Sculptural Narratives of Traumatic Experiences Shanna Glawson, Studio Art, MFA

Sculptural Narratives of Traumatic Shanna Glawson Studio Art, MFA Experiences

Travis Graves, Faculty Advisor

Written by Hannah Warren

Shanna Glawson, a North Carolina native, began her pursuit of higher education in art at the University of North Carolina at Asheville where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in sculpture. Her love of the mountains and culture of the area compelled her to stay in the region for her MFA. For Shanna, ETSU offered a geography similar to Asheville and a cross-disciplinary approach to studio practices that would allow her the opportunity to work with a variety of mediums, making it a top choice school for her. Art has always been an integral part of Shanna’s personality, and despite people on occasion trying to sway her onto other career paths, she has had no interest in moving away from a career as an artist.

For her thesis experience, Shanna is creating a visual narrative of various types of trauma and the ways individuals cope with healing from those traumas. Her narrative will consist of multiple, individual pieces representative of separate traumas. One particular piece Shanna is currently working on is reflective of the metaphorical cage children can become trapped in when growing up in a disadvantaged socioeconomic situation. The visual representation will be a mobile home mobile; a mobile made of 3-dimensional trailers Shanna is crafting to hang over a crib. Her materials for the trailers include thin plywood and no trespassing signs that have been cut and repurposed as siding. She likes to incorporate found objects into her work, so they do not go to waste; found pieces already have a history and she enjoys being able to play off that existing memory and imagery. Another piece in this work, which Shanna has already completed, is based on the Black Lives Matter movement. Shanna said that the creation of this piece was a way for her to personally process the movement, and by its display in the current Fletcher Exhibit at ETSU’s Reece Gallery, she will be able to

“We are living in a very divisive time right now where the arts can serve a big role in helping to bring people together, as opposed to pushing them apart.”

voice her thoughts in a way she previously has not been able to. Her piece Difficulty Breathing received the Sammie L. Nicely Appalachian Award in 2020. Touching on an even more difficult type of trauma, Shanna is also incorporating a piece that represents sexual trauma. For this piece, Shanna uses the imagery of a tent shrouded in zippers as a way to represent a shelter and the audible sound of a zipper to represent misophonia, a condition where an individual is triggered to a physical or emotional reaction in response to a certain sound. She plans to continue incorporating the shelter theme in the other pieces she will create for the exhibit as a way to explore domestic and personal traumas.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Shanna was wanting to explore more community-based art, because she feels it is such a vital medium, especially in the contemporary world where artists are able to step outside of themselves as artists and really make an impact on their community by incorporating themes other humans can relate to; and allowing them to engage in art themselves. Aside from delaying her plans for her next community-based art project, the physical distancing guidelines currently in place have brought a cloud of uncertainty to plans for her thesis and accompanying exhibit, the culminating project for an MFA degree. It is still unclear, given the ever-changing climate of the pandemic, if she will have to have multiple gallery exhibits or a single gallery, which will greatly impact which pieces will be included in the exhibit. Traditionally,

MFA candidates utilize one side of the Slocumb gallery for their exhibit, but Shanna has the opportunity to use both sides, which increases the footprint, but also increases the expectation of producing enough work to fill the gallery. Shanna has previously worked in installation as an art medium. She and her advisor, Travis Graves, have discussed the potential of turning one of the galleries into an installation, where most of the space around the audience would be occupied by the art, immersing the viewer and their senses in a deeper way compared to an exhibit. The two feel this might be very fitting for her work, given the themes she has chosen to express.

No matter what form her final thesis takes, Shanna hopes that those who visit will have a deeper understanding of the varying degrees of trauma that are present across humanity; that there are people walking around every day, carrying the weight of these traumas that are not always visibly evident. She also hopes that people who already relate to or recognize these traumas will be able to look at the pieces and find comfort in knowing that they are not alone, and are stronger for what they have gone through. While Shanna and Travis have different approaches to how they connect with art, Shanna has been able to absorb his opinions and learn from his contemporary style and experience, and use them as a driving force to not just make pretty objects, but to make objects that evoke an emotion in the viewer that engages them in that feeling. Travis appreciated Shanna’s willingness to step out of her comfort zone as a graduate student and accept the challenge of expanding her knowledge base; exploring through research all her discipline has to offer not just to herself, but to her community as well. As Shanna finishes her pieces, she is entering some of the individual works for external shows, such as the Pride exhibit at Center for the Faith and Arts in Salisbury, NC. After graduation, she would like to pursue an art residency in order to allow herself the opportunity to keep diving into her art, and conduct more material studies and community-based art.

Shanna Glawson Travis Graves

COVID-19 Coping Strategies

WE ARE ALL HUMAN

Andrea Poynter

Andrea S. Poynter PhD in Nursing Nursing, December 2020 Dr. Florence Weierbach, Advisor

Why did you choose ETSU for your education?

I did a lot of work researching programs that offered a doctorate degree, specifically in nursing. It was difficult finding universities that offered a doctorate degree in nursing that were not super expensive and also had excellent standards. ETSU offered a reasonable cost with quality education, and it was in Tennessee.

When did you become interested in your specific field of study and why?

I have been a nurse for over 14 years, and I have always helped others. I wanted people’s lives to be different, to be better after encountering me, and nursing has helped me to do just that. Pursuing a doctorate degree in nursing provides me with the opportunity to research issues or topics that impact people that I want to care for, and to ensure that we are providing the best

care possible. I have received two faith-based grants focused around spirituality and healthy eating in the African American community, and that helped to develop my research focus.

Describe your project.

My dissertation focuses on exploring the lived experience of obese African American women and their perceptions of their weight, health behaviors and spirituality. My study is a qualitative, phenomenological study that allows the research participants to provide their unique perspectives of their lived experiences.

What is/are your hypotheses?

The question that I am wanting the women to answer is: What is the lived experience of obese African American women as it pertains to their spirituality, weight, and health behaviors? I don’t have a hypothesis for this study because my participants will guide the results/outcome of the study based off of their lived experiences.

What is your methodology (inspirations/material for fine art), in simple, layman’s terms?

My research question is broken down into an Interview Guide, consisting of approximately eight questions, that has been utilized to interview the 15 participants and to identify common themes, experiences, or recommendations for healthcare professionals. The data collected for this study has been obtained from the literature and also is ongoing through participant interviews research.

“...work hard and let someone know when you are struggling.”

How has your project been impacted by the effects of COVID-19?

In December 2019, I was given permission to begin interviewing participants for my research study. I started interviewing participants in late January 2020, but by March, all interviews were postponed. I conducted seven interviews with eight more pending interviews scheduled.

What strategies have you implemented to mitigate these effects?

With the suggestion of my advisor, I submitted an amendment to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to convert all of my remaining interviews to Zoom interviews versus in person, face-to-face interviews. The turnaround time was approximately one week, but my request was granted.

What role has your advisor played in helping you navigate the “new normal” of graduate school and research in the time of a pandemic?

I speak with my advisor on a weekly basis and also by text if needed because times are extremely different. She has made herself available to me because this pandemic is not only stressful, but created unprecedented changes in such a short timeframe. I believe that she has demonstrated flexibility in a time where we must be flexible. This pandemic is impacting all of us.

What advice would you give to other graduate students experiencing similar situations?

Be very transparent because we are all human; we are all dealing with something during this tumultuous time. The faculty members are available and want to see us do well, but we must be willing to do the work. Times are hard but enabling someone doesn’t produce a great product. Guiding us while we work through the hard times does. So work hard and let someone know when you are struggling.

Beyond research and scholarly work—how has COVID 19 affected your life?

I consider myself blessed that none of my family members have had to deal with COVID 19. Outside of working on my dissertation and working as an assistant nursing professor, I work as needed as a critical care nurse. I hate watching how these patients suffer trying to breathe, and even worse, their families not being able to be with them while many suffer in silence. It’s a cruel disease, and even worse is when a patient dies, and their family finds out via a phone call. COVID-19 has impacted all of us, and I know we are all struggling now, but I pray that we will be better once this is over, or we’ve figured out how to get it under control.