s creativity take pleasure in having a say in the experience that guests have when they’re welcomed into their studio. Faux (?) snake skin couches with white furry throws, stained glass creations and paintings, sculptures hidden in coves and corners- the real deal. This was a creative, fertile, hip space, and we could all feel it.
In the Prismajic studio, the Prismajic team has created a smaller version of what we’re going to transform the Museum of Outdoor Arts into for the piece Natura Obscura, essentially, and hello, it was majical. Prismajical, if you will. The installation was a completely immersive experience, transporting you to a different realm that housed new whimsical creatures and details so macro and micro, sounds and sights just begging to be explored, I effortlessly forgot that I was in a brick building next to an adorable consignment shop on a busy Denver street.
I thought the energy amongst the group was elevated before that, but after getting a taste of the monumental project we were all about to be a part of, I could have cried. No joke. We were all so awfully excited, we were on cloud nine. We were soaring with positivity that was quite honestly rooted in nerves, colored with a tinge of anxiety brought on by the daunting task that was now in front of us, yet eager to jump in.
The next few days included more team-building and orientation, where we really got to explore each others’ work as artists, and also, explore some of the materials we would be working with to make Jen’s vision come to life. By the end of the week, some of the nerves and anxiety melted away as we quickly realized that we are equipped to make this happen. We’ve got a tenacious leader and the collective brain power, collaborative skills, and attitude to help Prismajic bring Natura Obscura into fruition.

Like I said, it’s like walking into your favorite coffee shop for the first time, yet it turns out, their cold brew is the best you’ve ever had, the barista complimented your shoes, and you guys talked for way too long about the new cool thrift store that just opened down the street. No burned beans, and all of the coconut milk you could ever dream of. Maybe it’s not the best metaphor… but I think we all felt it. This is going to be something special.