Butterflies become a metaphor for humanity as nationally known 

author kicks off ARTsySTEM Symposium

By: Kristen Steiner

Rebecca Solnit give lecture in USU's
Caine Performance Hall

Thursday at 7 p.m., Utah State University students, faculty, staff and residents of Cache Valley entered the Caine Performance Hall to hear author, artist and environmentalist, Rebecca Solnit, give her lecture on butterflies and their relation to life.

Solnit came as a guest to the university to work with classes given by USU’s art professor, Alexa Sand, and as part of the ARTsySTEM Symposium created by Mark Lee Koven, a USU art professor, assisted by Nancy Huntly, USU’s director of ecology. 

Solnit’s lecture, which read like a poem as she presented it in a soft and fluid voice, was full of references to nature and the metaphors it creates in the lives of humanity.

“All great metaphors come from the natural world,” Solnit said as she began her lecture.

Lecture Logo

The image of her lecture logo, a map of San Francisco pointing out places to find butterflies and queer public spaces with a gay man wearing a yellow dress, holding a net full of butterflies, was projected on the screen beside her, giving the audience an overall feel for her lecture, while her words further defined the beauty that comes from the small, seemingly insignificant butterfly, and the weight that it can truly carry, both literally and figuratively.

Most of the lecture was comparing these beautiful creatures to the everyday lives of people, especially those who identify themselves with the LGBT community.

“Queer history gets asphalt spots and butterflies get dirt ones,” Solnit said while talking about the imprint that both make in the world. “The two subspecies are both like and unlike in many ways.”

As she continued to read from her prewritten lecture, Solnit went on to tell several stories and relate many of her points back to books she has written that focus on the environment, history and gender equality.

“I liked how fluid it was in that it was read like a poem,” said Madeline Walker, a USU fine arts graduate student commenting on the lecture itself.

“I like how in talking about metaphors,” Walker said, “she made many metaphors herself.”

Solnit is a well-known author, activist and environmentalist. She has written more than 15 books ranging in topics from geography to the arts and from feminism to politics. She has received several nominations for her writings and has also been the recipient of several awards such as the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts and the Lannan Literary Award for Nonfiction.

“I am an artist with a great interest in natural history,” Solnit said. “Actually, I am just a writer with way too many interests.”

Solnit’s lecture was the kick-off event for “ARTsySTEM Symposium: The Changing Climates of the Arts and Sciences.” The event spans from Thursday through Saturday and will include panel lectures with science and art experts and USU professors, an art and science research speed dating event, a lecture from keynote speaker Paul Vanouse and a trip to the Spiral Jetty on Saturday morning.

For more information on the ARTsySTEM Symposium, visit http://artsystemsymposium.tumblr.com/post/115316757784

USU’s Dance Company gets ready to “Shut Up and Dance”

By: Kristen Steiner

The Utah State University Dance Company presents “Shut Up and Dance,” today at 7 p.m. at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, Utah.

“We have an extremely talented and versatile group of dancers, and those of us who have done choreography have been absolutely amazing,” said Ginger Hislop, one of the directors of the upcoming dance show. “I'm really excited for everyone to be able to show their work.”

The company has been in rehearsals since September and has had several opportunities throughout the school year to fine-tune their performing skills as they have performed at “The Howl”, a couple of USU men’s basketball games and the Miss USU Pageant.

Beyond performing at different events, the company has also spent many hours putting on fundraisers to fund their shows, buying and making their own costumes and choreographing their own dances.

This evening’s show is the apex of all of the hard work and dedication the company has put in over the past year. Several dance types will be showcased this evening along with two guest soloists who are family members of the company’s regular dancers.

“Usually we have a group come and be guests for us,” Hislop said, “but this year two of our girls, Lindsey Kossin and Kelsie Lott, are having their sisters come and each do a solo as guest artists. It gives us time to rest with our quick changes.”

“I am excited just to be able to perform in front of a crowd again,” said Madison Samuels, a USU Dance Company member who has been dancing since she was nine.

Most of the women on the team have been dancing and performing since they were young and most still seem to thrive off performance adrenaline.

“I am just very proud of this team,” Hislop said. “We have had some ups and downs, but we ended up pulling it all together.”

“We're just so proud of each other and our show and we hope everyone has as much fun watching us as we've had putting the show together,” she said.

Tickets for adults are $10, $7 for USU students and $5 for children ages 3 to 10.

USU Theatre brings history to life in a Broadway musical

BY: Kristen Steiner

Tonight, at the Caine Lyric Theatre in Logan, Utah at 7:30, Utah State University Theatre presents the ever so stirring, adventure filled and love-centered musical, “Bonnie and Clyde.”

The musical follows the lives of the young, infamous couple from The Great Depression Era as their reckless behavior leads them to a life of robbery and murder in order to survive as their inevitable fate draws near.

The USU cast has been deep in preparations since rehearsals started a few months ago.

“We’ve had three hour rehearsals six days a week for quite a while,” said Jared Campbell, a USU student who is playing Clyde Barrow’s father, Henry. “We had a shorter rehearsal period as compared to other shows, but I think it’s come together.”

The musical differs from other musicals due to its storyline and non-traditional score, which combines blues, gospel and rock music.

“I’ve had to develop a new style of singing that’s a bit different from anything I’ve ever done before,” said Katie Francis, the USU student playing the leading female role of Bonnie Parker.

“I was classically trained and this show calls for a strong mixed belt sound,” she said.

Before rehearsals started, those involved in the production were heavily involved in historical research to try and understand the roles they would be playing.

“Since these were real people and the events that took place really happened,” said Becka Frost, an ensemble member in the musical, “it’s important to have an understanding of what was going on during that era.”

“Our first several rehearsals were just spent sitting at a table, talking, discussing their personalities, circumstances, the motivation behind their choices, etc.,” Francis said. “It was important for us to have that solid factual background before we could dive in and recreate the lives of these real life people.”

“Bonnie and Clyde” debuted on Broadway in December 2011 starring Laura Osnes as Bonnie Parker and Jeremy Jordan as Clyde Barrow. The musical is based off the book written by Ivan Menchell with music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by Don Black.

Opening night always brings an air of excitement which Francis, Frost, Campbell and Amber Larsen, one of the assistant stage managers, are all feeling today.

"I am really excited for the energy that is going to be there tonight,” Francis said. “You have to keep it real and believable, but let’s be honest. We do all of this so that eventually, people can be in those seats and experiencing this journey with us.”

According to cast and crew members, everything is on schedule for this evenings opening, however, with live theatre, it is inevitable that something will go wrong, but they are ready for whatever comes their way, Larsen said.

“I’ve had some super great collaborators on the stage, a great management team and backstage crew,” Larsen said.

“I am excited for people to come,” Campbell said, “just be prepared for some really loud guns.”

“Bonnie and Clyde” opens this evening and will continue through April 18, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets for adults are $18, $15 for youth and seniors, $10 for USU faculty and staff, and free for USU students with their ID card.

USU’s string music recital promotes new quartet and welcomes listening ears

Kristen Steiner

Audience members were greeted with warm sounds and lovely melodies as the String Chamber Music Recital began this evening at 7:30 at the Caine Performance Hall at Utah State University.

“This is the capstone of a semester of work of our strings,” said Anne Francis Bayless, USU cello professor.

Beyond the performances of USU string players, the Erevna Quartet, the Caine Undergraduate Research Fellowship Quartet, previewed their skill set that will be shown off at their spring recital on April 25.

The Undergraduate Research Fellowship was designed many years ago for high-ability students who are interested in graduate work or professional study after finishing their graduate degree.

“It identifies exceptional freshman who will be doing research outside of the classroom,” Bayless said.

Until this year, however, there was no such program for the performing arts in regards to string instruments, so with the help of the Fry Street Quartet, and the Caine College of the Arts, the fellowship program and the arts college combined programs and introduced the Caine Undergraduate Research Fellowship Quartet.

The quartet has worked closely with the Fry Street Quartet throughout the year and has had many chances to feature their skills and uphold their contract as this years Caine Undergraduate Research Fellowship Quartet.

The quartet has also had many opportunities to teach and showcase their talents by participating in additional performances, networking with other undergraduate research fellows, holding dorm concert series, giving master classes to surrounding high schools and doing traditional reach outs by going to schools within the valley to teach students a variety of things.

“They have been so motivated and so hard working,” Bayless said. “They have gone above and beyond what they have been asked to do.”

Unlike the Undergraduate Research Fellowship, the quartet fellowship members were pulled from upper divisional classes. Sadly, two of them will be graduating this coming spring meaning two new members will be joining the group next year, Bayless said.

The fellowship quartet members, Brynn Seegmiller and Amanda Marshall on violin, Gavon Peck on viola and Stephen Mitton on cello, left the audience captivated by their exceptional performance this evening along with all of the other students who performed.

“I felt like I was engaged with the performance the whole time,” said Sara Mason, a USU piano performance major.

Works featured tonight were that of Franz Joseph Haydn, W.A. Mozart, Antonin Dvorak and many more.

For more information regarding the quartet or fellowship program, visit http://rgs.usu.edu/news/articleID=27618

Fry Street Quartet bring math and science to life during their afternoon performance

By: Kristen Steiner

Audience members were greeted by white walls displaying the creative ARTsySTEM exhibit in the basement of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Arts at Utah State University on Sunday afternoon at 3 to hear the Fry String Quartet bring math and science to life.

The quartet was the final performance of NEHMA’s Museum and Music Series. The performance was also in conjunction with the ARTsySTEM exhibition currently being displayed at the museum and The Crossroads Project being put on by the quartet joined by Robert Davies, a USU physicist and educator.

This afternoon the quartet performed pieces by Bela Bartok and Libby Larsen, both of whose compositions were based on math and science.

While introducing Bartok’s piece at the beginning of the program, the audience was informed that Bartok’s music style was based off his interest in the STEM program. The three-movement piece was constructed of symmetrical scales and forms, atonal pitches, diminished chords and tritones.

Each of these aspects, along with many others weaved throughout the piece, brought unconventional sounds to the listeners, but yet, left many wanting more.

“I found it interesting that the instrument who had the melody had a lovely line, but those behind it had an ugly one,” said Katelyn Anderson, a USU music minor student. “I loved hearing the war between the melody and the ugly.”

In addition to the collaboration between the different disciplines on campus, the museum was the ideal location to hold the small concert for USU faculty, staff, students and local residents due to the exhibit displaying different works of art centered around math and science.

“I really like the space for this concert,” Anderson said. “The space made it unique and added the visual aspect.”

The second piece, composed by Larsen, was written when a narrative was being looked for to incorporate society’s consciousness with sustainability.

“This piece hangs on the idea of transformation on the water cycle,” said Rebecca McFaul, second violinist in the Fry Street Quartet. “The fourth movement of the piece works with the idea of reverence.”

“This was a great academic event,” said Katie Lee Koven, the museum’s executive director and chief curator, “and a great success.”

Repetition greets many at USU’s Chase Fine Arts Center on Thursday night

By: Kristen Steiner

Observers, admirers, family and friends walked in to the white walled gallery at Utah State University’s Chase Fine Arts Center Thursday night to celebrate and admire the Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibit being given by graduate student Shasta Krueger called “Repeated Impressions.”

Krueger's work

Krueger’s exhibit, entirely ceramic based, consisted of a variety of sculpted boxes, pots and wall installations. The collection, cohesive in the fact that similar shapes and figures were repeated throughout the assemblage, displayed each piece on a podium accompanied with a second or third piece that mirrored the design of the original. Even the overall design layout of the wall installations was found in the shapes of the boxes and pots.

“I was playing off the ideas of repetition and multiples,” Krueger said as she stood in the middle of the gallery floor with a look of joyful satisfaction on her face as she greeted those visiting the exhibit. “It came from everyday things like the pattern of roof tiles and bricks.”

Even the use of the continual pattern from the finger imprints on the artwork is used to represent repetition, Krueger said.

After working at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Krueger moved to Cache Valley to start her graduate work at USU. Krueger, originally from Seattle, works mainly with clay, but has an interest in wood firing as well.

Krueger working on her designs

“She really enjoyed printmaking while she was growing up,” Allison Krueger, mother of Shasta Krueger said, “but it was ceramics that she held to.”

Now that the show has ended, pieces that were sold will go to their rightful owners and the remaining pieces will need to find a place to be shown and displayed, Krueger said.

More information on Krueger and her work can be found at https://campus.digication.com/shastakrueger/Wilkommen