From graffiti on walls to prints in museums, artists use a combination of skill and imagination to create art. Having their art accepted, appreciated and simply seen are obstacles that many artists face. Temple students now have a forum to share and promote their creative expressions in a new literary genre.
On May 1, the English Majors Association launched Effusion, a magazine dedicated to student freedom, creativity and art. Effusion, whose name means an unrestrained outpouring of feeling, will blend various genres of art in a showcase of diverse student creativity.
“Readers can expect a wide variety of voices,” said Editor in Chief Rachel Cawley. “You can open any page and be completely engulfed by images.”
For the premiere issue, Effusion received hundreds of submissions, including photography, Japanese anime, linoleum prints, drawing, graffiti, poetry, short stories, lyrics and experimental prose.
The artists’ academic interests are just as varied, ranging from architecture to philosophy majors.
By blending different types of art from a diverse student body, Cawley promised that Effusion would be interesting, new and significant.
“It’s a way, I think, that Temple students can leave their mark, gain recognition and be heard,” Cawley said.
As an artist, Kelly Knaub got a chance to share her work recently at the Painted Bride Arts Center. Reading for the first time, Knaub, an English major and poet, won the slam for “I Pray,” a poem that will be published in Effusion’s premiere issue.
“When I write poetry, it keeps me sane,” said Knaub.
Knaub said that in dealing with life stresses she wants to share her brand of therapy with others.
“I want other people to read that poem and get the peace it gave me,” Knaub said.
Effusion will be published twice a semester, beginning next fall, due in part to the College Council of Liberal Arts, the governing body of liberal arts major associations, which funds major association events and projects.
“Effusion is the greatest idea so far,” said Council president Scott Tricarico. “Everybody from the Dean’s office to the students has been involved with this and it’s been an incredible thing to be a part of it.”
Tricarico, an Economics major, said Effusion gives students the power to create what they want and an opportunity to learn from each other.
Knaub shares his sentiment.
“I think it’s a really good outlet for students,” Knaub said. “We need these types of outlets just to be heard.”
One way Temple student Paul Jasper gets heard is through Japanese animation.
“I used to watch a lot of cartoons; I still do,” said Jasper, an International Business and Marketing major. “I realized that a lot of the shows I actually liked were Japanese in origin and that made me curious to see what other Japanese cartoons were out there.”
Jasper is now President of the Anime Club, which has contributed original artwork to Effusion’s premiere issue. The Anime Club also contributed fan art, which features the artist’s favorite movie, television or video game character.
“We want to convey that there are many definitions in terms of art and there are many different ways to interpret art,” Jasper said. “There are many different people in the world and everyone has a different way of expressing themselves. This is our art and this is how we express ourselves.”
Maya Angelou once said that we must infuse our lives with art to oppose the differences that keep us apart. The concept of Effusion is to give students an opportunity to do just that.
Kia Gregory can be reached at kgrego01@temple.edu
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