Wadleigh Gallery will host a student Graphic/Photo/Printmaking exhibition from Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 13. It will open with a reception on Wednesday, March 4 at p.m. and features work by the following students:
Graphic Design: Samantha Geer, Ashley Hin, Kelly Knowles, Cassandra Korbey, Patrick Tobin, Brittany Tumelaire and Melinda Vieira
Photography & Printmaking: Krystle Belanger, Emily Brochu, Jenn Clement, Seana Collins, Kendra Coyle, Maggie Hatfield, Ken Huntley, Zach Huntress, Sarah Izatt, Gayle Lee, Shannon Malloy, Courtney Reynolds, Zach Shields, and Jeff Traynor
Photo Etching: Krystle Belanger, Jesse Cloutier, Sarah Izatt, Tim Lee, Sarah Mac Donald, Korey Nolan, and Alexa Patrick
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Music Journalism, or an Attempt to Take Over the World?
by Laura Spencer
Chris Anderson just wants world domination.
The new Special Topics class, Music Journalism, has found a home at Chester College of New England. Studying a variety of things from movies to books to songs, Anderson plays with the lines of literature and music. With their new blog launching March 4th, Sticks and Stones will let them go public. People everywhere will be able to see the pages. From reviews, to reading where they can find their favorite bands play, to listening to sample of songs chosen by the class, the Chester College Music Blog may have it all. The section titled "Love," however, might be Anderson's favorite. This is where the heart comes in.
While they aren't busy getting ready for their internet debut, Anderson has the class reading a variety of books, writing reviews and papers on different topics, interviewing a musician and keeping track of the latest times in music. He understands that music is such a personal thing, so the class had a risk of getting a bit heated, though it was too important a topic to not focus on, and that the touch of personal material may in the end make it better.
"We want nothing less than world domination," Anderson says. "Well, at least I do, and think everyone in the class is certainly capable."
For more information and to take part in the happenings, visit Sticks and Stones.
Their Myspace is also available to make contact with the class and stay up to date.
Chris Anderson just wants world domination.
The new Special Topics class, Music Journalism, has found a home at Chester College of New England. Studying a variety of things from movies to books to songs, Anderson plays with the lines of literature and music. With their new blog launching March 4th, Sticks and Stones will let them go public. People everywhere will be able to see the pages. From reviews, to reading where they can find their favorite bands play, to listening to sample of songs chosen by the class, the Chester College Music Blog may have it all. The section titled "Love," however, might be Anderson's favorite. This is where the heart comes in.
"People discuss their favorite all time record. The one that has lasted years without losing its ability to move, the record that changed the way you saw the world. We're hoping to get a wide range of people to write for our Love section, from published authors to faculty and students from Chester College. I also hope to include brief essays by musicians about their favorite books."
While they aren't busy getting ready for their internet debut, Anderson has the class reading a variety of books, writing reviews and papers on different topics, interviewing a musician and keeping track of the latest times in music. He understands that music is such a personal thing, so the class had a risk of getting a bit heated, though it was too important a topic to not focus on, and that the touch of personal material may in the end make it better.
"We want nothing less than world domination," Anderson says. "Well, at least I do, and think everyone in the class is certainly capable."
For more information and to take part in the happenings, visit Sticks and Stones.
Their Myspace is also available to make contact with the class and stay up to date.
SO Good, Vol. 2
The staff of SO Good is pleased to announce its choices for Volume II. If your name is on this list, please send a short bio (60 words or less) to chester.annual.online@gmail.com today.
Fiction: "Bittersweet," Sérah Carter; "Nonevent," Marie Stern
Poetry: "Positraction opossums getting killed by cars," Venessa Rotondi; "An English Tide Flat," Maggie Alerding; "Overripe Blackberry," Ashley Kreutter; "Suicide Weather," Rebecca Vitkauskas; "Existential Cladogenesis," Dan Keating; "Zingaro," Nick Kimball
Nonfiction: "Cubs," Eric Notaro; "Air Tower," Kristen Koczarski
Visual Art: Untitled image by Julia Maranto; "Gym" and "Doctor's Office," Madison Mastri; "Peony," Emily Couture; Untitled photograph by Jesse Cloutier; Two untitled black and white portraits by Krystle Belanger; "Human Landscape 4," Zach Shields; Untitled oil pastel by Alexa Patrick; "Relapsed Recovery," Joe Brown; "Lust" and "Misery," Amy Mauriello; "Homage," Jamie Cheney; "Rainforest Irony," Vanessa Laboy
Faculty Favorites
Fiction: "Like Gravity Falling Up," Jeff Metcho, nominated by Chris Anderson; "Cashmere," Beth Ann Miller, nominated by Chris Anderson
Poetry: "When he sleeps he dreams of fields, wild," Matt Williams, nominated by Eric Crapo; "Plenty a Wonderful Beautiful Thing," Vanessa Laboy, nominated by Monica O’Brien; "The Real Parts (I fell in love with a wordsmith)," Vanessa Laboy, nominated by Monica O'Brien; "Dearest Lover –or-(To Whom it May Concern)," Ryan Hoarty, nominated by Monica O’Brien; "this time" and "the simplification of attraction," Stephanie Libby, nominated by Chris Anderson
Nonfiction: "A Letter to Edward Abbey," Gregor R-Baugh, nominated by Eric Pinder
Visual Art: Collaged Narrative, Jessica Eastman, nominated by Liz Buckley; Installation featuring screenprinting with found objects, Amy Beth Gradewicz, nominated by Alexis Adams
Coming Soon
cover image by Amy Mauriello
cover design by Rhiannon Lombard
Fiction: "Bittersweet," Sérah Carter; "Nonevent," Marie Stern
Poetry: "Positraction opossums getting killed by cars," Venessa Rotondi; "An English Tide Flat," Maggie Alerding; "Overripe Blackberry," Ashley Kreutter; "Suicide Weather," Rebecca Vitkauskas; "Existential Cladogenesis," Dan Keating; "Zingaro," Nick Kimball
Nonfiction: "Cubs," Eric Notaro; "Air Tower," Kristen Koczarski
Visual Art: Untitled image by Julia Maranto; "Gym" and "Doctor's Office," Madison Mastri; "Peony," Emily Couture; Untitled photograph by Jesse Cloutier; Two untitled black and white portraits by Krystle Belanger; "Human Landscape 4," Zach Shields; Untitled oil pastel by Alexa Patrick; "Relapsed Recovery," Joe Brown; "Lust" and "Misery," Amy Mauriello; "Homage," Jamie Cheney; "Rainforest Irony," Vanessa Laboy
Faculty Favorites
Fiction: "Like Gravity Falling Up," Jeff Metcho, nominated by Chris Anderson; "Cashmere," Beth Ann Miller, nominated by Chris Anderson
Poetry: "When he sleeps he dreams of fields, wild," Matt Williams, nominated by Eric Crapo; "Plenty a Wonderful Beautiful Thing," Vanessa Laboy, nominated by Monica O’Brien; "The Real Parts (I fell in love with a wordsmith)," Vanessa Laboy, nominated by Monica O'Brien; "Dearest Lover –or-(To Whom it May Concern)," Ryan Hoarty, nominated by Monica O’Brien; "this time" and "the simplification of attraction," Stephanie Libby, nominated by Chris Anderson
Nonfiction: "A Letter to Edward Abbey," Gregor R-Baugh, nominated by Eric Pinder
Visual Art: Collaged Narrative, Jessica Eastman, nominated by Liz Buckley; Installation featuring screenprinting with found objects, Amy Beth Gradewicz, nominated by Alexis Adams
cover image by Amy Mauriello
cover design by Rhiannon Lombard
Chester College of New England on Facebook
Chester now has a facebook page! Become a fan, join a student or alumni group or leave a comment on our wall.
Friday, February 20, 2009
History of Pornography
by Jessica Eastman
“Which of the following represents the greatest threat to society?”
This semester is the second run of the course at Chester College of New England. Last year, when the class first ran, the Board of Trustee’s required students to sign content waiver forms to participate. Since then, many have felt the positive impact of such a course on campus. Raising questions such as “What makes an image pornographic,” and “How do society’s morals influence these definitions,” the course contributes to students’ understanding of their own artwork. Like Dr. Thrush asks, “What does it mean politically and socially to do a figure drawing? For a writer to write porn?” It is always important to discuss the censorship of artwork. How else would artistic styles grow?
As for the content covered within the class, it is never the same twice. Since last year, Thrush has “telescoped down coverage of the ancients to include more contemporary pieces.” She has also added a film section this time to discuss pornographic videos and what they mean within the grand scheme of things. As Thrush explains, “It’s partially reactionary.” She always feels the need to build material into the curriculum to “challenge generational taboos or dislikes.” Thrush not only questions the current taboos herself, but really challenges students to think about them in relation to their own ideas and artwork.
Needless to say, Dr. Thrush’s History of Pornography course raises eyebrows for all the right reasons. Even when asked to pick an image to represent the course, she picked two images that many may consider unsuitable to be published with such an article as this. However, for the sake of art and its argument, the images are presented below, edit free.
"The Origin of the World"
Gustave Corbet, 1866
"The Negation of the Universe"
Richard Phillips, 2001
“Which of the following represents the greatest threat to society?”
A. Larry Flint – the publisher of the adult magazine HustlerThe answer, as Dr. Nanette Thrush presents, is Law and Order: SVU. Its consistent themes of sexual deviance and pedophilia numb audiences to the true impact of the situations. This is just one of the ideas she presents within “a class that raises eyebrows.” For, as Thrush says, “Traditionally my job would be to uphold the canon and teach standards, but now my job is to pull the rug out from underneath.” It’s all about the “'and maybe we should' factor.” Maybe we should go there. Maybe we should take it to the next level.
B. Clarence Thomas – a Supreme Court justice accused of sexual harassment with an alleged pornographic movie viewing habit
C. Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)
This semester is the second run of the course at Chester College of New England. Last year, when the class first ran, the Board of Trustee’s required students to sign content waiver forms to participate. Since then, many have felt the positive impact of such a course on campus. Raising questions such as “What makes an image pornographic,” and “How do society’s morals influence these definitions,” the course contributes to students’ understanding of their own artwork. Like Dr. Thrush asks, “What does it mean politically and socially to do a figure drawing? For a writer to write porn?” It is always important to discuss the censorship of artwork. How else would artistic styles grow?
As for the content covered within the class, it is never the same twice. Since last year, Thrush has “telescoped down coverage of the ancients to include more contemporary pieces.” She has also added a film section this time to discuss pornographic videos and what they mean within the grand scheme of things. As Thrush explains, “It’s partially reactionary.” She always feels the need to build material into the curriculum to “challenge generational taboos or dislikes.” Thrush not only questions the current taboos herself, but really challenges students to think about them in relation to their own ideas and artwork.
Needless to say, Dr. Thrush’s History of Pornography course raises eyebrows for all the right reasons. Even when asked to pick an image to represent the course, she picked two images that many may consider unsuitable to be published with such an article as this. However, for the sake of art and its argument, the images are presented below, edit free.
"The Origin of the World"
Gustave Corbet, 1866
"The Negation of the Universe"
Richard Phillips, 2001
Professor Diessner's Work in Northampton, MA exhibit
Work by Nancy Diessner, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies, is part of "Touching Space (flow)," an exhibition of 40 prints curated from the Flat Files Project by guest artist/curator Karen Dolmanisth at the Gallery at Zea Mays Printmaking in Northampton, MA. Dolmanisth selected work based on an intuitive response and perceived relationships between the pieces, and the non-traditional installation of the work extends her vision of how the works “touch space and flow” into the physical space of the gallery.
"Touching Space (flow)," which opened on January 27, will close Friday, February 27, with a reception and a gallery talk/performance by Dolmanisth from 6-8 p.m.
"Touching Space (flow)," which opened on January 27, will close Friday, February 27, with a reception and a gallery talk/performance by Dolmanisth from 6-8 p.m.
Alexandria Peary reading March 4th
Chester College of New England’s Visiting Writers Series will host a reading by Alexandria Peary at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 4 in Powers 29. Admission is free for students with ID and a $5 suggested donation for all others.
Peary writes and publishes in a range of genre including poetry, magazine writing/ creative nonfiction, and scholarly writing. Her first book of poems, Fall Foliage Called Bathers & Dancers, was published in September 2008. Her poems have appeared in journals including The Gettysburg Review, The Massachusetts Review, jubilat, Poetry Northwest, Verse, and Crazyhorse, has received the Joseph Langland Award from the Academy of American Poets and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her most recent magazine article was published in late 2008 in the parenting magazine Brain, Child.
Junior Matt Williams and sophomore Ashley Kreutter will be opening for Peary.
excerpt from "i beg for rationalization"
by Matt Williams
san francisco. i have pieced this memory together
from the shreds of old photographs i found in carpet
strands in my room. this was before his mouth could
learn syllables and we understood each other, mystic
symbiosis – varied synaptic impulses charted us
guidelines to understand simply, we were brothers.
there was a spill of translucence on his brow,
and on mine, like a halo? like a white golden swathe.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)