Digital Commons Network^™

Other Lives, Shawna J. Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

This work is one of fiction, dealing with characters and concepts of ‘otherness’ and social displacement. This work is further sub-categorized as a work of fantasy or urban fantasy fiction where the standard rules of reality do not apply.

Art Of Katharsis: A Study Of Creating Abstract Expressionist Art In The Quest For Emotional Release And Healing, Maria Fatima Lai

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper discusses the art seen in the exhibition, Katharsis, is a body of work inspired in the quest to validate suppressed emotions pulling from personal experiences of grief and abandonment. The methodology behind the work explores the artistic process that enables the transformation of pain and grief. The research is guided by understanding the artist’s process through therapeutic methods found in abstract expressionism. Art produced in pain, allowed a process of healing and honest forgiveness. The vicious cycle of feeling trapped in the idea of letting go when you have not allowed yourself to understand, threatens the …

Might Be Tragic: The Lonely Voyeur In Narrative Art, Alexandria Canchola

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper discusses the work displayed as it might have been seen in the exhibition, Might Be Tragic. The work is inspired by and draws from narrative fiction, blurring the distinctions between our perceptions and our creations of reality. When one observes a narrative, they are unwittingly fulfilling voyeuristic tendencies by vicariously experiencing others realities or falsehoods. The exhibition challenges how narrative can function in a space. The process of walking through the exhibition, Might Be Tragic, brings the book, Not That Tragic, to life in a three-dimensional format exploring the intimate relationship one has with …

About Men: A Retrospective Into The Evolution Of The Male Form Through The Female Gaze, Laura Briseño

Theses and Dissertations

It is philosophized that subjectivity is founded on subjection, a subjection based on the view point of the viewer. Through the centuries the idea of the male form has been transformed through various representations from the context of art, architecture, and culture from Ancient Greece (Classical period of 5th and 4th centuries BC) to Contemporary art (1946–present).

The purpose is to create an exhibition that provides a female gaze on the representations of the male form through or in art. Examining how and why male forms are represented in the content we know them as of current curation. Which brings …

Redefining The Mfa: Artistic Pragmatism For The Twenty-First Century, Cristina Ann Correa

Theses and Dissertations

The twenty-first century economy demands a culturally-adaptable and technologically-innovative workforce. Despite the expansion of creative industry, at least half of academically-trained artists will work in fields unrelated to their studies. Statistics reflecting employment changes every three years parallel twenty-first century, pragmatic realities. Job seekers must consistently adapt and add to acquired skill sets to remain marketable.

Visual artists constantly engage in research and experimentation to move their practice beyond comfort zones. While many artistic processes can be learned through the internet, books, and observational study, the road to a career in academia must begin with a Master of Fine Art …

Flow: Fluid Meditations: The Study Of Creating Fluid Art As A Form Of Meditation, Eva Marie Williamson

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the relationship of creating fluid art as a form of meditation. This type of art is relatively new [to include] within universities and within the art profession. Little research and writing exists at the doctoral level. Through the practice of the student, this study focuses on the process of creating fluid art as an experience to fit the method of meditation.

This study takes an academic and working artist approach as derived from documentation practices and creation of a body of work. The approach views the documentation of creating fluid art as a form of meditation as …

The Witch, The Blonde, And The Cultural "Other": Applying Cluster Criticism To Grimm And Disney Princess Stories, Valerie F. Garza

Theses and Dissertations

The Brothers Grimm and the Walt Disney Company have produced popular fairy tales for large audiences. In this work, cluster criticism—a rhetorical criticism that involves identifying key terms and charting word clusters around those terms—is applied to four Grimm fairy tales and four Disney princess films. This study aims to reveal the worldview of the rhetors and explore how values present in Grimm tales manifest in contemporary Disney films. Disney princess films in this study have been categorized as “White/European” and “Non-White/Cultural ‘Other.’” Because film is a form of non-discursive rhetoric, an adaptation of cluster criticism designed for film was …

Panopticism In A Digital Age: An Examination Of Transmedia Reimagining Jane Eyre, April L. Gonzales

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine how content creators, Nessa Aref and Alysson Hall have reinterpreted the original character Jane Eyre in a modern and social media era. The main struggle emphasized is that between an ideal self and societies expectations. Societies expectations and the expression of self are both more influenced by economics and business. The creators of The Autobiography of Jane Eyre heavily emphasize the motivations behind appearances. The creators shift Jane’s character so she is able to navigate within these expectations and the influence present in a digital world.

When Angels Cry Tears Of Moonshine, Juan Flores Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

When Angels Cry Tears of Moonshine is a collection of non-fiction essays exploring and reflecting on specific experiences as a military police patrolman over the course of the author’s enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. Between the years of 2007 and 2009, more specifically, the author was exposed to multiple experiences related to masculinity, trauma, alcoholism, community and leadership that shaped his understanding of the Marine Corps as an institution. Through these personal essays, readers will identify elements of trauma, comradery, faults in leadership and alcoholism from the perspective of a Marine who did not have any combat experience …

The Impact Participation In School Actvities, Events And Organizations Has On The Veterans' Ability To Assimilate To Campus Culture, Eric Scott Fagan

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between student veterans’ self-perceived level of participation in school activities/events and school organizations and the association his/her participation has with his/her level of assimilation to college life. This study serves as the basis for follow up research, aiming to discover innovative tools and resources that will assist veterans facing difficulty with assimilating to college life. Subjects in the study are one hundred student veterans from a southwestern university and college. The instruments for the study are the Veteran Involvement Questionnaire (VIQ) and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). The results of the study reveal …

Quetzalcoatl In Aisle 5 And Other Poemas, Cesar Leonardo De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

This project is a collection of poems based on my experiences working in the retail industry along the Texas/Mexico border for over 15 years. While many people take for granted their shopping trips, for those on the inside it is a very different reality. The poems included in this project are grouped into sections that focus on aspects of retail or are inspired by it, from the seemingly insignificant, like encounters with strangers, to more profound subjects like racism, identity, immigration, consumerism, and other social issues. The sections also follow Gloria E. Anzaldúas path of conocimento, a journey from estrangement …

Culturality And Sentiments: A Visual Paradox Of A Modern Hispanic Woman, Iliana Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

For as long as I have been interested in drawing, I have always been fascinated by drawing the face because of the interesting individual characteristics of values and forms. Through grad school, my series reflects painted portraits of family and symbolized family traditions, which have opened questions about why I feel so uncertain of who I am. At first, these works were made to perfect technique but later evolved into depicting the inner battle of what is expected of me in my culture and what drives my passion. Using the grid method for most pieces, and referencing photos I analyzed …

Eyes That Shut Forever, Jonathan Solis

Theses and Dissertations

For my thesis, I want to explore a part of society which is often not explored due to some controversial views while incorporating my own love and fascination with science-fiction and human nature. Imbued in each of my stories are complex characters, all of which suffer from a pronounced illness or one that is dormant. While having no connection to each other, every short story I am writing for the thesis will share a similar theme. All center on the struggle for normalcy and conformity vs. biases views and prejudism. As a writer, I am able to walk in the …

Client-Driven Creation & Professional Patterns In Modern Design: A Case Study Of One Vanderbilt Avenue, Joshua J. Schmitz

Theses and Dissertations

Design, though intricately tied to art through craft, concept and media, is the base converse of art. That is to say, Design is externally motivated by a client’s needs. This case study focuses on my professional work with the companies of S.L. Green and Firespring on the New York City skyscraper One Vanderbilt Avenue (OVA) and demonstrates how a creative concept can be altered through external factors, namely client input. My research will explain why a modern designer must occupy a production-oriented role and continuously leverage insight from an interdisciplinary team in a modern creative firm. The exhibition stemming from …

The Taming Of The Bull, Mark Zavala

Theses and Dissertations

This work is an original manuscript composed of fictional vignettes compiled together to produce an interconnected novel. The works includes the effects, issues, and culture that encompass the borderland of the Rio Grande Valley. The young protagonist experiences loss, isolation, self-realization, friendship, and the importance of family and friends, all within the context of the unique culture of south Texas.

Social Media's Influence On Political Communication: A Content Analysis Of Donald Trump's Tweets In The First 100 Days Of His Presidency, Priscilla L. Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Evolving technologies allow politicians to directly reach large audiences to increase interaction. Nevertheless, the average American’s attention span fell from twelve to eight seconds in the last decade; creating a gap that traditional media could not fill. Modern social media fills the gap by allowing information to be more accessible, direct, and permanent. Now, politicians can address audiences more frequently and directly through mobile devices - a tactic which creates a perception of immediacy unseen in past political climates. Donald Trump demonstrated that Twitter can be just as effective - if not more so - than traditional means of political …

My War And What Came After, Jesus Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

My War and What Came After is a memoir that explores my personal experience with modern military life. It is my primary purpose to connect the military world with the world of writing. I am the guy that was willing to put everything on the line, including my life to become an English professor. The memoir is a detailed account of my adult life but also a coming of age experience and a successful ambitious plan to achieve my educational ambitions. It was an extreme and maybe even a crazy decision but calculated enough that it worked. It could have …

Poison And Monsters, Jiovanna L. Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Poison and Monsters is a collection of stories that follow the same protagonist, Jiovanna, as she navigates friendships, love, loss, and hallucinations. It is a commentary on mental health and the impact that pain medication, lack of sleep, and loneliness can have on a person. Jiovanna draws on the support and understanding of her best friends, Juan and Danielle, and in one instance a rowdy raccoon to help her find her way through the Darkness that surrounds her. Insomnia, migraines, and heartache tie these four stories together, but they can also be read as standalone pieces that give a small …

Please Be A Gatsby, Gabriel Jorge Torres

Theses and Dissertations

I use my position as a high school English teacher to teach the following books: The Metamorphosis, The Stranger, Fahrenheit 451, The Great Gatsby, selected poetry by Housman and Hardy, Lysistrata , short stories by Ernest Hemingway, and the Catcher in the Rye. These literary classics have accompanied me in my growth as a scholar and individual and comprise the major works I teach as a high school teacher. I have blended sketches of my life with these works of literature to create small narratives about the way I inspire my students to be like the characters they …