BIKING
STAT ATTACK
Local cyclists urge caution when biking.
Mens and women basketball’s recent statistics on the recent games.
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Dai ly Eastern News
WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM
THE
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
VOL.97 | ISSUE 86
WEDNESDAY, January 23, 2013
C AMPUS | CAR TOON DRAWINGS
PHOTOS BY DOMINIC BAIMA | ILLUSTR ATION BY R ACHEL RODGERS
Troy Ganser, a caricaturist with T.A.G. Art Company, drew Maybellean Rienbolt (left), a junior communication studies major, and Dee Lenzi (right), a kinesiology and sports studies instructor, Tuesday in the Bridge Lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Rienbolt said she was really excited about getting a caricature drawn of her, and she even marked the event on her calendar.
Caricature artist comes to Eastern By Bob Galuski Entertainment Editor
S
itting straight in her chair, Ayeshah Hussain stared ahead as the man in front of her sketched her face with a black marker. Hussain, a senior biology major, got her caricature drawn by an artist brought in by members of the University Board as part of the their Rush Hour series. Hussain said this was her first time having her caricature done by a professional. “I was browsing online and saw this on the calendar and thought it would be fun,” she said. “I’ve never had it done before.” She also said the process was relatively simple, and the artist made it
fun for her. “He was really lively, and we had a good conversation about my major while he drew,” Hussain said. The artist, Troy Gasner, works with the TAG Art Company and has been drawing caricatures for 24 years. “The years sneak up on you,” Gasner said. He said he originally got involved with drawing caricatures when he decided it sounded fun. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing people so I thought I should try and get a job doing that,” Gasner said. He also said once he decided he wanted to draw people for a living, the next step was to learn how to actually do it. “This was something I wanted to do since the second grade so I decid-
ed to follow my dream,” he said. “If I can do something like this, something I love, then I look at other people who want to be doctors and lawyers and tell them they can do it too.” Matt Hayes, a graduate assistant for special events in the UB, said one of the biggest factors in bringing in a caricature artist was because of the popularity at action like “Up All Nite.” Shahmir Haq, a senior communication studies major, said that was one of the reasons he wanted to have his caricature drawn. “I wasn’t able to go at ‘Up All Nite’ – the line was too long,” he said. Haq also said last time he had his caricature done he was younger so he wanted an updated picture. The UB members presented the Rush Hour series in order to give stu-
dents who live farther away something to do in between classes, Hayes said. “Students and families who can’t make it to the events that go on at night have the opportunity to experience some of our events in the daytime,” he said. Shaun Johnson, a senior English major, said she had participated in having her face drawn last year. “It’s a different way of looking at myself,” she said. “It’s through the view of somebody else.” Hayes said getting in touch with the TAG Art Company was fairly easy because there was already an established working relationship. “We’ve hired from the company before, and Troy is actually our main contact for our events,” he said.
Although the TAG Art Company has come to Eastern before for activities like “Up All Nite,” Gasner said he is not exclusive to college campuses. “Anybody can be a customer,” he said. Gasner also said while he enjoys drawing everybody, one of his favorite subjects comes from Halloween. “It’s great being able to draw monsters and the like,” he said. “You won’t find anything too racy though.” Gasner said he believes that it is one of the draws of the company. “People respond well to the idea of good, safe fun, and that’s what we provide,” he said. Bob Galuski can be reached at 581-2812 or rggaluski@eiu.edu.
BOOTH LIBR ARY | EXHIBIT
Professor explores history of American folk music By Jordan Thiede & Matthew Reid Staff Reporters Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a series of articles covering the three-monthlong exhibit on the history of American music. Graduate students and Charleston community members were able to get a glimpse into the history of early folk music Tuesday. “Documenting Intangible Culture: Songcatcher” was presented by Debra Reid, a professor of history, as part of the program “America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway.” The presentation featured a selection of clips from the film “Song-
c a t c h e r,” r e leased in 2000, which focuses on a musicologist’s quest to research Appalachian folk music in the early 1900s. Anna Mullen, a graduate student, helped explain to the audience what a musicologist’s role is when attempting a project like the one presented in the film. “They want to gain a deep understanding of the culture,” Mullen said. “It is interesting to watch her research progress and become a daily part of the community.” Reid said the idea of doing this presentation was appealing because of her
and was planning on publishing the music she recorded in the mounDaniel Tomar, a graduate student tains, which she t h o u g h t we re fascination with the subject matter. old English love The film centered on the folk music ballads that had been lost. made by Americans living in the ApWhile some of the musicians would palachian Mountains. gladly let Lily record them, many of The main character, Lily, used a the mountain folk didn’t trust her phonograph to record the songs the and did not want her to publish their people living in the mountains would songs and they saw it as stealing. sing. Molly Brown, a graduate student, The students presenting focused focused on the important role music on the history of the phonograph played for the people who lived in the and how the technology for early mu- Appalachian region during her speech. sic recordings changed the lives of the “Music in the Appalachian Mounpeople living in the mountains. tains is part of people’s lifestyles and is In the film, Lily was a musicologist passed on from generation to genera-
"There were no recordings of this kind of music from the mountains until the 1920s."
tion,” she said. The students helping present the film stopped the film at points to explain what was going on or to talk about the historical significance of the events in the film. They would explain things like the differences between a historian and an anthropologist, which Lily was, and the history of the phonograph. Graduate students such as Daniel Tomar took time to explain how parts of the movie may not have been historically accurate. “There were no recordings of this kind of music from the mountains until the 1920s,” Tomar said. “This is one part of the movie that may not have been correct.”
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