Creative Writing Commons^™

Three Garden Visitors By Vivien Russe, Vivien Russe

ART/RSP 299: Gathering in the Garden: Poetry and Studio Art

Three Garden Visitors

Beside a cup of tea, I am a spotted leopard on pajamas.
Outside in the garden, this early summer morning,
Staying sly, quiet, not wanting to draw any attention from the neighbors.

A birdie is hidden in the Emerald Green Arborvitae,
After lunch, Owen comes over, asking politely if he can come into the yard to find it.
I reply, “Certainly, you can retrieve anything that lands in the yard without asking”.

Coming unannounced, no matter when, full of presumption
It comes with the lightest, gentle touch or the hardest hit, knocking flowers off center.
Below the …

Dandy/Robin/Gardener By Sadie Pressman, Sadie Pressman

ART/RSP 299: Gathering in the Garden: Poetry and Studio Art

Dandy

I’ll be so direct by saying, if I may, that here is simply, absolutely, the best place to be. Here,
where the rolling hill plunges towards the ocean. Here, where the sight of the Bavarian blue sky
makes my insides feel endless. Here, where, watching as I so often do, as the white cotton
shape-shifts before my eyes, summer-time in suspense. The sun’s rays suspend from the sky,
dangling like the hands of time. They caress me. A pocket watch in the sky, the sky's the best
accessory. Here, where I am more popular than I could ever have …

A Short Stay By Rachel Milne, Rachel Milne

ART/RSP 299: Gathering in the Garden: Poetry and Studio Art

A Short Stay

Gracefully, she leaps over the fence.
Slowly, she walks through the yard,
Plucking low-hanging leaves for breakfast.
She lingers, as she eats
And suddenly –
Nails skittering on wood, a rush of air through the grass,
Her visit is cut short
She sends herself back into the woods
Just as the dog reaches the top of the hill

Their nest may be elsewhere,
But the pair frequently visit this place.
His little, crimson body darts over the yard,
Her subtle, tawny feathers hide away in a tree.
A constant in the garden,
They are a pleasant sight …

Visitors By Lindsey Bosk, Lindsey Bosk

ART/RSP 299: Gathering in the Garden: Poetry and Studio Art

Visitors

There is a need within us all,
just like this garden,
for water to replenish what is dry and wilted.
One drop falls from the grey-blue sky onto a leaf.
Another hits my brow, I smile.
Like me, the rain does not stay forever,
we are both visitors here.

The droplets of water pick up speed,
as if sensing urgency.
Thirsty plants lap up water,
the rain is welcome.

Unlike the rain, I serve no purpose.
I quench no one’s thirst.
Nonetheless, I sit in the center of it all,
as If I matter most.

Admirers Of The Garden By Tabitha Burgess, Tabitha Burgess

ART/RSP 299: Gathering in the Garden: Poetry and Studio Art

Admirers of the Garden

I fly in as the sun rises
Fluttering to the beaming light
Of golden and red velvety petals
I touch down on the layers of the lilies
Admiring their similar colors
Breaking my concentration
A chirping sound in the distance

I feel the wind beneath my wings
As I fly to an area I’m familiar with
I land on the nearby fence post
My black and white feathers
Illuminated by sunlight
I look down at the nearby botany
The rows of greens growing from the soil
I seek out my next destination and take flight
As …

Material Encounters: Making Memory Beyond The Mind, Ariel Wills

Masters Theses

Can acts of making carry the memories of our embeddedness within the world? This thesis explores how making things can nurture a sense of kinship that cuts across the organic and inorganic, erasing the distinction between living and dead, material and spiritual. Through handwork such as art-making, sewing, knitting, cooking, woodworking, and beyond, the burden of remembering and of archiving is shared across human and non-human bodies, cultivated through practices of making, and through the materials themselves. By recounting the stories of my family’s experience as Jewish immigrants in the United States, I aim to reveal how their domestic practices …

The Divine Feminine, Stevie Iseral

The Quatrain

Stevie Iseral is a senior interdisciplinary studies major with concentrations in sociology, history, and marketing. She began practicing photography 7 years ago and still feels joy each time she picks up her camera. Stevie loves photography because it creates a space for her to document the beauty of life.

I See You, Christina Summers

The Quatrain

Christina Summers is a sophomore in business management at Louisiana Tech University. She has been doing photography since her junior year of high school, and her photography has progressed beyond being just a hobby. Her goal is to become a wedding photographer and to capture raw moments between people. She is currently getting a business degree in order to take her photography skills to a more mature and professional level.

Glitch, Kayla O'Neal

The Quatrain

Kayla O’Neal is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art with an emphasis in drawing and illustration at Louisiana Tech University. After completing her undergraduate degree, Kayla interned as a photographer through the Disney College Program. Her photographs have also been displayed in several galleries, including the LoosenArts Gallery based in Rome, Italy.

Epiphany, Callie Robbins

The Quatrain

Callie Robbins is a senior studio art major and English minor at Louisiana Tech University. She graduated from Leesville High School in 2017. She is a poet, sculptor, traveler, and cat mom. Callie is the host of a podcast of three seasons called “Girl Uninspired,” where she interviews creatives about their processes and resolutions. She has also published her own poetry book and hopes to write many more. She loves iced coffee, bright colors, and forming connections with others.

Minded Figure, Noah Blessing

The Quatrain

Noah Blessing is from northeast Ohio and moved to the south as he began his early journey in art. Enduring family hardships and trials led him back to his relationship with God, and now he creates for his creator. From abstractions to pop colors and design, he ventures to create interesting environments with vivid colors and unique forms that tell their own stories.

Self-Portrait Within The Wallpaper, Evelyn Hinojosa

The Quatrain

Evelyn Hinojosa is a senior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in studio art. She is interested in depicting the human body in alternative ways in order to talk about significant women’s issues. The majority of her work consists of body print paintings which she uses as a way to reclaim the female nude in art. By transforming her own body into an instrument to paint with, this allows her to be the author and subject rather than simply being, historically speaking, the object of sexualization.

David, Hunter Jones

The Quatrain

Hunter Jones is majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. In his free time, he enjoys practicing photography and videography.

Steeples Glen, Linh Nguyen

The Quatrain

Linh Nguyen is a senior at Louisiana Tech. He is majoring in computer science.

Melvin, Noah Blessing

The Quatrain

Noah Blessing is from northeast Ohio and moved to the south as he began his early journey in art. Enduring family hardships and trials led him back to his relationship with God, and now he creates for his creator. From abstractions to pop colors and design, he ventures to create interesting environments with vivid colors and unique forms that tell their own stories.

Raining Colors, Hunter Jones

The Quatrain

Hunter Jones is majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. In his free time, he enjoys practicing photography and videography.

Norton, Tiffany Clinton

The Quatrain

Tiffany Clinton is a sophomore, majoring in graphic design and minoring in studio art. Making art has always been a passion as well as a stress reliever for Tiffany. Her favorite mediums are acrylic paint and colored pencil.

Camera Shy, Trevor Blackstock

The Quatrain

Trevor Blackstock is a third year pre-medical student majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry and psychology. He is a member of AED, Tri-Beta, KLPI, and an ambassador for the School of Biological Sciences. He enjoys viewing art in various forms from different cultures and the interesting ideas that are presented about overstated topics.

Waste, Camryn Price

The Quatrain

Camryn Price is a second year student at Louisiana Tech University, majoring in studio art. She is from Winnsboro, Louisiana. She has a strong interest in 3D design, sculpture, and installation. She has begun to develop a love of the conceptual arts.

Silhouette, Brennan Hilliard

The Quatrain

Brennan Hilliard is a photographer from Shreveport, Louisiana. He currently attends Louisiana Tech University where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. He formally studied photography at Bossier Parish Community College where he acquired two certifications.

Graphic #5, Noah Blessing

The Quatrain

Noah Blessing is from northeast Ohio and moved to the south as he began his early journey in art. Enduring family hardships and trials led him back to his relationship with God, and now he creates for his creator. From abstractions to pop colors and design, he ventures to create interesting environments with vivid colors and unique forms that tell their own stories.

Praying Mantis: The One-Night Stand, Evelyn Hinojosa

The Quatrain

Evelyn Hinojosa is a senior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in studio art. She is interested in depicting the human body in alternative ways in order to talk about significant women’s issues. The majority of her work consists of body print paintings which she uses as a way to reclaim the female nude in art. By transforming her own body into an instrument to paint with, this allows her to be the author and subject rather than simply being, historically speaking, the object of sexualization.

Fibro Frog, Kayla O'Neal

The Quatrain

Kayla O’Neal is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art with an emphasis in drawing and illustration at Louisiana Tech University. After completing her undergraduate degree, Kayla interned as a photographer through the Disney College Program. Her photographs have also been displayed in several galleries, including the LoosenArts Gallery based in Rome, Italy.

Permanence. Anxiety. Acceptance., Christi Kruger

The Quatrain

Christi Kruger is originally from South Africa but moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 2014. Being a first-year biomedical engineering student at Louisiana Tech University, schoolwork consumes most of her time, however that doesn’t stop her from exercising her passion for drawing and painting. She especially tries to capture the intricacies of nature and animals, as it allows her to focus on such small, intimate details.

Diamonds In The Rough, Brennan Hilliard

The Quatrain

Brennan Hilliard is a photographer from Shreveport, Louisiana. He currently attends Louisiana Tech University where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. He formally studied photography at Bossier Parish Community College where he acquired two certifications.

Crimson In The Snow, Trevor Blackstock

The Quatrain

Trevor Blackstock is a third year pre-medical student majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry and psychology. He is a member of AED, Tri-Beta, KLPI, and an ambassador for the School of Biological Sciences. He enjoys viewing art in various forms from different cultures and the interesting ideas that are presented about overstated topics.

Asia Sunset, Tiffany Clinton

The Quatrain

Tiffany Clinton is a sophomore, majoring in graphic design and minoring in studio art. Making art has always been a passion as well as a stress reliever for Tiffany. Her favorite mediums are acrylic paint and colored pencil.

Keeny Hall, Linh Nguyen

The Quatrain

Linh Nguyen is a senior at Louisiana Tech. He is majoring in computer science.

Dixie Theatre, Linh Nguyen

The Quatrain

Linh Nguyen is a senior at Louisiana Tech. He is majoring in computer science.

Hangar, Hannah Fulton

The Quatrain

Hannah Fulton is a third year Master of Fine Arts candidate at Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design, and she is projected to graduate this spring quarter. She has earned a Bachelor’s degree in graphic communications at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She aims to pursue a career in art education.