The Muse 2024

An ASMSA Magazine of Student Art, Literature, and Music

THE MUSE

Published in the 2024 edition of Celebrating Art

Kiria Flowers, Solemn Beauty, Wood, Aluminum Bars, Blue Acrylic Sheet, 36” x 6” x 3”

index

AB (Annabelle) Maness (‘25): 19

Alexander Back (‘24): 32

Anara Johnson (‘24): 2

Anna Jones (‘24): 29

Avery Binuya (‘24): 33

Brylee Hughes (‘26): 12

Calen Long (‘25): 34

Charlotte Lammers (‘24): 10

Ciara Stephens (‘24): 9, 13-14, 16-17, 22, 26-28, 34

Ella Campbell (‘24): 14, 16, 20, 24

Faith Wesley (‘26): 31

Gwen Oliver (‘24): 4-5, 11, 26, 28

Hailey Judkins (‘25): 15, 18

Ivy Hong (‘24): 23, 25

Jaime Hernandez (‘25): 34

Jonathan Tucker (‘25): 8

Kaira Harper (‘24): 13

Kelvin Orduna (‘25): 15

Kiria Flowers (‘24): 1, 15

Laney Caldwell (‘25): 5, 7, 11, 18, 22-23

Leah Hollinger (‘25): 30

Lyla Hill (‘24): 13, 16, 23, 28

Maddox Jessup (‘25): 9

Maddox Porter (‘24): 17

Matthew Carter (‘26): 3

Michelle Lin (‘24): 16

Nasya Choy (‘24): 10, 14

Natyleigh Jenkins (‘24): 20

Olivia Busby (‘25): 8, 10-11, 17, 20-21

Pixie Rodgers (‘24): 7, 22

Preston Lowe (‘25): 21, 25

Rosie Garner (‘25): 29

Shane Driver (‘24): 25, 30

the muse 2024 staff

Anara Johnson, Egg n Toast, Glazed Porcelain

Kaira Harper

Olivia Busby

Rosie Garner

Jaime Hernandez

Maddox Jessup

Alex Hernandez-Oaxaca

“Passage”

Laney Caldwell, Organic Shapes With Primary Colors, Construction Paper, 9” x 18”

Laney Caldwell, Zendaya Portrait, Digital Art

Gwen Oliver, G.A., Acrylic Tape, Masking Tape, Varnish, 30” x 40”

Yared Belete, Abuna, Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 18” x 14”

Pixie Rodgers, 7:24, Digital Photography

Selected for Historic Cane Hill Arkansas Art Exhibition

Laney Caldwell, Optical Illusion, Mixed Media, 18” x 18”

Yared Belete, Self Portrait as a Villain, Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 18”

“Some Young Man’s Vigor”

Jonathan Tucker

Some young man’s vigor fills the air it, Echoes the world o’er without relent and, Impells the grave to keep their flame but, What does he know of the grave? Youthful faith fills his mind since, He has not felt the touch of death and, A long life still lies before so, What does he know of sad twilight? He has not lingered in years of dusk and, He’s not broken in body or spirit so, When light still fades despite his rage then, What does he know of what should have been?

And you, my father, who has grown so quiet, Whose weary soul can’t stay defiant, No pain nor anger any longer, Into night without tears, fierce or somber, For that flame in your heart you carry no more, I shall carry in mine, set alight, evermore.

Olivia Busby, My Roommate, Acrylic on Canvas

“Girlhood” Maddox Jessup

Scholastic Art and Writing Award - Gold Key in Poetry

In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace, We bloom with beauty in the sun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

We wear dresses with frills and lace, Ribbons in our hair and braids undone, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace.

The stories in our imaginations race, Together we have our own fun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

Secrets we share and the gossip we face, Our lasting friendships that can not be outdone, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace.

We try to make our mark and carve out our place, In today’s world, our race has just begun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

As years pass we will make our own warm embrace, Our trophies and triumphs, the battles we have won, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

Ciara Stephens, Stages, Acrylic on Canvas, Wood, Aluminum Screen, Metal, 60” x 24”

Ciara Stephens, Stages, Short Film, 8 min. 39 sec.

Arts Across Arkansas Finalist

Nasya Choy, Tea Light, Glass

Olivia Busby, Sheet Over the Flowers, Digital Art

Scholastic Art and Writing Award - Gold Key

Charlotte Lammers, A Divine Intervention, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 12”

Gwen Oliver, Everyday Design, Mixed Media (Construction Paper, Foam Board, Rubber Cement)

Laney Caldwell, Mobile Apps/Video Games Grid, Mixed Media, 24” x 24”

Olivia Busby, Yellow Faced, Acrylic on Panel

Brylee Hughes, Stagnant, Digital Art

“The picture this painting was based off of was taken by a friend I made while we worked together on a project about Parkin, Arkansas. The St. Francis River has supported life for hundreds of years, and continues to bring people together, like it did that day for me.”

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Butterfly

Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 20”

Kaira Harper, Sea Light, Glass

“I’ve spent hours looking through old National Geographic magazines and cutting out shapes. This piece is a conglomeration of all those magazine clippings.”

Ella Campbell, Thursday Afternoon Mixed Media, 18” x 22”

Nasya Choy, Gua Sha Set, Glass

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: The Spirit of Parkin, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 20” x 24”

“54”

Hailey Judkins

Scholastic Art and Writing AwardHonorable Mention in Poetry

In winter’s hold, my sorrow finds a home, The world grows cold, and with it lonely hearts, As leaves slowly descend, just to be blown, I find the sound of grief its somber start. I seek for comfort in the starry skies, But hear no response to my soundless plea, No affectionate face, no soft replies, Just ghosts dancing, swaying, forever free. Yet in the darkness, seeds of peace may grow, Grief and heartache water a soul arid, In time, the scars may heal, their mark may go, And love, once lost, one concluding ballad.

In heartbreak’s tranquil night, I grieve the day, When love’s embrace, like snow, did melt away.

Kiria Flowers, Floral Blue, Glass, 12” x 12”

Kelvin Orduna, North by Northwest Movie Poster, Graphic Design, 11” x 17”

Michelle Lin, Seaside, Glazed Porcelain

Ella Campbell, Help! I’m in Love!, Mixed Media, 11” x 11.3”

Included in Scholastic Silver Key-Winning Portfolio

Lyla Hill, Relaxing Picnic, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”

Maddox Porter, Черный No.1 (Black No. 1), Acrylic Paint, India Ink, Graphite, Pastel on Paper, 18”

x 24”

Olivia Busby, Mermaid Study Hour, Digital Art

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Gravity, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 12”

Hailey Judkins, Underwater Air, Digital Photography

Laney Caldwell, Monochrome, Mixed Media, 9” x 9”

“Loving a Star”

Natyleigh Jenkins

and when you shine like that i have this ache in my chest like you’re burning right alongside me but you aren’t you’re so far away in your own little universe i can’t have you i can’t have you i can’t have you

Arts Across Arkansas (Sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council)2nd Place for Visual Arts

Olivia Busby, Study in Planes, Acrylic on Panel, 18” x 24”

Preston Lowe, A Pop of Pink, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”

Ciara Stephens, North Winds, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 20”

Featured at the Cane Hill Exhibition

Laney Caldwell, Pink and Brown Abstract, Construction Paper, 9” x 9”

Rodgers, The Heron, Digital Photography

Pixie

Lyla Hill, Strawberry Picking, Acrylic on Panel Canvas, 8” x 10”

Arts Across Arkansas Finalist

“Horizontal energy using horizontal lines, vertical energy using horizontal lines, vertical energy using vertical lines, horizontal energy using vertical lines - all using triad colors.”

Laney Caldwell, Vertical vs. Horizontal

Construction Paper, 12” x 12”

Ivy Hong, Floral Symphony, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

Ella Campbell, Westward, Fabric/Textile Art, 33.5” x 27.5”

Ivy Hong, Quiet Contemplation, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

Shane Driver, Solitude, Digital Photography

Preston Lowe, Alphabet Flo, Mixed Media, 18” x 18”

“This work was my take on ‘landscape painting’ as someone who mostly creates 3D work.”

Gwen Oliver, Shadows

Mixed Media (Sand, Modeling Paste, Paint, Spray Paint)

Ciara Stephens, Lucille, Acrylic on Streched Canvas, 12” x 24”

“The painting is based off a historic photo taken in a juke joint in Parkin, Arkansas. The town was very popular for its blues music, historically having a street nicknamed ‘The Bottoms’ which was lined with juke joints.”

Ciara Stephens, Juke Joint

Lyla Hill, Angie and Lyla, Graphite Pencil on Paper, 11” x 14”

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Howlin’ Wolf, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 12” x 12”

Rosie Garner, Persian Pieces and Perceptions, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

Anna Jones, The Bright Side, Digital Photography

Shane Driver, Baily’s Beads, Digital Photography

Leah Hollinger, Untitled, Construction Paper

“A

Hike Through The Flowers”

Faith Wesley

“The first movement of this unaccompanied solo for Bb Clarinet takes you through a serene field of flowers. In the second movement, you’ve ventured too far, and get lost in the forest. You try to run and run when you realize you’re lost in this hostile environment. Eventually, you see the flowers again and find your way out of the forest.”

Score:

Audio:

Faith Wesley was named an Arts Across Arkansas Finalist for Music Composition.

“Amphibian Kombat”

Alexander Back

“Picture this: Within the murky depths of an average swamp, a lone fly dances in the air, oblivious to the lurking danger below—a hungry toad, eyes fixed on its next meal.

“Amphibian Kombat” breathes life into the timeless struggle between toads and flies, but with a silly twist. Through a series of movements, the piece narrates a comedic showdown between the fly, our courageous protagonist, and the toad, the formidable antagonist. Aware of its inevitable fate, the fly confronts the toad head-on, engaging in a comical, JoJo’s-Bizzare-Adventures-esque brawl for survival. Join me in experiencing this goofy portrayal of the admittedly grim dynamic between flies and toads.” Score:

Alex Back received the 1st Place Award from Arts Across Arkansas in Music Composition.

THEA Foundation Scholarship - 3rd Place

Avery Binuya, Reflections, Fired Stoneware, Underglaze, Picture Frame, 10” x 12” x 6”

Jaime Hernandez, Sift, Short Film, 3 min. 13 sec.

2024 Overall Winner - Visual and Preforming Arts Arts and Humanities Symposium

Calen Long, Oobisseum, Rotoscoped Short Film, 58 sec.

Arts Across Arkansas (sponsored by Arkansas Arts Council) - 2nd Place in Film

Cover Art by Olivia Busby