Fall 2007 LandEscapes Out Now!

The Fall 2007 issue of LandEscapes is now available at departments across campus, especially Avery Hall (across from the Bookie). Pick up your copy today and take a look at the best student works of art, photography, fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, as well as an interview with visiting writer Jonathan Johnson.

The more extensive Spring Issue will also be coming out in the next few months so make sure and keep yours open.

Artist Spotlight: Gabriel Brown

This year LandEscapes has been honored with the contributing work of artist Gabriel Brown. Gabriel’s work crosses numerous artistic spaces between performance, sculpture, and drawing in what we believe to be a defiance of traditional definitions of “art.” This is one of many reasons why the staff at LandEscapes found themselves captivated by his work and thrilled to have the opportunity to feature ”Beggar Inc” in our fall issue.

“Beggar Inc” is a still taken from a larger performance by Gabriel as a “living political cartoon” that involved ritually standing on the same corner each morning between 8-8:45 with a different cardboard sign each day for seven weeks. Please visit his website www.gabrielbrown.net to experience his performances and understand the larger meaning behind the photograph appearing in our journal. You can also view a short documentary about the “Beggar Inc” performance at http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/video/archive.asp?mon=Nov2005

An excerpt from Gabriel’s artistic statement reads, “My process begins with a rigorous amount of questioning. This develops into a project consisting of several elements, such as, drawing, sculpture, video and performance. I include things commonly seen or experienced in the city: things that I find humorous, or devastating (a bum, a mall, a parking lot, a lawn). This work is an expression of the great irony that is our existence.”

Visiting Writers Series Presents: Peter Chilson

Washington State University¹s Department of English continues its Visiting Writer Series with Peter Chilson, who will read at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 8 at the Museum of Art/WSU. An informal conversation with the writer will also take place on November 8 at 12 p.m. in the Bundy Reading Room.

Peter Chilson¹s new book, Disturbance-Loving Species: A Novella and Stories, won the Bread Loaf Writers¹ Conference Bakeless Fiction Prize. The stories in this book are about Americans in Africa, struggling to cope with political and social conflict, and Africans trying to adjust to life in the United States. Chilson is also the author of the travelogue Riding the Demon: On the Road in West Africa, published by the University of Georgia Press in 1999. He¹s won the AWP creative nonfiction book prize, the Gulf Coast Fiction Prize, and his work has appeared in Audubon Magazine, The American Scholar, Best American Travel Essays, The North American Review, and elsewhere. He teaches writing and literature at Washington State University. Both events are free and open to the public. His books will be for sale after the reading. For more information, contact Andrea Mason at (509) 335-8747 or amason@wsu.edu.

California College of the Arts: A Great New MFA Program

California College of the Arts' MFA Program in Writing is for poets,
short-story writers, novelists, scriptwriters, screenwriters, and
creative nonfiction writers who welcome the particular opportunities
of writing within the creative environment of an art college, where
they become part of a lively, committed community of artists of all
kinds.
In addition to offering traditional writing workshops, the program
takes advantage of its context to make courses available for writers
interested in the large, evolving field of text and image:
performance art, book art, video, film, multimedia, and the new arts
of cyberspace.
The goal is to cultivate thoughtful, innovative, well-rounded writers
who are grounded in a chosen discipline and effective in a variety of
forms. The program affirms traditional and innovative practices,
personal exploration, and collaboration.
The curriculum is anchored in the writer's workshop and in mentored
study. Elective and studio courses allow students to pursue interests
connected to their writing practices or to develop individualized
curricula in relation to the visual arts. In the second year,
students produce a book-length manuscript devoted to a specific
discipline or a combination of disciplines.
Beginning in fall 2007 the program will be housed in a newly acquired
building—a former gallery with a magnificent courtyard garden—on
CCA's San Francisco campus. Facilities available to writers include
computers, printers, work areas, sofas, and comfortable chairs.
Readings and other events take place in the Writers' Studio, also on
the San Francisco campus.
For more information, please visit www.cca.edu

Fiction « Blogging LandEscapes

Fiction « Blogging LandEscapes
Below is a link to a fiction story written by our very own Schuyler Lystad entitled “The Foharre.” Please enjoy it and share your praise and constructive critiques!

thefoharre1.doc

Unraveling the MFA Quagmire

The good people at The Association of Writers and Writing Programs have developed a handy-dandy online resource that presents, which aspects should be looked for in an excellent graduate writing program and why these factors matter. This is one of the first steps that should be taken before applying to a graduate school, where answering questions of who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s just downright ugly can save time and money. Follow the link to find some answers http://www.awpwriter.org/membership/dh_2.htm And don’t forget to explore The Association of Writers and Writing Programs ‘ website to learn how they’re striving to further the creative arts.

PEN American Center: A Must See Site

PEN American Center is self-described as “An association of writers working to advance literature, defend free expression, and foster international literary fellowship.” They’re known for recognizing writers behind bars, presenting numerous audio discussions between authors on a wide array of issues, sharing global news concerning free expression, as well as presenting ways to protect first amendment rights. Currently, PEN has posted the winners of their annual Writers Behind Bars Contest, so follow this link and peruse some of the spectacular work by perhaps the most forgotten of writers; I promise you’ll be as blown away as I was… http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/152

Cheers Bloggers

WSU Creative Writing Professor Featured in MiPOesia Magazine

Washington State University Professor Dr. Matt Shears was recently interviewed and featured in MiPOesias Magazine. Check out the link to read Matt’s poetry, while getting to know more about MiPOesias Magazine as a source for aspiring writers.
http://img671.libsyn.com/img671/275ef33110312c57eaeda1ebfe965764/46699b26/3463/763/Matt_Shears.pdf

New Exhibit

The Museum of Art at Washington State University is featuring a new exhibit entitled Marilyn Lysohir: High School Portraits, 1968 Good Girls, Sharon, Pennsylvania. Her artwork will be shown through Jult 21st and can be seen from Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4pm. 

Freedom of Speech or National Security Threat?

Valerie Plame, a former CIA secret agent whose notorious disclosure of identity led to the trial of a number of white house officials, including presidential schmooze Scooter Libby, is now being prevented from publishing her book “Fair Game”  She was recently quoted as saying “Just as we have to be vigilant to protect our national security—something I believe in passionately—we have to be vigilant to protect our freedom of speech and First Amendment rights.” Take a look at the complete article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19001829/ and tell us what you think…Freedom of Speech? or Threat to National Security?