Art and Design Commons^™

Hands Of Influence, Nicholas Waguespack

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"A trace monotype layered over a regular monotype, this print explores the disappearing influence that my parents have on my life. Growing up their ideas and ideologies were forced upon me and this piece explores how I am trying to break free from these beliefs and ideas."

Minute Details, Isha H. Patel

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"I drew this piece during a time when I was suffering depression, when all I wanted for was the pain and sadness to end. I painted this subconsciously not realizing at the time what it meant, I simply just did it. Later I realized that having gotten through my senior year, getting to participate in a medical assistant course, to do something that I want to do, something I love, I found light to keep going. That was my light in the darkness."

A Seasonal Sonnet, Antonio Miguel Escorzon

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"I created 'A Seasonal Sonnet' because of an assignment for my high school senior year British Literature where students had to formulate an original sonnet. I was ecstatic with the opportunity to create one, although I knew the difficulties in writing in the particular iambic pentameter. I started with seasons because I sought to give year-round aspects a substantial recognition. I kept the piece in a separate document when I graduated high school and became a student at NSU. When I heard about Digressions, I thought about giving myself a try in submitting my own work."

A Requiem For Those Who Rest Their Wings, Adit R. Selvaraj

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"'A Requiem For Those Who Rest Their Wings' is a piece that emphasizes how nerve-wracking it is to leave your safe space and pursue your dreams. The author behind this piece has many dreams that require them to face their anxiety and present themselves to the world. The piece was especially inspired by the author's enjoyment of Japanese music, particularly the song 'Little Bird' by Chiaki Ishikawa."

Purple Heart, Marieann C. Raguso

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"As a combat veteran, I received a purple heart after my MRAP, armored truck, was blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED). It made me reflect on those who have come before me, and I wondered, how many women have a Purple Heart? The answer was less than 100 women have a Purple Heart, according to the Military Order of the Purple Heart in 2017. Having a Purple Heart is still a cauldron of mixed feelings for me, and I felt the urge to write about it."

Two Pockets/Two Mindsets: Balancing Humility And Self-Confidence, Esther Hastings

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Hysteria, Fidel E. Perez Pujols

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"In my art, I like to capture moments where I feel an overwhelming amount of a particular emotion. Different shapes and colors allow me to express different ideas."

Don't Take My Mask, Nicholas Waguespack

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"Featuring a traditional Mardi Gras mask, this Lino cut explores the societal pressure I feel to reveal and expose myself to the world and the comfort I feel in some ways by being hidden away. With today’s society so focused on content creation and posting, I find myself conflicted with the idea of exposing myself for notoriety online but also wanting to keep my life very much private."

Loss Of Sight, Iksita C. Nallapaneni

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"This piece was created as I was exiting a very distressing time in my life. I had recently begun therapy and was using art to express myself. I had finally been experiencing clarity as opposed to the 'loss of sight' and clouded judgement, and painted this as a way to move past this stage in my life."

There's Fresh Water In Afghanistan, Marieann C. Raguso

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"This piece outlines the reality of war and my experience as I saw it. Lives are always at risk of ending in the blink of an eye. The problem is not enough people are opening their eyes to see the world around them. We are trained to be brutal and dehumanize our enemies in the military, but what happens when the enemy is just like us?"

Koonja's Death From Neville's Perspective, Michelle L. Gorodisky

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

In Grace Cho's memoir Tastes Like War, she states that her brother, Neville, was the one who had found her mother when she died. This scene will take place under Neville’s point of view, because his thoughts about their family’s situation are not examined very thoroughly throughout the memoir. Considering Cho and Neville’s starkly contrasting opinions about their family experiences, I thought it would be interesting to try reading this scene from Neville’s perspective."

Awake 12:48 Am, Meghana S. Jagarlamudi

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"'Awake 12:48 AM' was written during one of my sleepless nights. All of the memories from growing up as a second-generation South Asian kid came together to create a moment of self-realization about the pressure we face, not just beauty. When I first wrote it, the repetition of 'even if' showed my frustration of society telling us to find ourselves worthy even though it secretly favored another. Today, 'even if' has a different meaning to me; it should be a source of our determination despite any limits we face."

Flowers In The Snow, Rueida Ali

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"This disoriented poem serves as a poetic memoir of the fiasco that was my first few months in college. While each stanza explores a different experience or feeling, there is a consistent delirious tone throughout the poem. I watched as all aspects of my health deteriorated and felt myself reach sheer madness. In each stanza, I explore the highlights of my first semester, visiting sacrifices I never imagined myself to make because of the failures that persisted in haunting me."

Blues Big Revenge, Fidel E. Perez Pujols

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"In my art, I like to capture moments where I feel an overwhelming amount of a particular emotion. Different shapes and colors allow me to express different ideas."

Love Me, Elisha Mendoza

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"Like my other poems, this piece was written on the spot. As for the inspiration and meaning behind my piece, I think a lot and feel strongly about love. I've never experienced romance or been in a relationship, so I tend to be in my head quite a bit and feel lonely from time to time. It makes me wonder whether or not I have a soulmate, and if that soulmate is myself. Self-love comes before loving another person, as they say."

I Think I'Ve Processed It But, Amber M. Hockaday

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"I was sexually assaulted March 27th, 2021, around 3 am. I pretended like it was something I wanted, that maybe I wasn’t vocal enough in expressing that I didn’t want it, and maybe I acted like I enjoyed it, and that sent a mixed message. I didn’t want to tell anyone because I was afraid that I would be blamed. I had been in fight-or-flight mode for months without realizing it. I remember all the details of that night, but it no longer consumes me with overwhelming fear, it gets better, and this poem is proof of that."

Full Issue

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

A Doctors Visit, Italia P. Lewis

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"My poem follows the story of a woman's doctor's visit. It is meant to convey what women face in going to the doctor, highlighting how women's health is often ignored or pushed off as a nonissue. The inspiration for this poem came from a women's health class I took last semester, in which we read different passages about the disparities women face while trying to get medical help. From being gaslighted, ignored, and shamed for being unhealthy, my poem is meant to highlight each and every one of those issues."

El Universo / The Universe, Cora J. Padilla Castillo

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"In the universe you find things you want to see but at the same time you don’t. When in love you are vulnerable to the feelings that person can transmit to you. This poem is about a love wanting to be noticed for who they are. This individual wants the lover or person of interest to walk into their eyes and see their heart as well to feel their colors. In a way this individual struggles to be seen and prompts the question if they have seen them yet. Within the poem I wanted to also depict the value that …

Drowning, Nicholas J. Waguespack

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"This screen print represents how when growing up I felt like I was growing a lot of the times, wading water trying to stay afloat. It is an experiment in enhancing a screen print with water color paints."

Leaving You, Julia Severance

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

"The short poem, 'Leaving you,' was inspired by a long-term, high school sweetheart break up. For most of the relationship, I complied to the wants and needs of my partner. However, I was growing farther and farther from who I really was and what I truly desire in life. Not only was my love taken advantage for, but I also completely lost myself trying to love a man who cannot even love himself. 'Leaving you' is not about losing my ex, but rather gaining back all the love I gave up when I left the relationship."

Morphology Of Man, Arielle Friedman

be Still

Behind every creation is an artist.

Behind every student is a teacher.

This piece aims to highlight the cyclical, additive nature of generational knowledge, as well as the inherent plasticity involved in generating meaning across collectives.

When In Doubt, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

In my painting titled "When In Doubt," I explore the concept of uncertainty and the importance of perseverance.

The painting depicts individuals using various transportation methods, each one symbolizing the different paths we take in life. It is a representation of the journey that we all embark upon, full of twists and turns, uncertainties and challenges. Despite the chaos of life, this painting is a reminder to never give up and to keep pushing forward.

For me, "The Teacher" in my life has been my own experiences. I have faced many challenges and obstacles, and each one has taught me …

Entropy, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

As an artist, I find myself constantly drawn to the theme of life's unpredictability and how it shapes us. My painting "Entropy" explores these ideas by presenting a complex web of interwoven threads that represent the randomness of life. The imagery of a single body with multiple dispersed people and things, along with the extra floating head, speaks to the chaos and unpredictability that we all experience.

For me, the painting also relates to the idea of "The Teacher" in my own life. I've often found that my greatest lessons have come from unexpected sources, and the randomness of life …

Enlightenment, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

In my painting titled "Enlightenment", I aim to capture the journey towards self-awareness and self-growth, which is often chaotic and filled with struggles.

The painting portrays the internal turmoil that we experience during this journey through a spectrum of colors. Each color represents a different phase of the journey, and the chaos and struggle are evident in the mixture of colors. However, as the journey progresses, the colors gradually shift towards a serene blue and blue hues, representing the final phase of enlightenment. This transformation is depicted in a pair of eyes that reflect a sense of clarity and understanding. …

Dissociation, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

"Dissociation," is a reflection of the world's struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has affected us all in ways we never could have imagined.

Through this painting, I wanted to capture the gradual, yet drastic change in emotions, lifestyles, and perception of reality that we experienced during this time. The crowd of people depicted in the painting represents the collective struggle we faced, all facing towards the unknown and moving towards it. The different facial expressions convey the range of emotions we felt during this time, from fear and worry to resilience and hope.

For me, the pandemic …

How Do Arts Contribute To Educational Research? A Book Review Of Arts-Based Research In Education: Foundations For Practice, Niroj Dahal

The Qualitative Report

I write this review as a recommendation for potential readers: those who are new to and veterans with respect to arts-based research. Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice is edited by Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor and Richard Siegesmund, with contributions from 22 authors and a cover artist. In addition to providing some information from a usual structure around contents, central themes and concepts, intended audience, genres of writing styles, strengths and weaknesses, and uniquenesses, I primarily focus on the content of the chapter entitled “Four guiding principles for arts-based research practice” which I found extraordinarily significant in the second edition of …

In The Face Of Conflict, Mohammed Khatib

be Still

In the chaos of conflict, amongst the confusion, emotion, and fear lies truth like the eye of a raging storm. Within this, one may find peace, tranquility, and the storm will follow in suit.

Sorrow Cannot Resurrect, Sharon Mathew

be Still

The magenta skull symbolizes life and death while the sword passing through the skull is a symbol of life’s ever present cycle of conflicts, grief, and sorrow. The ambiguous gray of the sword is used to convey the fact that we will all encounter an incredibly vast variety of struggles throughout the course of our lives. It is also outlined with gold detailing as a play on the phrase “every cloud has a silver lining. As the sword pierces the skull, out pours technicolor tears and blood. The bright colors represent the immense beauty and growth that we can find …

The Paratexts Of Audience Engagement: Cover Matter That Draws In And Keeps Readers, Athena L. Edwards

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Within the book publishing industry, purchase statistics often determine a book’s success. This metric neglects crucial factors of reader engagement (i.e., reception and anticipation of current and future work) such as level of interest and appreciation. By blending key concepts from work on assemblage, ecology, reader-response, audience invoked, and media studies, this thesis attempts to (re)invigorate the discourse of book paratexts’ role in inspiring reader engagement. As a manifestation of various voices performing and contextualizing a core text for readers, paratexts are a key component to the discursive uptake of books by readers and their publics. Book covers, specifically, are …