Some Poetry... :)

As finals are rolling along I thought I would post some of the poetry I've composed this semester as a testament to my months of introspection and, hopefully, for your enjoyment during these rough, hectic weeks of studying! I've shared a variety of modeled poems (from sonnets to aubades), some romantic, others comedic. Ezra Pond said "Read seeds, not twigs." I hope that these pieces I've written serve as metaphoric seeds for you to initiate contemplation and self-exploration. Another poet's words to consider as you read are those of the famous Wordsworth who, wouldn't you know it, had a way with words! (Please pardon the pun :P) He defined poetry as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotion recollected in tranquility." Another hope of mine is that these next few weeks of finals are indeed tranquil and not too stressful for you!

O’Clock

O, Sovereign Clock, we to thy chimes arise

With queries thick’ning our sleep-heavy tongues:

Where go lost spans of time—sweet subtleties

As minutes, hours, days breathe from our lungs?

Do seconds venture to a space obscured—

Beneath lush, chartreuse canopies of leaves?

Or to neglect-scarred rooms is past time lured,

A sepulcher to which bygones do cleave

Thy poker face of porcelain beguiles,

Concealing where the present’s fast cajoled:

To music staffs where rhythms reconcile?

Each syncopated note beats uncontrolled!

Though veiled slyly, no tick rests in peace—

Each settles steep in mem’ry, ne’er to cease.

The Sun Risen

Foolhardy soul to chide me so

You err with airs;

Thy lascivious virtue ne’er compares

To the primrose gold that tints my tableaus

Cloudy clod thou baffle me—

Egoistically likening thy mind

To the rank of a Heavn’ly deity:

Hast thee been cast adrift by some trade wind?

For thou underestimate my love’s power;

On it your praise and respect should shower

In truth, thou lauded my keen, brawny beams

Art thou jealous?

For thy contentions seem overzealous—

Thy bed: the “Copernican centre?”[1] So extreme!

Mine eyes are not blinded, leverage not curbed

Even as I wane, my brill’iance persists—

My paint palette shifts, but I’m no more perturbed

(Lackluster you claim; legacy mere gist?

I smile on you ruefully, vile withal).

A mother of pearl sheen coats the Great Falls

I know what I am and what I am not

And the nothing[2] that thou art!

If states and princes ye be, royalty I’m part;

Prepared to conquer any Gordian knot.[3]

Indeed I warm the world: amber and fierce

My gaze accentuates your slumber grand

Mountaintops and canopies I too pierce

And I take pride in the distance spanned

Thy sphere is my own and thou art but part

Of my domain in which dwells thy servile heart

---

[1] Copernicus was a Polish astronomer who proposed a model of the solar system in which the planets orbit in perfect circles around the sun.

[2] “Nothing” alludes to the 21^st line of Donne’s poem in which the speaker claims that nothing beside he and his paramour exist in the world.

[3] an intricate knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia, and cut by the sword of Alexander the Great after he heard that whoever undid it would become ruler of Asia; any very difficult problem that is insoluble in its own terms

 

 

Fed Up With Concession Stands: Memoirs of Motion Picture Magnificence

Resplendent velveteen of blushing red

A stately throne from whence critics pronounce:

“A humbling plot,” “Director’s in great stead!”

All poor reviews and comments they’d renounce

Is Regal entertainment not its name,

Its legacy fallaciously imbued?

No more am I seat for fresh acclaim

But withering—in pools of Sprite I’m sloughed!

My golden seams do burst with bloated stress

As crunching, clapping, slurping permeate

My cushion’s globbed with Sno-caps!—I digress,

Is this indeed the fate I must await?

The culture industry’s to blame, I swear!

For unseating me to “casual affair.”

Perfection (I)

A world unabashed—Pandora’s sealed box

Before curiosity intervened,

A frosted cake tier pearled with pink fondant,

Sliced, syrupy apples languishing in a flaky crust,

A baby’s slight, milky fist curled around a parent pinky,

The breath of a misting fan on a steamy summer day at the zoo,

A car trip devoid of the incessant “Are we there yet?”

A graduate’s smile captured in a frame,

A thornless garden of dew-laden blossoms—

Swaying as wind whistles, glistening as heaven smiles,

The blessing of adoption to a family unable to conceive,

A picnic unperturbed by the arrival of crumb-craving ants,

The sea foam veneer on a spiraled nautilus shell,

An unexpected yes from a love yet unrequited; attainable  

Perfection (II)

Pandora’s sealed box, scintillating

Before deep curiosity befell

Unleashing demons of corruption, sin,

Hope itself just retained, nearly quelled.

A gymnast acrobatically entwined,

Competition taut as she dismounts:

An unremitting battle with the scale,

 “Lighten and prevail”—her coach recounts;

A workaholic reeling for success

A caffeinated sleepwalker: entranced

He yearns not for his wife’s caress, and worse,

Neglects his toddler for métier financed;

A soldier, seeking homecoming at last

His uniform unable to disguise

Reality: he’ll leave as he returned

Boot steps ling’ring longer than his eyes…

Immobilizing motivation sought

At any cost: perfection is hardbought.

Autumnal Tree

Autumnal tree, festooned in auburn garb—

Sienna branches draped in patterns rich,

Leaves faintly clasped, no need for Rose’s barb

And with sweet dew each crispy blade is stitched

Reverberating with wind’s whistling hymn

As through bark hollows notes are whispered brief

Thy leaflets sway in cadence on each limb

Raindrops descend, seas’nal aperitifs

Ye grace our lawns costumed in russet, gold,

Accessorized in gauzy, umber slips

Thou manifest what wild Zephyr[1] foretold

As nakedness becomes your fingertips

Yet thou ensemble is but transient

To summer, winter, spring—not ambient

---

[1] The West wind, esp. as personified as the god of the West wind

 

Día de los Muertos

I (Katie) don't have a lot of time to blog right now! But a picture is worth a thousand words, right? So here are some pictures from our Saturday in Cheekwood! Hopefully one of my other Creation Station amigos can provide commentary on the day:

So hopefully this give you an idea of how much fun we had! It really was an awesome day!

Roof Tops and Raging...nbd

So basically, we , Laura and Katie, have been stationed at several locations of creation recently. Yes, we realize how dumb  AWESOME that sounds. But sadly, we're busy with school work, really involved and totes pop (jk, but not really), so we haven't had time to blog. Rewind.... actually we just procrastinate and watch too much Modern Family (but that's an art form, right?). Not to fear, we're going to fill all of you, our faithful readers, in right now!

Greek Festival- Being on a college campus, when you hear "Greek" you think of Natty Lite, chapter meetings, and philanthropy(...right, guys?).  However, there is actually a country called Greece with culture and traditions that extend far beyond frat row. We actually got off campus for a night with Chris to see the way people in the Greek community express themselves through various forms of art- costumes, food specialties, dancing, and cutely decorated knickknacks. We even pretended like we were Greek for a night... we swear people believed us until we started dancing. Not really, since we have no idea how to pronounce Gyro. Let's just say, it was a learning experience. All in all, we had a great time, and you should definitely check this culture out!

Musician's Corner in Centennial Park- Parents' weekend rolled around, and really, who takes their parents to tailgates? That's just awkward. And those lectures on the history of the Earth. We mean, as much as we want to spend Saturday listening to yet another lecture, we feel like our time could be better spent. So this weekend, we, along with Alex and our friend Hannah, decided to hit up Centennial to see some of Nashville's musicians. Not to mention, it's FREE! It's weird how being free makes everything more fun. You know those awkward free concerts where nobody cares except for the musicians and the managers who actually think they're going to "make it big," yet they have to convince you to even take their demo... yeahhh, this wasn't one of those times! These people were actually good and we were super impressed. Not to mention, there were dogs that looked like horses, we're not even kidding, and an awesome homeless man with dreads down to his knees dancing around. This is a weekly event and we really can't wait to go back Saturdays this fall for awesome music and beautiful photo shoot opportunities.

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's- Not sure if you've ever heard of this indie band, but we have. Don't spread it around, because once people start liking it, we can't anymore (that's what indie means of course). But really, they're chill and great to listen to while writing papers. So we, along with Madeline, decided to support them by seeing them at the Exit In this week. Although they didn't play our favorite and their most popular song (ugh, so indie) we had a really good time and they had some beautiful acoustic songs. And if you haven't checked out the Exit In, it's a great venue with small and personal concerts at student affordable prices.

Roof-Top Adventures- In a spontaneous moment on the Terrace Place parking garage roof top, we, along with Madeline, decided to write down the negative things in our life and throw them off the roof. The sun was setting over the skyline as the unfavorable parts of our life drifted away. Sooo symbolic, yeah we're deep. But nobody wants to end on the negative, so instead we wrote down the things that make us love life and let them float into the heart of the city. It was kinda awkward though, because they all flew back in our faces and in a panicked rush we ran in circles trying to throw them off again. They just didn't want to leave us. Also symbolic. You should honestly just study our lives in your literature classes. So maybe you're overbooked and can't find time to fit all these exciting things into your schedule. Or maybe you want to plan your own creative event. We really suggest you try this because for us, it was a perfect way to de-stress and it was just generally fun.

Sorry for not writing for so long, but clearly we're just SUPER cool and busy. Hope you enjoyed our adventures and follow us in the future!

Love,
Laura and Katie

Hey guys-

This is the second installment in my pottery series designed to show a glimpse into the world of making pottery via "throwing" on a wheel.  Last time, I introduced the clay body and the first steps of the process (find my first post below if you need a refresher!)

Now that the pieces have been fired in an electric kiln, they are much more hardened and durable.  The firing process in itself is interesting because it is a true test of the clay body.  If the clay hasn't been wedged (kneaded) well enough and thrown correctly, too many little air pockets within the clay would cause it to just EXPLODE under the heat of the kiln.  So, if you're not careful, you could open the kiln to find your precious little bowl as fragments of what it used to be.  

If you look below at the pieces that have been fired (now referred to as bisqueware), you can see a few differences in them from before.  One obvious thing is the color.  The earthy light brown is now replaced with a light pink.  Of course results like this will also depend on the type of clay you decide to use.  Another thing that you probably can't see from the photo is the size; these pieces shrunk about 30% of their original size because of all the moisture being dried up in the firing.  

So, this leaves you at the stage where you glaze your piece!  However, I want to save this step for its own actual post after I've glazed the pieces.  Until then, tchau!

-j

Seasonal Celebration in a SNAP!

Admittedly, I am a Floridian who never truly experienced any other season before my college years except hot and hotter. The fall colors, brisk weather, and crunchy leaves underfoot were never aspects of my adolescence that I was lucky enough to enjoy. My first year as a freshman at Vanderbilt was my first official fall and I took major advantage of the opportunity! As a creative form of self-expression to celebrate my novel and individuated seasonal experience, I wanted to document each moment to my heart's content. My friends and I organized a relatively impromptu Fall Photoshoot, capturing photos of ourselves frolicking in the auburn and chestnut leaves, swinging from the trees, sporting cool windy weather gear (okay, cool for me.. the Floridian... notice the Uggs and wool sweater :P), and just relishing the experience of a lovely day in  a new home with new friends.

The genuine quality of the photos and the naturalism of the day as a whole is truly evident and I look back on these memories fondly and with an eye to the vivid color scheme, for it truly painted my life with color and added a vibrancy to my first semester that I had never anticipated. In memorium of this special event, I recently submitted one of the pictures into a photography contest exemplifying what true friendship stands for and how confidence and support is provided to me by my friends. This month, being International Women's Friendship Month, has encouraged me to look back upon all of the close bonds I've rendered here at school and to appreciate what I've been blessed to share and experience.

My suggestion: Follow in my footsteps! Share a spontaneous, fun day out in the Nashville scene--be it downtown, in the lovely Centennial Park, or even just among the tree-lined sidewalks of Hillsboro--with your friends and capture the memories!

A Breakdown of The Highest Caliber

Hey everyone, it's Will. I just got done having a moving experience involving the arts in a third floor room in Buttrick Hall at 10:30 on a Thursday night. While most of my peers are downtown partaking in "extra-curricular activities", I am holed up in Buttrick studying for my first French exam of the year (a truly joyous occaison).

One of the things I love about Buttrick is that you can play music through the speakers that are set up around each classroom. Let me paint you a picture; I am half-delirious from studying already, despite the fact that it's only 10:00 (I'm just that pathetic.) I have one of my favorite songs playing loudly through the speakers: "Separator" off of the new Radiohead album. I'm in the middle of writing some definitions on the board when I suddenly just lose it. I dropped my chalk, cranked up the volume, and started to dance. It would have been extremely embarrassing, I assure you. For the duration of the song, I was no longer studying by myself in a classroom. It was just me and the music, and I had four minutes of pure bliss; free from responsibility, stress, and fatigue. Music has and always will be my escape, whether it be from something inconsequential like studying, or from some of the larger problems we all encounter in life.


The main gist of this long post is that you should let go. Whatever your escape is, take a moment sometime to use it. Forget your inhibitions and let creative expression give you a break from the demanding atmosphere here at Vandy. Bonne nuit - Will

Throwing (pottery, that is) 101 with Josh

Hey guys,

So, I wanted to make a post about a form of artistic expression that I try and make apart of my life as much as possible, that being pottery.  Making or "throwing" pottery is something that I took up here at college last semester.  I thoroughly enjoyed the class (Ceramics with Susan DeMay, she's amazing btw) and often found myself in the studio throwing on the wheel, trimming, firing, and glazing pieces that I made with my own hands.  The end result was a small piece of myself, the time and effort put forth from my imagination and fingertips, into a physical manifestation that could house a bouquet of flowers, pour a glass of water, or simply sit on a shelf to look pretty.  Either way, I found something that allowed me to express myself and create something unique at the same time.

I still throw whenever I can find the time (there's a high demand for my professional pieces....psssssych) and to incorporate this into our theme, I wanted to do a little "series" of posts that takes you through the steps of making pottery.  If this is something that interests you, I encourage you to read this and keep an eye out for what is to come next.  Pottery is a process like most things so I'll be re-posting as I go through each step of the process :D

So this will be the first post then.  The picture you see is of the first, four pieces that I've made since I've been back to school (and therefore had access to a studio).

This is what thrown (pottery sculpted on a wheel) pieces look like before being fired in a kiln.  The original soft clay has been kneaded repeatedly to release the tiny air bubbles inside the clay (or otherwise it would explode in the kiln), and then placed on a "bat" on a wheel.  I'm sure most of you have seen the scene from Ghost where Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze are throwing pottery (amongst other inappropriate things).  That's basically what it is, just spinning the clay around while shaping it with your hands...doesn't sound too hard, does it?  Don't let it fool you, it's much more difficult than it looks.  Just learning to center the "cone" of clay before you actually shape it takes tons of practice.
So after the pieces are thrown/formed, they are set to dry.  Handles and trimming to the base are done before the clay body is too hardened, at a stage called "leather-hard".  What you see here is the finish of the first step of the process.  Once the are completely dry, they can be fired.  So, next time you see these pieces they will have been fired in the kiln!
Well there ya go.  Kinda long but the ones to follow will be more brief, no worries.
¡Hasta luego!

-Josh

From paper to life.

This is a work that I hope to have enlarged and painted on a wall of one of my future homes.  Scott Avett from the Avett Brothers, my favorite band, was the artist, which makes this piece even more important to me.  This work represents one aspect of the world that sits very close to my heart: the beautiful coexistence of humans and nature.  Strong hands aid in the growth of the vines as well as handle them gently.  Not only is this drawing a work of art, but nature in itself is a work of art.  Do not forget that while walking or class or eating lunch on the lawn.  Take a break from books for a while and look out the window.  Vanderbilt has more than just academics to offer :]

P.s. Check out the Avett Brothers...they rock my socks.

Love always,
Madeline

The Creation Station Crew

Will Shipley

 Hey guys! My name is Will (short for Guillaume), and I’m the project leader for The Creation Station. I’m an Econ major and I’m also minoring in French and maybe Financial Econ. I’ll just run through a hit-list of things you should know about me. I started out in Engineering and then ran to A&S. I love playing tennis, ultimate, and basketball. I love to travel, and I have an unhealthy obsession with anything French. Artistically, music is very important to me but I also enjoy fine art, cinema, and poetry.

Alex Rigl

Hi there! My name is Alex Rigl and I am incredibly excited to be starting on this VIP venture: The Creation Station. Throughout my life I have surrounded myself with creative endeavors—be it poetry writing, musical theatre, or artistic projects—and am so glad to be embarking on a mission to not only further ground myself in an artsy background but to encourage others to embrace self expression in their lives. This year is definitely going to be fun and exciting and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead! I am positively intrigued by all of the opportunities that we, as a team, will be presented with to grow, learn, and broaden our interests.

Chris Fink

Hey everyone! My name is Chris Fink, and I’m a sophomore majoring in MHS from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Katie’s favorite state). I’m very excited to be participating in the Creation Station’s exploration of art throughout Nashville because, frankly, I don’t and haven’t done a whole lot of art. Aside from VIP, I’m a tour guide on campus and a research assistant at VUMC. An interesting fact about me is that I went to Disney World twice in one year (although I was only 1 so don’t remember much of it). 

Madeline Whitaker

Hey there! My name is Madeline (from Terre Haute, Indiana, Holla Holla!) and I love living life to its fullest.  Trying new things helps keep my life exciting :] Also, living vicariously through the girls on Millionaire Matchmaker! I am double majoring in elementary education and child studies (hoping to squeeze a cool minor in there as well).  My favorite color is brown and I have a deep passion for music. Hit me up for a bike ride anytime!

Josh Grubb

I am currently a sophomore here at Vanderbilt and am a student of the College of Arts & Sciences.  Majoring in Latin American Studies and Political Science, one day I want to combine these two interests by working to better international relations between the U.S. and Latin America.  Hailing from Knoxville, TN, I am an avid fan of the outdoors.  Some hobbies of mine include kayaking, hiking, throwing pottery, sailing, and hanging out with friends.  In addition, I am involved with AMIGOS, Manna, and AmbassaDores on campus.  One thing in particular that I look forward to this year is exploring different types of artistic expressions with my best friends.

                                                                  Katie Pons               

Hey everyone! My name is Katie and I am very excited about our VIP project this year! I am majoring in Psychology, potentially with a double major in Sociology. When I’m not in class or out exploring different art forms with this group I unhealthily obsess over cats, floral prints, big earring, taking pictures, hot air balloons and Sufjan Stevens. I try not to take things too seriously, which mostly results in my grades slipping up, but I guess some of us have to be mediocre. But I am not as mediocre as HOD majors (just kidding, but not really...shout out to Laura Brokaw!)

Laura Brokaw

 My name is Laura Brokaw and for those of you who don’t know me I am just a little bit crazy. I love to try new things, commit to EVERYTHING, travel around the world, and sometimes I wish that hitchhiking was still a legitimate way to get from place to place. I am an HOD major all the way (it is just as legit as your major) and am ready to find the artsy side of Nashville this year until I return to Los Angeles, the city that I call home.

Paul Clymer

Hi, I’m Paul, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science and Math, minoring in Engineering Management here at Vandy.  I’m a laid-back guy who enjoys music, running, video games, and a good book.  Probably the least artistic of the Crew, I’m looking forward to exploring a side of the brain that goes unused in my studies here at Vandy.