Talented Artists Find Way Into Sins

By Whitney Ricker

Cardinal Sins, the publication created by SVSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni featuring artwork, photography, prose, and poetry, has released its Fall 2008 issue.

Creative writing senior and Sins editor, Matthew Falk, commented on the large number of submissions with more than 100 entries in color art and more than 90 entries in poetry. Other categories did not receive such a large number of submissions. 

“We do have a creative non-fiction/essay category, but no one seems to know about this, because we didn’t get a single entry,” said Falk.

Falk mentioned that selecting which submissions were to be published was made difficult because of the large number of submissions and diverse staff. “Our staff has a lot of different ideas and opinions about what’s good, so we have some lively conversations.”

A winner is chosen from each of the seven categories of submissions. Some submissions often stand out from the others. 

“We all loved Adam Baudoux’s ‘Haiti’ photo; there wasn’t much debate about that one,” said Falk. Baudoux, a graphic design senior, also had the winning photo, “Support,” for the color photography section. 

“God inspired me to shoot those photos and He is my driving force behind everything I do,” said Baudoux who plans to open a studio in Bay City to continue his career in professional photography. 

Professional and technical writing junior Alan J. Dore won the poetry category with his piece “You Can Do / It / ‘s Just 25 Lines.” This poem was written in response to an assignment with requirements Dore considered unreasonable. 

“Something about the possibility of graded self-expression seemed unjust,” Dore said. 

Dore plans on getting a job as a writer, but if that doesn’t work out, he hopes to keep writing. 

“For me, writing can be ridiculously difficult, this process of endless self-discovery,” Dore said. And even though it’s hard for him, he says it would be more difficult not to.

Visiting Assistant Professor of History Joel Lewis collaborated with Libby Booth to create their winning color artwork titled “Vacation 296.” 

This piece was created at the tri-city Art Battle, a 3 hour competition between local artists to create a painting on the spot. Booth and Lewis didn’t have a plan going into the competition. “We let the art simply come to life as a direct expression of our emotions at the time,” said Lewis.

Since its win at the art battle, “Vacation 296” has been put on view at several other venues in the tri-city area. “For me art is just a fun therapeutic hobby. My main creative outlet is writing,” said Lewis who has one published book, several working manuscripts, and has written children’s stories and poetry. 

Lewis and Booth frequently paint together so collaborating on this piece was not uncommon. 

“We are very good at feeding off from each others’ artistic energy and creative concepts,” Lewis said. 

He explained that Booth is the main talent behind the piece. “If we were personified as cartoon characters, she would be like Rocky, with all of her good ideas and ambitions, and I would be Bullwinkle, the silly comic relief of the duo that keeps us laughing as we work.” Booth plans to travel to Chicago to continue her professional art career.

Graphic design senior Renee Adler was the winner of the black and white artwork section with her piece “Petrified.” “Petrified” was a result of a class assignment requiring the creation of a piece using a “life word.” She had created the piece after a significant breakup. 

“I took advantage of my angry feelings toward the world, and ‘Petrified’ was the result.” 

“Petrified” was in the 2008 SVSU student art show and was featured in the Hell’s Half Mile Exhibition in Bay City this fall.

Adler is unsure where her talent will lead her in the future. “I wouldn’t mind taking my graphic design skills to a bigger city,” Adler said. “Maybe, eventually, I will own a graphic design business and possibly work from home.”

With her piece “Hello, Littlefoot,” creative writing senior Storm Ainsley won the short fiction category. Ainsley’s piece was influenced by The Land Before Time movies. 

“I take great inspiration from the state of childhood,” said Ainsley. “I have a somewhat inexplicable connection to origin/creation stories.”

Ainsley plans to apply to graduate school for a Creative Writing MFA. She has always wanted to write and plans to pursue any opportunities to write that may come her way.

Cardinal Sins release a new issue near the end of the fall and winter semesters. 

“There are no hard and fast rules. We will consider anything that is good, fresh, and creative,” said Falk. 

With current staff members on the cusp of graduation, Cardinal Sins is looking for new staff members to take their places and continue production. 

For those interested, it is encouraged to show up at any of the meetings held Friday mornings at eleven somewhere on the second floor of Brown.

For questions and more information, Matthew Falk can be reached at mdfalk@svsu.edu