Learning by Making: Calder Randolph and the Dick Polich Internship

There are some things about making art that can only be learned by doing. 

For Calder Randolph, the summer of 2026 was filled with welding, grinding, mould making, sandblasting, and firsthand discovery of the many processes and people involved in bringing ambitious works of art to life. 

Calder is the latest recipient of the Dick Polich Internship, an annual program established through the vision and initiative of Dick Polich’s wife, Cathy Kuttner, in collaboration with UAP and the Community Foundation of Orange, Sullivan and Rockland. Now in its third year, the program honors Dick’s legacy as a craftsperson, innovator, and mentor by giving emerging art makers hands-on experience at UAP’s workshop in New York’s Hudson Valley.  

“The internship is a wonderful reflection of Dick’s spirit and the values he believed in so deeply, giving aspiring artists and craftspeople the opportunity to explore, learn, develop their skills, and grow through the experience of making. It is very meaningful to see that tradition continue in his name,” said Cathy Kuttner. Past recipients include Brionie Nelson, Hanibal Grant and Lyanna Wilcox.

Calder joined the foundry hoping to learn more about how metal sculptures are made. He found a place where skilled craftspeople practice daily and share years of experience. 

“It is real work,” he reflected at the end of his internship. “The apprenticeship sheds light on what it takes for metal sculptures to come into this world.” 

Over the summer, Calder worked alongside craftspeople across the foundry, developing practical skills in welding, silicone mold making, finishing, and other aspects of metalwork. Just as important were the moments when experienced makers stopped to share the knowledge that comes from years at the bench. 

One of those people was UAP’s long-serving staff member and finishing expertise lead, Peter Ross, whom Calder describes as embodying the relationship between craftsperson and apprentice: patient, observant, and willing to encourage experimentation. Working together helped Calder develop not only new technical abilities, but also greater confidence in his own hands. 

For Calder, that generosity was a recurring theme. He recalls Raul, Peter, Sal, Leo, Rosemary and others taking the time to answer questions and share their skills. Beyond the workshop itself, he found a genuine community: conversations around the picnic tables at lunch, colleagues helping one another, and a shared passion for making things well. 

Perhaps the greatest lesson was seeing how all those individual skills connect. 

“It has been remarkable to see how so many different processes come together under one roof to result in extraordinary works of art,” Calder said. 

That idea is at the core of the Dick Polich Internship. The program gives emerging makers a chance to learn from knowledge built up over generations and helps young artists understand the patience, skill, teamwork, and craft involved in making art. 

Calder plans to pursue art professionally and hopes his relationship with the foundry will continue. One day, he says, he would love to return not as an intern, but as an artist bringing his own large-scale work to life. 

According to Elizabeth Rowley, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Orange, Sullivan and Rockland, “This fund is a shining example of the magic that happens when legacy, passion, and commitment come together.  Our Foundation is honored to play a small role in helping offer this unique and impactful opportunity to makers and young artists.” 

Supporting the Dick Polich Internship Fund helps make experiences like Calder’s possible, investing not simply in one summer of learning, but in the skills and craftspeople who will shape the future of art-making. 

Support the Dick Polich Internship Fund