Piano compositions written by Owen York ‘26 and Conrad Tilroe ‘25 were performed by Professor Holly Roadfelt in Brooklyn on April 4 at an event held at Mise-En Place. Roadfeldt’s set, part of her project entitled “North American Narratives,” also featured music by Phillip Glass, Shelley Washington, Stephanie Ann Boyd, David Rakowski, and Professor Kirk O’Riordan, among other composers.

From left to right: Owen York, Holly Roadfeldt, Conrad Tilroe

A music major with a minor in English, York likened songwriting to his other passion for the written word. “I’ve been pretty much writing music my whole life. I would just learn songs by ear and then just write stuff,” he said. “I was also writing stories, and for me music was very much about just telling stories.”

In terms of Roadfeldt’s setlist, the students found it hard to believe that their pieces were played among work from artists they studied and respected. “She’s playing some pretty big names, and then it’s just me and Conrad,” said York. “It’s sort of just like, woah.”

Tilroe’s piece “Reue” and “moulin à vent vagues” by York both premiered at the World Piano Day event held at Williams Center for the Arts this past month, where the students had the opportunity to watch Roadfeldt perform their pieces before an audience of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 community members. 

Looking back on the event, the students shared what it meant to them to see their work played onstage for the first time.

“It’s pretty overwhelming to hear that in that space with one of the best instruments in the world, and one of the best performers that I know,” Tilroe said. “It’s like stars aligning.”

“Having my teacher believe in me like that to play my piece in front of an audience, I don’t think she would do that if she didn’t think it was worth something, so that’s encouraging,” York said.

Both students composed their pieces specifically at Roadfeldt’s request. The small courses in the music department, averaging around 5 students per class, allow for more personal connections to develop between students and their instructors, leading to collaborations like this one. 

York explained the value in 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ’s music department compared to the education a student might receive at a more competitive conservatory. “It’s such a small department that you meet everyone,” York said. “You get afforded opportunities that you probably wouldn’t get at a bigger school, so I’m definitely grateful for that.”

Tilroe, a music major with a history minor, echoed the benefits of close connections in the classroom. “Because you can take private lessons in composition and various instruments, you get very close attention from your mentors,” he said, “and that creates progress like nothing else.”

Both students dabble in sound recording in addition to songwriting. York, a CaPA scholar, purchased recording equipment with his scholarship money, which allowed him to experiment further while writing new music. 

However, writing music is often an individual process that brings several challenges.  While Tilroe and York both play piano, the pieces they composed for Roadfeldt are much more intricate and complicated, requiring a more advanced skill set to master. This made the song-writing process harder, as they could not fully conceptualize what their pieces would sound like before sharing them with Roadfeldt, whose piano expertise was needed to bring the songs to life. 

York, who often refrains from playing his pieces digitally on composition software before hearing it played by a human hand, described the songwriting process as “a labor of love.” “You just have to believe in yourself,” he said.

Tilroe faced different challenges when composing “Reue.” He explained that he scrapped his entire piece three days before the deadline and started fresh, motivated by the impending deadline to work harder on fulfilling his vision.

Daniel Ruggiero ’25, Owen York ’26, and Conrad Tilroe Jr. ’25 prepare for World Piano Day.

“I didn’t know if it worked because I can’t play my piece. I’m not good enough of a pianist, so I constructed it all in little fragments and pieces and kind of stitched it together,” he said. “When Professor Roadfeldt played it, the care she showed every note, even the ones I wasn’t sure of, that was rewarding.”

“Honestly none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for her,” York said of Roadfeldt.  “She’s probably the best musician I’ve ever met in person in my life…she’s just been amazing as a teacher.”

The student composers traveled to the city to watch Roadfeldt perform their pieces in front of an audience full of fresh faces. This event broadened the scope of people exposed to their work beyond the 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 campus.

“It feels like stepping into a larger world,” Tilroe said.

Four students in the Film and Media Studies department produced short films that were recently accepted into the Allentown Film Festival. Sam Cohen ‘25 is a FAMS major, while McKenna Graf ‘26, Paige Mathieu ‘24, and Gianna Rauchut ‘26 are double majors in FAMS and English. In the Q&A below, the students share more details about themselves as artists and filmmakers, reflecting on the short films they submitted to the festival.

What is your earliest memory of film or the arts in general?

McKenna: My earliest memory of film is making iMovie trailers with my middle sister and family friends. I always assigned myself as the editor and cinematographer because I just really loved being behind the camera. Being able to bring to life whatever crazy idea presented to me is just something I find myself super drawn to. 

Sam: My earliest memory of film is of me coming home every day from preschool, changing into my Buzz Lightyear costume, and watching the Buzz Lightyear animated movie.

Paige: My earliest art memory is probably in the dance studio. I took dance classes at a small studio run by students at Muhlenberg College called MCDC. The classes focused on both learning dance steps and creating our own choreography. This love of trying out new ideas that began in dance class now extends to both my writing and filmmaking.

Gigi: My parents have taken me to Lincoln Center every summer since I was 3 to see American Ballet Theater’s performances. Also, as silly as it is, the second live action Scooby-Doo movie was the first film that made me aware of filmmaking, that this was something I could feasibly do one day.

How is the arts unique to your experience at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ? Favorite part about the FAMS department at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ?

McKenna: I applied to 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 because I felt such a strong draw to the arts community on campus. It’s small but passionate and a place that I feel such joy in being able to contribute to in a big way. I feel a similar way about the FAMS department. It’s also small but because of that I feel incredibly seen and taken very seriously as a maker and a scholar. These things work hand in hand to make me a better film student overall and I feel so lucky to have such strong connections with professors and classmates that are constantly encouraging me to do better.

Sam: Arts is unique to my experience at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 because it has allowed me to meet and interact with a wide array of students I wouldn’t have known otherwise. My favorite part about the FAMS department is the professors. They all put in extreme amounts of work and effort to make sure the students get the best Film education they can. 

Paige: When I joined the 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 community, I never expected to be a FAMS major, but I really enjoyed the community that the FAMS department values. Being apart of the FAMS department has been a privilege because of all the wonderful writers, filmmakers, and scholars I have been able to meet along the way. Those in FAMS, both those still at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 and alumni, take time to have share their experiences and ask about wellbeing beyond the classroom. It is this supportive network that allows us to create. 

Gigi: I love that the arts is so deeply integrated in the fabric of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 . Without the arts, this school would not be as great as it is. The professors in the FAMS department are absolutely wonderful. 

How would you describe yourself as an artist/filmmaker in one word?

McKenna: Curious (but specifically like Alice in Wonderland)

Sam: I would describe myself as a free thinker and collaborative. 

Paige: Thoughtful

Gigi: Ambitious

What is the title of your film? What themes does it touch on? How would you explain it to someone who hasn’t seen it?

McKenna: “Lost Conversations” touches on themes of grief and memory. It is a conversation between a grandma and her granddaughter who never met her grandpa.

Sam: Shadows of Confession. I would describe my film as mysterious.

Paige: The title of my film is Growing Roots. It tells the story of a young student struggling to find their place in a new college community, so she adopts an emotional support plant. The film particularly looks at the theme of finding identity.

Gigi: Dear Summer. It explores friendship in places you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find it. My film is a love letter, a little abstract and a little beautiful. 

If your film had a tagline, what would it be?

McKenna: A granddaughter who has never met her grandfather, uncovers what might have been if he was still alive through conversation with her grandmother.

Sam: A person wakes up in a room with a detective. As the detainee is questioned, the horrifying truth of the situation is unveiled.

Paige: A freshman college student struggles to find her “people.”

Gigi: Do you love the snow as much as I do?

Who or what were your muses? What inspired your initial idea?

McKenna: My muse is my grandma and my late grandpa. I was inspired to pursue this project because my grandma has always compared me to my grandpa, but as he passed away when I was much younger, I don’t really know who he is beyond that comparison. This project (and the many others it has and will inspire) seeks to uncover who my grandpa is and what my connection to him means. 

Sam: The class FAMS 120: Alfred Hitchcock inspired me to make this film and in the style I did. Noir is a genre that always intrigued me. 

Paige: My initial idea I had thought of as a logline for a TV show during my TV writing course the previous year. The concept originally revolved around a protagonist talking to their plants during the pandemic. I chose not to develop that particular idea into a TV show script, but when I joined the short fiction film class, I saw the potential in the idea for a short film (with some adjustments).

Gigi: It’s been so long, I can’t really remember. My best ideas sneak up on me and they come out of nowhere. 

What was the most challenging part of creating your film? The most rewarding?

McKenna: The most challenging part of my film was getting acquainted with the camera. It was my first serious short film and there were many things that could go wrong but it was working with those challenges that has made me grow. For example, I ended up working more with archival footage because my lighting wasn’t where I wanted it to be. But editing the archival footage ended up being the place I had the most fun. It felt a lot like poetry to me, weaving together narratives of people today with photos of the past.

Sam: The most challenging part of my film was finding actors who would agree to appear in it. The most rewarding part was putting the finishing touches on it and knowing I had completed a film on my own. 

Paige: The most challenging part of creating a film is always the unknown. There are many factors that go into creating a film – from actors and crew to the weather. You do your best to control these things and plan for when things will not go according to plan, but sometimes things still don’t work out. I think that the most rewarding part of creating my film was seeing the completed work. It is exciting to see something that you are proud of and so many people put a great deal of effort into on the screen where others can enjoy it too. 

Gigi: I filmed it entirely by myself, it would’ve been nice to have some extra hands. The most rewarding part of the film was finding out everything was mostly in focus, as well as a shot that I refer to as the Jack Frost shot, which was just a happy accident. 

How do you feel about your work being showcased at the Allentown Film Festival?

McKenna: I’m really excited to get the chance to have my film showcased at the Allentown Film Festival. It is one of the first serious short films I have ever worked on so the chance to be recognized for all the hard work I put into it is very rewarding and is a memory I am sure I will cherish for a long time. It’s very nerve wracking but I will be there with family and I know I’m going to feel supported in a way I haven’t had a chance to yet with my art and I’m really excited.

Sam: I am very proud to have my work showcased at the Allentown Film Festival. It isn’t my first time having a film of mine accepted at one, but it is an honor to have it shown at the festival alongside my fellow students. 

Paige: I am very excited and grateful that my work is being showcased at the Allentown Film Festival. This will be my first screening outside of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 , so I am excited for the opportunity to share my work and see the work of other local filmmakers.

Gigi: I am genuinely so excited, it’s such a great festival and I’m so glad that I got to be recognized by such a wonderful organization.

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out for their mentorship or supporting role in helping you achieve this goal?

McKenna: I would like to give a huge shoutout to Professor Drew Swedberg for his mentorship on this project. It was his class, Integrated Practice 1, where this project was born and it was his encouragement to just submit to film festivals that got this film even submitted to Allentown. I am eternally grateful for his enthusiasm and counsel about the project as well as the rest of my classmates in IP1: James Kohler, Cooper Vanneck, Leonardo Ontiveros and Zeynep Pilatin. I would often joke that I felt like a fake film major, but once I got to this class I truly felt respected as a filmmaker and I can not thank you all enough for the confidence you have given me. 

Sam: Professor Drew Swedberg, thank you for guiding me through the process while I was making the film and for always being there to give helpful feedback. 

Paige: I’d like to shout out all of the FAMS professors because they constantly encourage and inspire students to create and share important media. I would especially like to thank Professor Andy Smith because it was during his class that I created this film, and he constantly gave me feedback and advice about how to make this film its best.

Gigi: My parents. 

Are you working on any other projects? Any plans for a future in film?

McKenna: I am currently working on a longer documentary by the same name (“Lost Conversations”) in my DOC 250 class. It is expanding on the project from Integrated Practice 1 but I am taking a more personal and experimental angle. I’ve become really invested in the editing of this project and I hope to chase opportunities that help me learn more about a career in editing. 

Sam: I am working on a documentary right now for a class on the FAMS department, and I plan to work in film after college. 

Paige: I am currently working on my senior thesis in the FAMS department. This project began in the fall as a capstone project where I researched the Romantic Comedy genre and the subversion of this genre called the Radical Rom Com. This subversion of the genre looks at the ways that Rom-Coms can better fit 21st-century viewers. Based on this research, I wrote a TV pilot script of a show called Whisk Taking in the Radical Rom Com genre. For my thesis project, I continue to explore how filmmakers can subvert the expectations of the Romantic Comedy by filming the pilot episode. I am excited to showcase the pilot on campus later this month.

Gigi: There are always ideas whirling around in my head, hopefully over the summer and fall I will release more things. 

Anything you’d like to add?

McKenna: Yes! I’m working on self-promoting my projects more (I’m very bad at it!) so I’m just going to share that here! I’m a very driven and creative person and find myself very drawn to project-based opportunities. With that in mind, here are a couple of the projects I’ve been working on: I self-published a poetry book called “writing over the word limit” that is available here. I am currently working with Parisian Phoenix Publishing to publish my second poetry book titled, “Mortals, Myths, and Maybes.” I recently finished a fun short film titled, “May We Kiss?” which can be viewed here. And lastly, I chronicle all of my projects on my Instagram @mckennagrafwrites! Thank you so much!

Paige: I’d also like to thank my friends who supported my filming through their roles as actors, crew members, and reviewers. I really appreciate the time and effort they put into this film because this film could not have been what it is without them.

Alteronce Gumby will begin his Artist Residency this week as part of the Experimental Printmaking Institute’s Artist Residency Program. Through funding from the R.K. Laros Foundation and Curley Raven Holton Endowment Fund for the Arts, the program fosters a collaborative approach to printmaking, allowing students to directly observe a professional artist’s innovative approach to making while also being hands-on during the process.

Students in Assistant Professor Pedro Barbeito’s Interdisciplinary Printmaking class (ART212) will have the opportunity to work with Gumby from March 25-29, experimenting with the artist’s studio techniques to collaborate on a cohesive project. 

Barbeito, who is also the director of EPI, shared that the collaborative process

will benefit Alteronce as the students can provide suggestions and technical expertise on what he can make and it will also help the students as they will be able to experience how Alteronce thinks through his work.

Gumby holds a B.F.A. from Hunter College, along with an M.F.A. in painting and printmaking from Yale University. 

“Even though I lean more towards the painting aspect of the degree, I think it’s nice to come back here and have a moment back in the printshop,” Gumby said. “I’m a painter, and so I usually approach everything from a painter’s aesthetic…I use a lot of alternative mediums, like glass and gemstones, but also acrylic paint.”

The students have already spent a few weeks familiarizing themselves with these unique materials that are central to Gumby’s art in preparation for the collaboration.

Gumby explained that he incorporates gemstones and different techniques into his paintings to “create this synergy of experience where one can look at the painting and not just experience it visually, but also physically and conceptually.” 

“I feel like I am really thinking about the experience one has when they’re looking at the painting, and what story and experience a viewer can have from engaging with the materials of the painting,” he said.

The history of pigments was what originally inspired Gumby’s exploration of color and tactile components. 

close-up – artist work at EPI | Photo credit Aviv Springer-Galst

“The gemstones really came to me when I was thinking about where colors come from, or where pigments come from,” he said. “Because my work is mainly based on redefining color for myself, I wanted to go to the source of where color comes from, so I really started looking to nature…Doing a little bit of research, I realized that a lot of the materials we use as pigments come from the natural Earth, like red jasper or lapis lazuli, or ochre. Even some organic or plant materials like indigo and marigolds and cochineal.”

He first began to explore how dry pigments from plants could be turned into wet mediums and then expanded the scope of his interests in nature to discover how color functions in crystals.

“I started going to the gem store and looking at crystals and things like that, and was really just fascinated by the natural formation of these gems and the colors in which they give off,” Gumby said. “And so I just started having them around my studio. Eventually, I started embedding them into my painting.”

Gumby was also inspired by techniques used by other artists like William de Kooning, Sam Gilliam, Rashid Johnson, and Pierre Solonge, who incorporate elements of texture into their work to add depth with each brush stroke. 

“I really wanted that aspect to my work as well, where you’re looking at the painting and there’s a physical resonance that’s happening as well,” he said. “We’re in the printshop, and I use a lot of printing techniques, but I feel like I’m also going to be bringing a lot of things outside the world of printmaking into this body of work.”

Ringing true to the interdisciplinary aspect of Barbeito’s course, Gumby will bring his experience in both painting and printmaking to the print shop for this particular project.

“Throughout my career, I feel like I have defined myself as a painter, more recently as more of just an artist, and I guess in my own way redefining what a painting is,” he said. “So while I’m here I’ll probably be looking to do the same, just redefine what a print is.”

The beautiful thing about [EPI] is that there’s a lot of different tools, and there’s a lot of different ways to experiment,… 

Gumby said. “[Barbeito] has equipped the studio with a lot of equipment that allows students and artists to really think outside the box, and to bring tools that you might only see in like an engineering shop into the print studio to make new tools and formats for making a painting. So I think while I’m here, there’s a lot of equipment here and processes that I’m going to be experimenting with to bring things together.”

 Barbeito is prepared to use the 100-ton hydraulic press for this collaboration to press crystals into paper pulp, with inks and some other materials. The paper being used for this project is ¼” thick and was hand-made at EPI in preparation for Gumby’s residency.

Gumby plans to enter EPI’s print shop with an open mind.

“My preliminary plan is to activate my imagination and then see what comes of that,” he said. “It’s really just playing around and seeing what happens…It’ll be a sharing of the minds.”

close-up 2 – artist work at EPI | Photo credit Aviv Springer-Galst

Gumby will have full access to the tools and equipment at EPI to explore the process and develop an idea for the work during his residency. While only on campus for his week-long residency, he hopes to get as much done as possible before leaving the project in the hands of the students. 

“The work continues even after I leave,” he said. “We’ll get as far as we can get in terms of getting an idea and a process down while I’m here, and then it’ll be up to the students in the print shop to carry it over the finish line.”

I think it’s always great to have the opportunity to work with students because everyone is still learning, and still trying to figure things out, and that’s the type of energy I like to keep within my practice,” Gumby added.

 I think you get a sense of play as an artist who’s been out in the field for a while and then to come back to school, I feel like the students are really just exploring and experimenting, and I kind of feed off that energy.

Gumby is joining the college from New York, where he has lived for 17 years, though originally from Harrisburg. “It’s good to be back in Pennsylvania,” he said. “It brings back fond memories to be back in the print shop, and I’m happy to be here at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 .” 

Amid a charged political climate, the department of Film and Media Studies has been showcasing the work of Palestinian filmmakers in a Palestinian Film Series cosponsored by various other academic departments and organizations on campus.

These films were selected by FAMS Chair Nandini Sikand (they/she) and Visiting Instructor Drew Swedberg, who were assisted throughout the programming process by FAMS student Ari Ismail ‘26. 

…We’re an institution of higher education, and it is important to have spaces of artistic, academic, and intellectual freedom where we can learn, debate, talk…

“We were very concerned about what was happening in Palestine made worse by a flood of misinformation. All of this was preceded by an ongoing narrative of erasure about Palestine and its people,” said Sikand. They explained that the film series is an attempt to address this issue. “It’s not just about 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 but cuts across all of higher education. Typically there is an attempt to silence any kind of discourse around Palestine, or if there is one, it privileges certain stereotypes and Islamophobia. Saeed Taji Farouky, one of the featured filmmakers, describes his work as a distinct

In Vitro

vernacular form of Palestinian cinema, like Palestine itself, defined by isolation, denial, loss, and alienation, concerned with what isn’t there. Farouky’s framing helped us curate these films — to show the holes, the absences.”

Film as an artistic genre has the power to expand beyond central narratives and broaden viewers’ scope of global issues. Sikand said that the film series was designed to create “a space of witness for what is happening currently in Palestine, the material reality of ongoing nakba (catastrophe) of the Palestinian people, and how our governments are actively enabling a genocide.”

“We’re an institution of higher education, and it is important to have spaces of artistic, academic, and intellectual freedom where we can learn, debate, talk, and showcase the work of, by, and about Palestinians who are actively resisting occupation,” she said. 

The goal was to showcase the work of Palestinian filmmakers, the artistry, the wit, the brilliance, the aesthetics, and the solidarity with other struggles…

Sikand explained that Palestinian films are not shown very frequently, and estimated that the series may even be the first occasion dedicated to Palestinian films on campus.

“You’re not hearing Palestinian voices. For several reasons, there are other people speaking for and on behalf of them,” Sikand said. Narratives of Palestine told by outside voices can be “construed in ways that are not useful or honest, that just give a one-sided picture,” they added.

The film series is intended to break the silence in an environment where “people in academic institutions are being censured for saying anything that may be construed as a defense of Palestinian liberation, another form of epistemic violence,” according to Sikand. At a time when many students on campus don’t feel seen or heard, Sikand said the series creates a space for them to have their concerns acknowledged.

Your Father Was Born 100 Years Old, and So Was the Nakba

Sikand said that some films in the series display a pre-war Gaza that looks drastically different than the area’s current state due to “ongoing onslaught, bombing, and destruction. Each film engages with the land either obliquely or directly, it is another character in the film, not just a landscape or a backdrop.

While shedding light on the current conflict in Gaza, the series also intends to showcase what it means to be Palestinian outside of the realm of violence. “The goal was to showcase the work of Palestinian filmmakers, the artistry, the wit, the brilliance, the aesthetics, and the solidarity with other struggles,”  Sikand said. Films were also chosen from a range of genres created by filmmakers with varying degrees of experience, what Sikand terms “cinemas of liberation.”

Sikand hopes to continue the series into the fall semester. The FAMS department is also trying to organize an event where Palestine filmmakers can come to deliver a talk on campus. 

“It’s my job as I see it, to create spaces like this, but also to be able to uplift the work and connect it to what is happening beyond our campus,” they said.

Contemporary artist Gabriel Rico’s exhibit Referentem Mundum is now on display in the Williams Center Gallery at the Williams Center for the Arts. Translating to “calculating the world,” Rico’s exhibit explores connections between art and mathematics. His creative process parallels topology, a Mathematics branch that investigates the organization and structure of spaces in relation to their position.

I define myself as a contemporary artist, a multidisciplinary one. I use my life as meta to explore my humanity, and in that way try to fragment my perception of life by doing art.

Five works make up the exhibit, four of which were composed by Rico himself. The fifth mural is the only one produced in the exhibit that was collaboratively created from locally sourced items at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 College during the artist’s residency.

The collaborative workshop took place across a span of four days at the end of February. On the first day, Rico spoke to the participating students about the ways art and mathematics connect, and how he has leveraged these connections when producing this series of works, which serve as his introduction to working with topology.

Gabriel Rico with student installing the collaborative mural.

Student collaborators* were asked to think about mathematical equations or symbols that they found interesting in preparation for the second day of the workshop where they began to source materials for the collaborative art piece.

As they scouted their path toward the Karl Stirner Arts Trail, the group found a variety of items largely make up the mural installation, along with a few personal items contributed by participants. 

Director of Galleries and Curator of Collections Ricardo Reyes, who curated the show, shared more about the importance of found objects to Rico’s artistic vision.

“Gabriel, what he does is he uses the symbols and the equations as his artistic vocabulary,” Reyes said. “He adds that to the found objects so that the found objects become synthesized with an idea. It’s no longer just an object from nature, but it’s an object to use as art material.”

The group’s found objects include various cans and bottles, an orange umbrella, a maroon scrunchie, a hand warmer, batteries, a box of cigarettes, a foam cup of ramen, and various natural elements such as branches and remnants of a bee hive all arranged into interconnected equations. 

While some of the items stand alone, many were used to resemble parenthesis and other mathematical symbols. Rico explained that once you recognize that the symbols you want to represent have very specific shapes, you can look for those shapes in found objects. “It’s very easy for the brain to have that perspective once you realize the different shapes of the symbols,” he said.

Rico shared that the found objects are unique to the surrounding area at the college, but also speak to larger ideas about human nature, namely the Anthropocene and the effects of human activity on the environment we live in.

“Everything is more about humanity, and how 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 students are part of a society, and the society is part of the human race,” Rico said. He added that interpreting art is all about “zooming in and out on the things you want to realize.”

Arrows and other symbols like rain clouds, lightning bolts, and stars drawn in black paint serve to connect all of the different elements in the collaborative mural. Rico stated that all of these arrows between the “crazy combinations of things” on the wall came from his idea, reminiscent of the way scientists and mathematicians use arrows and symbols to connect different elements when writing out long and complex problems on the blackboard.

“Art is always seen as isolated,” Reyes said, “but in actuality, artists are very much connected…We bring artists in to help facilitate the participatory aspect of it, so students can meet with an artist, talk with an artist, help install, and do workshops,” and in this way, he explained how art has become a very participatory discipline on campus.

The workshop exemplified the interconnectivity of art and how it overlaps with many other academic disciplines, where science and art worked together to create a cohesive piece. The collaborators involved in the workshop came from majors outside of art, namely mathematics and psychology. The value of a liberal arts education is often measured by a well-rounded experience on campus, as demonstrated by the workshop. 

Rico said the workshop with 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 students taught him the importance of slowing down.

“When you try to find objects, the walking speed is very important because you can really stop and look around and recognize things,” he said. “It’s very difficult to recognize things if you run.” 

He also explained that walking at a slower pace to find objects made it easier for the participants to connect, stressing the importance of connections not only between disciplines at the college but also between people inside and outside of the 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 community.

“Really at the end, we are the same,” Rico said. “We share visions of creativity.”

The exhibit will be on display from March 6 through May 3, and the collaborative mural will become part of the college’s permanent art collection at the end of the exhibit.

“It’s very important for me to be here, to be part of the cultural agenda of the college, because education is very important,” Rico said. “Normally my work is related more with museums or public institutions, but not too often can you see my work in educational institutions. This is a very special moment for me.”

*student collaborators: Christopher Rafferty ‘26, Kendall Shaw ‘26, Yunting Jiang ‘25, Isabella Lu ‘25, Sneha Khatuwala ‘27, Lily Dineen ‘24

The annual Flash Fiction Contest challenges students to produce and submit a short piece of fiction to be judged anonymously. The contest is taking place this year in the spring instead of its usual programming in the fall. 

The English department sponsors the contest, and faculty members are typically in charge of planning its logistics. As assistant Professor of English, Jennifer Gilmore is currently the only creative writing faculty member on campus. Other professors in the discipline are on sabbatical or teach as visiting professors. Therefore, Gilmore took charge of running this year’s contest and selecting the judge, who is typically a writer from the region.

Stephanie Powell Watts, creative writing director at Lehigh University, is judging this year’s competition. Gilmore described Watts as “a very well-known novelist and story writer” and added, “We’re really lucky to have Stephanie judge.”

Gilmore herself has also served as a judge for the Flash Fiction Contest back when she first started teaching at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 . 

“It was one of my first experiences with 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 writers, so it was really great to sort of see not only the range of styles but the range of subjects,” she said. “The thing about a short short is you can write about anything.“

In her own writing endeavors as a novelist, Gilmore said that flash fiction pieces can also be beneficial exercises for writers to establish “a bridge to a story” that can be built upon to create a larger work.

While writers have creative freedom over the topic they address in their flash fiction piece, it can be really challenging to get the point across in such a small space. Flash fiction pieces are also referred to interchangeably as vignettes, short shorts, or prose poetry and can only contain up to 500 words including the title. 

“Distilling something down into one image that is emblematic of something is really difficult,” said Gilmore. She shared that she likes to give flash fiction prompts to her students in class and will often write alongside them to see if she, too, can rise to the challenge. 

“Word economy” is especially crucial in the flash fiction writing process. “You’re taking a big story and putting it in a small space,” she said. “It’s really about word economy and only using the words you need.” 

Therefore a good entry typically relies upon vivid imagery and small details. “It’s really about capturing something small, but in a big way,” Gilmore explained, so these strict guidelines make flash fiction challenging for all types of writers.  

“Poets have a great sense of imagery…their challenge is putting it into a narrative,” said Gilmore. Other types of writers face different challenges in the process. Longer-form writers must cut down on their word usage to have their story fit within the word count. 

In her writing endeavors as a novelist, Gilmore said that flash fiction pieces can also be beneficial exercises for writers to establish “a bridge to a story” that can be built upon to create a larger work. 

She added that her time teaching has allowed her to get to know her students on a personal level through their writing since her first days at the college.

“I didn’t know the students yet. I bet if I were to read [the entries] now, I’d be able to identify most of [the writers] because you can tell their styles, especially if I’ve had the pleasure of having them in more than one class,” she said.

Students in creative writing classes were especially encouraged to submit work for consideration, but Gilmore shared that submissions come from students all over campus, regardless of major. Because the common course of study requires three writing classes, including one from both inside and outside of the major, 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 offers a wide range of writing courses each semester, from nature writing to advanced poetry. This allows a great variety of students to gain exposure to the discipline. 

Signs posted in Pardee Hall in tandem with announcements via 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 Today also encouraged participation in the contest. Gilmore expressed the value of creative writing competitions in encouraging students all over campus to engage with the arts. 

“It’s really great to get writers involved,” she said. “Anyone can do it.”

2024 Flash Fiction Contest winner – Madeline Marriott

The winning writer earns a prize of $100 along with the opportunity to read for an audience. The chance for writing students to have their work considered by a judge with real-world experience in the field is also an invaluable learning experience.

Members of the community are invited to attend the Flash Fiction Reading in Skillman Library’s Gendebien Room at 4:10 pm on February 28th, where contest winner Madeline Marriott ‘24 and honorable mentions Zubair Ali ‘24 and Paige Mathieu ‘24 will give readings of their distinguished entries. The event will also feature a reading from judge Stephanie Powell Watts, followed by a reception.

The Marquis Players love to sing and dance in support of a good cause. As 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ’s student-led musical theatre organization, the group puts on a musical each spring in the Williams Center for the Arts that draws spectators from all corners of campus and the surrounding community. This year the Marquis Players will present Cabaret in a series of three performances, with opening night on April 11th at 7:30pm. 

“I think the reason that all of us have become leaders in this organization is not necessarily only because of our love of theatre and performing, but also our love of the people that are in the organization which sounds cliche, but it’s true,” said Thurtle. “Theatre is about community.” 

The club is currently led by a trio of seniors, with many other hands involved behind the scenes. Alex Thurtle (they/them) and Liam Thompson (he/him) serve as president and vice president of the Marquis Players, while Cormac Hurley (they/he) is in charge of directing the club’s spring production.

Thompson shared that performing in his first Marquis Players show, inspired him to run for an executive position for the club. 

“The community was unbelievable, and it had become something that I felt like I needed to take care of, and that I wanted to give as much to as I could before I left the campus,” he said.

“I think the reason that all of us have become leaders in this organization is not necessarily only because of our love of theatre and performing, but also our love of the people that are in the organization which sounds cliche, but it’s true,” said Thurtle. “Theatre is about community.” 

Thurtle and Thompson operate as co-artistic directors, a role new to the organization. With these positions comes the responsibility of managing the production and design teams and making sure the spring production is in alignment with the club’s goals and values. 

 As Director, Hurley is in charge of putting together the production and design teams as well as overseeing the show on every level. They have a hand in blocking all of the show’s scenes, as well as giving the final say on the choreography and music that will fulfill their vision for the final production. Hurley said they “work collaboratively with the production and design team on almost everything you will see when the show hits the stage,” including choosing the show and casting the performers.

Hurley also shared that their role as director has given them a unique view of theatre. “Now I get to learn about theatre on a whole new level that I haven’t before, being behind the scenes,” they said.

In terms of deciding on the spring show, the team considered several factors.

“We are choosing from shows we like, but shows that also have actual value to the club,” Thompson said. 

The show selection process is very collaborative and challenges the management team to consider the success of the prior year, the types of people who might audition, and how certain shows may push boundaries for the club to allow future members the freedom to explore a greater range of themes.

Thurtle explained that the executive board chose Cabaret very intentionally. “Not only does it feature a lot of fun dancing and musical numbers, but it also features a lot of culturally relevant themes,” they said.

Cabaret is a show that features the most serious and mature content the Marquis Players have tackled in a long time. Set in Berlin right before the outbreak of the Holocaust, the show grapples with themes of Jewish identity, intersectionality, and the convergence between the body and the political. 

“It hits a lot within a small show,” said Thurtle. “It may sound dark, but there are a lot of really fun numbers.”

 “When we talk about the arts on campus, I mean, we wanted to do a show where we could get money for charity, but we also wanted to do a show that would have a thematic impact on the arts on campus,” Hurley added. “I think that’s what art is for, you know, to give the community something to think about that’s truly meaningful.” 

The trio was in agreement that one of the best parts of being involved in the group is the opportunity to entertain their peers while concurrently raising money to make a positive impact on the community.

Cabaret also features characters with queer identities, which is something Hurley said the group is “honing in on” for their production, especially through philanthropy. The club chooses a different organization to sponsor through their fundraising efforts each year. All funds raised by the club this year will go towards supporting the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center’s youth programming initiatives, whose website outlines their mission “to build youth leadership, build community, encourage healthy living, and to promote artistic expression for LGBTQ+ youth in the Lehigh Valley.”

“I wish the audience could come to more of an understanding that when they come to see our shows, it’s also a philanthropy event,” said Thompson. “The audience gets to come and enjoy this really awesome night, and then additionally them just being there is going to support a great cause, which is like really cool.”

According to Thurtle, the Marquis Players have raised nearly $100,000 so far over the past 20 years through their philanthropic initiatives. Thompson explained that the Marquis Players as an organization strives to enrich 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ’s culture in the arts while simultaneously raising money to support local communities. The trio was in agreement that one of the best parts of being involved in the group is the opportunity to entertain their peers while concurrently raising money to make a positive impact on the community.

“It’s truly a win on every level. It’s a lot of work, and it is extracurricular. You don’t get academic credit for doing it, but it’s so rewarding,” Hurley shared.

This year, Thompson said that the Marquis Players are “very privileged to have a lot of multi-year involvement.” Cabaret’s audition process attracted over 50 auditionees, the majority of whom were first-years. Hurley said it was tough to decide on a final cast of 26 due to widespread interest in the production with limited roles. However, there were more opportunities for people to get involved behind the scenes with the show’s production and design teams, whose leadership roles are also spread among class years. 

While several of the Players are also involved in the theatre department, these two are separate entities. The theatre department typically puts on plays except for a musical in the fall every other year. Because of this, Thurtle said “For a lot of people, [Marquis Players] is one of the only opportunities to do musical theatre, and that’s why Marquis Players usually has a pretty big involvement because a lot of people do want to sing and act and dance at the same time” regardless of their academic focus.

Fall Cookie Craze Fundraising event

While Thurtle and Hurley’s studies are focused on theatre and fields in the humanities, the academic interests of those involved with the Marquis Players span from the arts to engineering. Thompson himself is an integrative engineering major with a focus on environment and energy, demonstrating the ability of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 students to become involved in the arts beyond the classroom. 

The Marquis Players have been hard at work for the past month, rehearsing in three-hour increments for four days per week with plans to add Sunday rehearsals closer to the show. In terms of rehearsal content, each day is different. Hurley explained that certain days are often specialized as choreography-focused or blocking days for scheduling reasons and that working around the availability of 26 cast members and the production team can be challenging to navigate. 

“We’re currently learning as much of the show as we can each week, and then we’ll start cleaning it up until it’s polished,” they said. Over time, the group will incorporate a set and props into the show and continue to rehearse until the curtain rises in Williams.

Viewers can look forward to watching Thompson and Thurtle take the stage in the roles of Emcee and Sally Bowles once the show premieres on April 11th. On the day of opening night, the Marquis Players also plan to sponsor a pre-show talk with Professor Lisa Hiton to discuss some of the show’s social justice issues.

Before then, the Marquis Players will continue to fundraise for their philanthropic goals. On March 28th they will be collaborating with L-RAJE, a club on campus dedicated to promoting social justice activism related to sexual and reproductive autonomy, in a tabling initiative in Farinon where they will be selling a combination of sweet treats and L-RAJE product bags. The group will also hold their annual quesadilla sale between Gates and McKeen on the night of March 29th. All proceeds will go towards the Bradbury-Sullivan Community Center for LGBT Youth in Allentown.

Show tickets are available for sale in the Williams Center for the Arts box office and can also be purchased online.

One final message from the trio: “Get excited! Come support the arts!”  

Skillman Library offers much more than a mere study space for students. While people are typically drawn to the building to study, socialize, or work in a quiet area away from bustling campus life, the staff transforms the space each semester to fit a new aesthetic through the use of their exhibition space. Volunteers make up the Exhibits Working Group, which discusses and carries out plans for exhibits that make the library a more inspirational, educational, and dynamic environment for patrons. 

Currently on display is the “Claiming Freedom” exhibit, featuring over twenty eclectic selections from the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art. The collection was curated by Claudia Volpe, former Easton resident and the foundation’s director. Each piece was chosen to highlight the motif of freedom, both “freedom from oppression and the freedom to thrive in this nation.” The art spans several decades, depicting the linear history from slavery times into the contemporary, and displays how personal narratives of freedom were defined through art across time.

Kate Pitts, operations, communications & assessment manager at Skillman Library, shared that the library strives to bring in local organizations and artists whenever possible and to leverage opportunities to link the art on display to other programming on campus.

The collection draws inspiration from Annette Gordon Reed’s bestselling book On Juneteenth, which combines her personal experience in Texas with historical research to underscore the importance of Juneteenth being recognized as a national holiday. A unique feature of this semester’s exhibit is that it coincides particularly well with other campus events. This year, Reed will deliver the annual Hatfield Lecture on February 29th, where she will discuss her book and the significance of Juneteenth to close out Black History Month.

artist: Kaphar, Titus Maternal Great Grandmother

Pitts emphasized the exhibit’s role in strengthening public understanding of the material sourced from Reed’s book. Although art exhibits are typically planned for one to two years, making it challenging to align with enriching programming, this year’s Hatfield Lecture offers a “multi-modal way to interact with art” in tandem with the exhibit. Community members can attend the lecture to hear Reed speak on her writing inspiration and then travel to the library to experience the visual art first-hand to further understand the complexity of the topics at hand. 

The “Claiming Freedom” collection will only be on loan until the end of May, but a new exhibit will be installed in the space for the start of next semester. Engaging with the exhibits in Skillman Library allows patrons from 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 and the Lehigh Valley community to interact with the knowledge and stories being told through art to better connect them with the physical space around them.

The Exhibits Working Group has created a new form for those interested in showcasing their art in the library’s exhibit space. Students and faculty are encouraged to submit ideas for future collaboration.

Since her arrival at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 in 2000, Blatt has been responsible for managing operations for some 75 events a year for the Performance Series, Departments of Theater and Music, and student organizations. She has served as advisor for the Arts Society and Marquis Players, and has received the college’s Distinguished Service Award and the Hoff Awards’ Unsung Hero recognition.

“It’s been a delight and an adventure to work alongside Hollis Ashby—and Ellis Finger before her—as well as other colleagues, to bring such consistently wonderful performances to the college and community,” Blatt says. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of our patrons and helping them have the best experience at the Williams Center and Buck Hall.”

She continues, “And I am so very proud of and grateful for the generations of students who’ve worked so hard to revive and grow the Arts Society and make it such a vibrant part of the 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 experience.” The Arts Society produces a number of popular annual events, such as the Block pARTy, Evening of A Cappella, and Favorite Poem Reading, and has recently established the 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 Arts Alumni Network and the J. Larry Stockton Scholarships for private music lessons.

“Allison is the foundation and the roof of the arts at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ,” comments Hollis Ashby, Artistic and Executive Director of the Performance Series. “The tent pole and the tent of our Big Top. 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 owes her an enormous debt of gratitude for her steadfast dedication and service; for the many hats she wears, which increase every year; and for mentoring, training, and becoming a friend and advisor to countless students over the past 23 years, who hold her in very high esteem.

“I was so fortunate to find Allison in the Operations office when I arrived,” Ashby continues. “Since then I have discovered the depth of her talent, her ability, and her character. Allison has never uttered the words ‘It’s not my job,’ or ‘I don’t have time,’ and she’s never met a challenge she didn’t accept. It’s accurate to say ‘I couldn’t do it without her,’ but more importantly, I wouldn’t want to do it without her.”

Blatt plans to return to her home state of West Virginia to raise hell and praise Dolly.

We continue to celebrate the $500,000 award from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation the College received that explores the nexus of art(s) and technology.  As part of this award, we are pleased to announce this call for internal grants to be spent in the academic year 2022-2023.  This multi-year award will run through the end of academic year 2026.  Additional calls for funding will be made throughout the 4-year award period.

We welcome applications from faculty across campus who share 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 Arts’ interest in highlighting the interplay of arts and technology.

Submit your proposal through Google Forms using this link:  Arts and Technology Grant.

Internal Grants will provide funding for:

• Visiting artists: Funds for artist stipends, travel to Easton, and/or housing while in residence at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 . Capped at $3,000.
• Course development: Courses may be offered beginning in spring 2023 or afterward; but the groundwork for developing or enhancing the course must take place during the 2022-23 academic year for this call. Funds can be used for materials, supplies, and stipend. Capped at $1000.
• Faculty training and enrichment: Individual or collaborative projects, discussions, or professional development that explore the nexus between art(s) and technology. The goal of each project will entail adding knowledge and experience to a class or scholarship or other professional development that enhances one’s shared experience at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 . Capped at $800 per person, and up to three collaborators for a given project.
• Student training/trips/projects: Individual or collaborative projects that explore the nexus between art(s) and technology with the goal of adding experience to a class, independent study project, thesis, or other academic endeavor. Capped at $500 per person toward the project or registration fee, travel costs, and related expenses. 
• Student Media Fellows: Funds for part-time student help associated with art(s) and technology labs or academic programming projects.

Successful proposals will: 

• Provide a description of the project to be developed with an explanation of how it will meet one or more of the Pedagogical Objectives (see below).
• Include a plan for the sustainability of the project.  Explain how this experience—and/or the guest educators—will equip you to continue teaching the module in future classes or how the experience of a one-time event might provide a lasting influence.
• If appropriate, include how different faculty instructors from diverse disciplines might collaborate to create the project.
• Include a budget and budget justification that covers anticipated expenses for project development and execution as well as any anticipated support from other sources for the project.

Pedagogical Objectives

Any activity or installation supported by the project will meet one (or more) of the objectives below:

1. Recognize the relevance of the arts through technology. Use technology and its everyday experiences as a gateway to encourage students to discover innovative uses of technology in order to find ways to address unmet needs and/or push boundaries through artistic expression.
2. Expand capacity to re-examine perspectives, expression, and definitions of art. Re-introduce technology to students from a broader viewpoint by offering a safe place for students to take risks with guidance.  Develop the students’ evidentiary tools to evaluate their inward perspectives about themselves, their view of art and artistic expression, and the role technology plays in those perspectives.
3. Interdisciplinary collaborations between students and faculty.  Work with colleagues/students across discipline boundaries to actively and deliberately incorporate technology more fully into the classroom to generate conversations that explore how intimately the arts are tied to technology as well as the rest of campus.
4. Use the arts to innovate through the development of new technology.   Explore new implementations of technology in the arts or through collaborations modify/develop technology that provides new capabilities for the arts.

Proposals will be evaluated based on: 

• Whether the project meets one (or more) of the objectives above
• Whether the project seeks to contribute to a pedagogy in which students are strongly engaged in interdisciplinary expression through the use of technology
• Whether the proposal includes a detailed budget
• Whether the organizational materials, support, and collaborations are in place toward a successful project
• The sustainability of the project and/or lasting influence of a one-time event

Grants may run for either one semester, interim, or for the full year. Note that any exceeded budget will be the responsibility of the faculty proposer’s department.

To Apply

Submit your proposal through Google Forms using this link:  Arts and Technology Grant.  For full consideration, proposals are due by Monday, February 20. Proposals submitted after February 20 will be reviewed on a rolling basis provided that funding remains. The Project Director and Steering Committee will review proposals and offer a decision by March 6. Early submissions are welcome.

For those who are interested:

Arts & Tech Grant Information Session

noon-1pm

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Gendebien Room, Skillman Library

Snacks will be provided

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or help with developing ideas.

Kind regards,

Katherine Groo

Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies

Project Director, 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 Arts’ Arts & Technology Grant

Karen Marmaras

Arts Grant Coordinator