Book and Paper Commons^™

The Small Overlooked Hindu Street Temples Of Madurai, Elina Berzins

Honors Capstone Projects - All

When I first walked around downtown Madurai, down its narrow and dusty streets that led into more lanes and alleys, I noticed a trend of small street temples that were usually built outside stores and apartment houses. When I asked an older man who sat next to a one of these temples that was modest in size and consisted of a Ganesha, Hindu elephant god statue, he told me that as a Western woman, I shouldn’t waste my time studying these small insignificant temples. He insisted that I focus on the grand and large Meenakshi Temple, which Madurai is famous …

Bernard: An Illustrated Children’S Book, Hansol Kim

Honors Capstone Projects - All

My Capstone Project is an illustrated children’s book titled, Bernard, that I authored and illustrated. It is a 32-page full color illustrated book following the adventures of a bear named Bernard, as he explores what it is like to spend a day in a human town. The idea behind the story was imagined during a serendipitous moment and expanded into a full narrative.

During the creation of the Bernard, I learned the importance of elements such as the rhythm and structure of the children’s book. Wielding a pencil and paper, I explored how little or how much was …