Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Obscurity, Emily Santiago

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Obscurity' highlights the process and approach of how darkness can enunciate thoughts and expressions. This photograph reveals and revolves around ominous and despondent perspectives. Through the shadows of the clouds, the sun’s glance and the naturalistic aspects form a reflection of personal conceptions and instincts. Photography provides the opportunity to vocalize thoughts in a divergent manner, which is a goal I aim to achieve and convey with my photographs. When capturing this photo, low exposure was used along with a panning technique. Photography allows the opportunity to capture not only moments but also introspection and reflection."

Rainy Days, Raul E. Perez

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"I have an appreciation for rainy weather, getting to stay in and drink coffee and making progress on whatever project I have going on at the moment. I also acknowledge that many others do not share the same feeling as I, so how you approach the day comes down to perspective. This can also extend to our lives on a bigger scale when we encounter road blocks, a shift in perspective can bring about new ideas and inspiration."

Florals, Iksita C. Nallapaneni

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"Many artworks mimic the artist or the life they have led, and the same can be said for this one. 'Florals' depicts my growth and change over the past two transformative years. I have learned that the sun continues to rise and set regardless of life's circumstances, and sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to stop and enjoy the flowers. Life moves too quickly to not be present in the moment, and I hope this piece inspires others to do the same."

Miniature Garden, Anastacia Gold

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"My artwork explores the transformation of visual perception through style and technique, reinterpreting the same still life across four distinct oil painting approaches. By shifting between realism and abstraction, I push the boundaries of how subjects are perceived by interplaying color, form, and texture, which reflects my interest in bridging from tradition to experimentation of this painting."

Beneath The Sea, Beyond The Sky, Thaily Jeanty

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"As a writer, everything I experience serves as inspiration. 'Beneath the Sea and Beyond the Sky' began with an image where the sea and sky shared the same blue, appearing to merge yet never truly meeting. This mesmerizing sight mirrored the emotions of desire and acceptance—feelings I had deeply experienced. The contrast between longing for connection and accepting its impossibility became the heart of my piece."

Eye Of The Storm, Melissa Velasco

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"I wrote this as a way to cope with my fears while my husband was deployed in Qatar. It was the longest 9 months filled with FaceTime calls, streaming platform watch parties, and mail. With safety being a constant concern for military spouses during deployment, I wanted to see how that concern would be for the soldiers deployed and wrote it in their perspective."

Discover Rain Clouds, Marieann C. Raguso

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Hearing Things, Fidel E. Perez Pujols

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Hearing Things' explores nostalgia and childlike whimsy, infused with a dark undertone. It emphasizes the sense of hearing and the feeling of alienation. This piece embodies transformation, evoking both curiosity and unease through its surreal expression. Rooted in personal and societal narratives, it invites viewers to reflect on identity, change, and the masks we wear."

In My Element, Rachel Harris

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Sentiments' is a spoken word piece structured like a text to a friend. Through my personal experience, I've grappled with transparency and finding balance in how much to trust others. This piece shines a light on thoughts that many people have."

Sentiments (Spoken Word), Rachel Harris

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement "'Sentiments' is a spoken word piece structured like a text to a friend. Through my personal experience, I've grappled with transparency and finding balance in how much to trust others. This piece shines a light on thoughts that many people have."

Who's A Good Boy?, Luqman M. Gbenro

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'Who's A Good Boy?' is an exploration of texture and rudimentary collage work. This piece takes its cues from the Polish School of Posters and the punk asthetic that dominated the late '70s and '80s. The distressed text and inharmonious elements beg questions about a great possible chaos."

Crochet Fairy Batman, Sammantha Lopez-Guarin

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"The dark knight, the man, the legend, Batman only with a little bit of flare and a lot of style! Coming at you in all shades of pink and a tutu, he's here to help you."

What They Will See, Mahir Abrar

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Author Statement

"'What They Will See' was inspired by the idea of how history—and even potential outsiders—might remember humanity. Too often, we are defined by our wars, destruction, and conflict, while the quiet, beautiful moments of love, growth, and sacrifice go unnoticed. This poem contrasts those two realities, highlighting how easily the essence of human life is lost in the grand narrative of violence. The final lines serve as a reflection on our misplaced priorities, urging us to recognize what truly matters before it’s too late."

The Artists Is A Sadist, Brianna Calderon

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

Artist Statement

"'The Artist Is A Sadist' explores the intersection of artistic creation, suffering, and control. As someone balancing a rigorous science curriculum, research demands, and external expectations, I grew frustrated when art was dismissed as a ‘break’ or an ‘easier’ pursuit. Cause in reality, creativity is difficult—creation is painful, even cruel, but it’s a necessary cruelty. This piece depicts a girl stabbing herself in the abdomen like a martyr while maintaining composure, ready for an audience that underestimates the discipline and depth of art. Through this work, I wanted to confront the uncomfortable truth of being a student torn …

Queer Inclusion In Libba Bray's Beauty Queens: The Case For Lgbtq Ya Literature, Kayla Michelle Crumbley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a time sensitive case study on the nature of Libba Bray's novel Beauty Queensand it's placement as both a metacognitive novel and discourse in the nature of queer acceptance in the publishing and media landscape of the 2010s and 2020s. This includes focusing on contextualizing the book in the changing landscape of queer acceptance and visibility in the media over the last 20 years through the lens of the inclusion in YA and how that manifest in the 2010 and 2020s book bans on LGBTQ YA fiction. The novel highlights the wider need for LGBTQ YA …

Relationships Between Modern Marching Percussion And Concert Percussion: An Investigation Of Selected Percussion Ensemble Repertoire, Ian Patrick Mahaffey

Theses and Dissertations

Percussion, as an expansive and diverse art form, encompasses a wide range of performance and cultural aesthetics, all unified by the foundational elements of rhythm, technique, and expression. Within this spectrum, the relationships between marching percussion and concert percussion presents a significant area of study. This document explores the relationships of marching percussion and concert percussion through the contextual analysis of specific percussion ensemble repertoire. By defining the distinct characteristics of concert and marching percussion, the study establishes a framework for comparison and analysis. It highlights how techniques, both musically and compositionally, and the roles of specific instrumentation has contributed …

Awareness And Practice Methods For Musicians With Invisible Disabilities: Insights Gained From Playing The Flute With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Jessica Pelltier

Theses and Dissertations

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder that presents significant physical and mental challenges for musicians, particularly in instrumental performance. These challenges may include chronic pain, joint instability, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. While such symptoms are associated with EDS, they are not exclusive to it and are also common among individuals with other invisible disabilities, such as fibromyalgia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), celiac disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This study explores the experiences of flutists with EDS and other invisible disabilities, focusing on the coping strategies and adaptations they use …

Cultivating Smiles On The Frontier: The Making Of Brazil’S Soybean Capital And Community Building In Sorriso, 1980-2020, Nathalia Francio Cocenza

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the transformation of Sorriso, a small municipality in Mato Grosso, Brazil, into one of the world's leading soybean producers, placing its local history within the broader context of global agricultural and economic shifts from 1980 to 2020. Sorriso represents the unique convergence of local, regional, and international forces that reshaped Brazil's agricultural landscape. This study critically examines the political, environmental, and social dynamics that positioned Sorriso at the forefront of soybean production, illuminating the town's transition from a remote frontier settlement to a global agribusiness hub.

Through a detailed analysis of previously unstudied archival sources, interviews with …

Comparing Prokofiev’S Piano Transcriptions: “Romeo And Juliet” And “Cinderella”, Yu Hua Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Sergei Prokofiev transcribed and arranged many of his own works, including excerpts from many of his ballets and one of his symphonies. Among his most famous transcriptions are the piano versions of Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella, both derived from his ballet scores.

This document explores Prokofiev’s approach to transcription through a comparative analysis of the orchestral and piano versions as well as an analysis of the transcriptions considered as independent compositions. Chapter One outlines the value and necessity of a comparative analysis. Chapter Two provides brief historical overviews of Russian ballet and piano transcription, highlighting how Prokofiev expanded on …

Camp In The Kitchen: Feminism And Craft In Liza Lou's Beaded Worlds, Aurora X. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

Kitchen (1991–96) was the first major work of art by American artist Liza Lou. It is an installation of a life-size kitchen in which every surface and object is covered in glass beads. Kitchen, which Lou refers to as a monument to women’s unsung domestic labor, received considerable critical attention and drew the artist into ongoing conversations around the relationship between “fine art” and “craft” and about the role of feminism in the art of the 1990s. In contemporary interviews, however, Lou expressed discomfort with the label of “craft” as well as with feminist art that she considered “didactic.” …

The Return Journey: Migration, Reintegration, And Postcolonial Identity In Contemporary African Literature, Babila Bengala Samuel

Theses and Dissertations

Migration is a human practice as old as human society. It is primarily triggered by a human urge for self-preservation or the quest for better standards of living. Various periods of human history have known great flows of voluntary, semi-voluntary, and forced migrations. In contemporary days, people move more than ever before, mostly from countries of the Global South to countries of the Global North, mainly from African countries. These migrants flee from poverty, armed conflicts, unemployment, and repression from despotic leaders. While the question of migration has consistently and extensively been addressed, the focus in the mainstream migration studies …

Review Of Viri Dignitatem: Personhood, Masculinity, And Fatherhood In The Thought Of John Paul Ii, Christine Falk Dalessio

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Kimball Hall, 1970: Collective Organizing Through Print Production, Jen Hoyer

Publications and Research

This article examines the May 1970 occupation of Kimball Hall, a university administrative building at New York University, and specifically of its basement printshop. The group that came together in this space referred to itself as the Kimball Commune; they used university equipment and resources to print material in support of the strike and related movements, and they invited students, activists, and the general public to come into the printshop and produce material with them. I demonstrate how the Kimball Commune provides a concrete example of how a collaborative radical printing project isn’t just about creating alternative media. It also …

Conversations Abroad: The Effect Of Interlocutor Type, Relationship Quality, And L2 Proficiency On Interaction In Naturalistic Settings, Tripp Strawbridge

Modern Languages & Literature

Study abroad (SA) is touted for providing language learners with regular exposure to a second language (L2) in naturalistic settings. However, few studies have examined how interaction occurs in situ. This study analyzed 13 hours of naturalistic dyadic conversations self-recorded by 15 US-based undergraduate sojourners studying abroad for one semester in Spain. Conversations were analyzed for interaction metrics previously posited as relevant to L2 acquisition in SA: speaking time, negotiation of meaning, lexical assistance, and corrective feedback. The study then analyzed how these variables were conditioned by interlocutor identity (host family [HF] member, local native speaker [NS] peer, and nonnative …

Full Issue

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

Entr’Acte By Caroline Shaw, Elizabeth Thorup

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

Minerva Teichert Award 2024

Winner

Caroline Shaw is one of the most prominent up-and-coming composers of our day, so playing her music felt relevant and exciting.

Feminine Fragility, Megan Bentley

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

Mother, Megan Bentley

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

Take My Joy, Abbie Calhoun

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

Botanical Blue: The Legacy Of Anna Atkins, Zoë Kate Leatham

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.