INK mag

Vol. 3 No. 4 May 2011

Summer in the City We've got your Richmond summer covered

Ink

Caught After the Storm Bright neon colors are in this season Featured Artist Erin Willett

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Editor's Letter Remember in middle school when you daydreamed about your high school graduation? It would be just like that Vitamin C song, or the Eve 6 music video, Maybe you pictured yourself as Jennifer Love Hewitt in Can't Hardly Wait. (Clearly I am a child of the '90s.) Eventually the big day came, and you realize it is more like a thirtysecond blur where you almost miss your name being pronounced wrong because you were too focused on trying not to trip across the stage.

The good news is you won't fall for it again when graduating from college. But even if you feel a little aimless about life after undergraduate doesn't necessarily make you Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate (Unless that's what you're into). But try to remember you have accomplished an incredible feat. Not only have we achieved our academic endeavours, we learned how to be functioning adults that will somehow manage to survive the real world.

This is the last issue of the year for Ink. For those still in the undergraduate game, enjoy it. Seriously. Don't slack off, but save the real anxiety for that last summer. This issue is filled with fun things to do this summer, and pointers for landing a job or internship. Or maybe you've decided school just isn't working out for you right now, and that's okay too.

It's been a pleasure serving as editor-in-chief for this publication. I've learned some valuable lessons in the process, and look forward to what the staff will surprise you with next year.

Christine Erickson Editor-in-Chief

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STaff Editor-in-Chief: Christine Erickson Managing Editor: Meredith Rigsby Advertising/PR: Sarah Rodriguez Graphic Designers: Dominic Butchello Hannah Swann Marleigh Culver Fashion Director: Isabella Althoff Photography Director: Cassie Mulheron Arts and Culture: Jaime Barnett Film and Literature Editors: Gene Stroman Charles Peck Staff Writers: Lee Ann Ahlskog Whitney Downing Joseph Genest Teddy Gregson Danielle Harvey Addison HerronWheeler Christine Stoddard Guest Contributors: Christi Addison Will Godwin Erin Willet Nathan Congleton Cesley Musgni

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Table of Contents

Ink Magazine Contact us!

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campus life 4

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Summer in the City

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Mental Break: Taking a Semester Off

Don't Sweat It: Summer Jobs

VCU Greek Life: Expanding Fast 4th and Long

contemporary issues 10 The Construction of Self 12 Ever-too-Green 13 GSEX Revolution

arts & culture 14 D.I.Y. Stencil Art

16 Featured Musician: Vicegrip 18 Film and Literature 20 Featured Artist: Erin Willett

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22 Art Wars 23 Keep STRUTing 24 Fashion: Caught After the Storm

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Summer in the City

by Danielle Harvey Photos by Christi Addison Final exams? Check. Packed suitcase?

Check. Moving out? Check. Yes, it’s summer and for some of us, that means heading back home, or taking on a summer job. Summer is the best time of year because we have more opportunity to visit friends and relax. For those of you staying in Richmond over the break, there are plenty of things to do. One of the best aspects of living here is there’s always something new for you to do.

Having a dull summer in the city isn’t an option.

Jammin’ on the James Outdoor concerts are great during the summer, especially when they’re paired with beautiful weather. If you love music and want to relax, then Jammin’ on the James might be ideal for you. This event is a series of free concerts overlooking the James River showcasing bands at Wilton House Museum. Bring some friends along and let the music move you.

Baseball Games What can be more reminiscent of childhood summers than baseball games? If you are an avid sports lover, support the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team during their games throughout the summer. The schedule can be found at squirrelsbaseball.com.

Grab a seat at the stadium, order a hot dog, and play ball!

First Fridays This is a great way to discover new talent and enjoy great art. First Fridays art walk lets you experience a diverse group of artists, and eat delicious cuisine at great restaurants..

This summer experience won’t be like any ordinary Friday so make sure you check it out while you’re in Richmond.

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Richmond Bike Rides Going on a bike ride with your friends is a great way to see what the city has to offer. It’s also a healthy alternative for you and the environment. If you are in the market for a bicycle, Carytown Bicycle Co. is the place to go. The store has a range of cycles from mountain bikes to fixed gears to beach cruisers. Located in Carytown, this bicycle shop will help you find what you need and save you some gas money too!

17th Street Farmers’ Market Along with several other markets within Richmond, one of the better known is the 17th Street Farmers Market, located at the corner of E. Main and 17th Street. Their produce is great for packing a picnic or having a party. During the summer they have special events and festivals too.

Backyard Barbeques Having a barbeque is perfect during the summer. It’s an inexpensive way to hang out with good friends and eat good food. Another option for the party: make it a pot luck. Ask your friends to bring some of their favorite summer dishes and light up the grill. Although the food is important at a barbeque, what really makes it memorable is the people you share it with.

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campus life

Don’t Sweat It: Summer Jobs

by Lee Ann Ahlskog Illustration by Hannah Swann Summertime. Filled with freshly squeezed lemonade, football on the newly cut lawn, fireworks at night- oh yeah, and work. An inescapable part of life that many college students here at VCU view as a love-hate relationship.

But that is based on the assumption that your summer job is even lined up. Finding one isn’t easy for students these days given certain limitations like seasonal employment, your location and where the job itself is. But there are certain things you can do to help boost your chances.

One is persistency with confidence.

Take the initiative and follow up on your submitted application. If you hand-deliver your application, ask to speak with the manager instead of giving it to an employee to pass on. This allows your potential boss to make a facial recognition to your resume when they review it. Persistency isn’t just about one application but many. Apply to multiple locations and be willing to

settle for any opportunity.

“Assert yourself,” suggests student Rachel Yonan. “Follow-up calls after completing an application are a must; even several calls if you think you have any shot.”

Utilize your social network. Your job might be a connection away.

“I found my job because my neighbor whom I’ve known for about twenty years is the events coordinator,” says Yonan.

Don’t be afraid to ask around, you’ll be surprised to find out how many people are willing to help you or share knowledge about an opportunity they are aware of.

What about where to search?

Right away many think of going to the local movie theatre, mall, restaurant, retail store, etc but getting more creative might help.

Try museums, the government, and summer specific programs. Freshman David Richardson hopes to work for the Virginia State Parks. “I’d be a supervisor for the youth conservation club,” says David. His motivation to work there lies not only because it relates to his major of biology but

because “It pays well and is outdoors.”

Many students choose to work over summer because the pay is good.

Those who work only during the break get a chance to save in bulk for their spending over the following academic year. For others, it’s an added bonus.

“I need money to continue going to school and school is what gets you success (most of the time) and I like having extra money on the side,” explains Elisa. Some students admit money is not the only plus. “First and foremost, money motivates me to work,” says Yonan, but it’s also an incredibly fun job, thanks to my awesome co-workers.”

So when you think about what you could be doing instead of forcing yourself to wake up early one summer morning, think of what you are doing that benefits you. Then, once your shift is over, drink a glass of lemonade, call your buds to come over and enjoy your day off on summer holidays to watch fireworks. (In the event you don’t have the day off, at least remember holiday hours equal bonus pay!)

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Mental Break: Taking a Semester Off

by Christine Stoddard Illustration by Marleigh Culver The way the light hits a beetle’s wing. The fact that you don’t breathe in the middle of a sentence. The true taste of pepperoni.

These are only some of the things you, a frazzled college student, may not notice.

You are not dim or ungrateful but rather distracted. Perhaps you should consider taking a semester off. Then you might see the world beyond your textbooks for more than ten seconds at a time. At least that is my solution for relaxing and re-focusing over the course of a few precious months. I couldn’t be a scatter-brained, juggling octopus anymore. Depending on your personal, economic, and academic situation, taking a semester off might be the right choice for you, too.

I made the decision after realizing I was tired. “Senioritis” had struck, but as a transfer student, I was still due for another year in school. My department gave me permission to take off the fall semester, but not the spring. Considering that I don’t qualify for financial aid, and had already completed the requirements for my second major, I didn’t think twice: I was going to ride my own train from 6

August to January.

Okay. Slight hyperbole. I did think twice. I thought many, many times.

I didn’t, after all, want to invest four years of life only to discover that I wouldn’t earn the degrees I wanted.

I was particularly afraid of taking a semester off and then coming back, only to discover that I would have another semester after that.

So, I asked my advisor some VERY IMPORTANT questions: Do I have to re-apply to my major?

(No.) Do I have to fill out any paperwork? (No.) Will the department leave spots for me in my last two classes? (Yes.) Could I T.A. for the department during my semester off? (No.) And so on and so forth.

I held my breath until the end of every meeting and also after sending every e-mail. When the meeting ended or my advisor replied to the e-mail, I exhaled, smiled, and did a little hop.

All in all, taking a semester off sounds like a sane plan for me. I can work and save up money to pay for my final semester. I can write and create and read and watch what I want, whenever I want. I can even enjoy a well-rounded social life again without

the stress of papers and exams. I could even travel (and by that, I mean I shall when the bus fares are low and the stand-by flights are plenty).

Of course, I am fortunate that I can condense my one year into one semester. I am also fortunate that I will not have to wrestle with financial aid upon my return, or re-negotiate a place back in my department.

Furthermore, I am fortunate to have a sense of how I would like to spend my weeks away from VCU...dreaming and playing and conquering.

Not all students are so fortunate.

The logistics may not work in the same favor of your particular case.

Anyone who is considering the idea of taking a semester off should discuss it with their advisor, parents, employer, loan officer, scholarship organization, trusted professors, and significant other. You have to ask yourself if you’re even emotionally prepared to enter the real world and then thrust yourself back into schoolwork. Returning to school later and finishing your degree might be harder with a break.

But if you can do it, do it with hope and confidence.

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campus life

VCU Greek Life: Expanding Fast

by Meredith Rigsby

Virginia Commonwealth University’s College Pan-Hellenic Council currently consists of eight sororities but in the upcoming fall of 2011, there will be a new addition to the Greek community, Zeta Tau Alpha. If all goes well, Alpha Xi Delta will also be joining VCU’s campus in fall 2012.

The reason for the fast expansion, according to Dr. Carolyn Whittier, is the increasing amount of women who are interested in becoming involved in Greek life. In fall 2006 VCU’s Greek life consisted of about 457 members. Today it is over 1,200.

“In less than eight semesters we’ve almost tripled the size of the community and it is becoming difficult for only eight organizations to handle,” says Dr. Whittier.

“Our Pan-Hellenic women are doing phenomenal things on campus in a very different way than they were five years ago, so no wonder more women are interested. Because great things are happening and so more people are going to be attracted to great things.”

CPC nationally consists of 26 sororities, and VCU already has eight of them on campus. Of the 18 organizations that are not currently at VCU, eight have submitted applications to be considered a part of the VCU Greek community. An extension committee, a branch of VCU’s CPC organization, looked at applicants focusing on how each sorority would fit in with what Dr. Whittier explains as the already established, “non-housed, urban, commuter”. Educational programming and alumni support in the Richmond area are some of the characteristics the board considers. The committee chose ZTA and AXiD to be the sororities that would become the next additions to VCU’s Greek life.

Although the national CPC only set VCU to have two sororities join over the next few years, VCU’s CPC chose three, Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Xi Delta and Alpha Delta Pi, with the idea that, depending on the success of the first two, a third will be added to campus by 2015.

ZTA plans on extending bids to approximately 60 to 65 women in the coming fall and should be able to easily assimilate with the already

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some that maybe aren’t as known nationally.“ ZTA’s national council will send volunteers of the sorority’s alumnae to participate in the first round of formal recruitment, which consists of three rounds, lasting the course of a weekend. They will explain their sorority, its goals, history and future plans, to interested members.

Following the first round, ZTA will drop out of formal recruitment and after bid day is over, which is the last day, a three-week process will begin of interviewing and extending bids to prospective members.

The women chosen as ZTA’s first class will still go through the 6 to 8 week new member process that all the current sororities’ new members participate in. After the new member process is completed, the women will be initiated to form the first group of ZTA members to be a part of VCU’s growing Greek community.

According to Dr. Whittier, approximately 4.9 percent of students are now currently Greek. The community that was only 17 chapters when Dr. Whittier came to campus in 2006 has expanded to 37 chapters.

The hope of VCU CPC is to reach 50 chapters by 2015 with a total of about 2,000 members.

The addition of ZTA in the fall is the first step toward meeting this goal.

Approximately 4.9 percent of students are now currently Greek. The

community that was only 17 chapters when Dr. Whittier came to campus in 2006 has expanded to 37 chapters.

existing Greek community because of the philanthropy that it supports.

Breast cancer awareness, which is also supported by Phi Mu, Alpha Kappa Lambda and Alpha Kappa Delta Phi already on campus, is also at the heart of ZTA’s philanthropic activities.

Dr. Whittier says this commonality between the four groups will give ZTA a way to connect to VCU’s Greek community almost immediately.

According to Dr. Whittier, another reason ZTA was chosen is “each sorority in CPC has its own niche. ZTA is a huge name that I think people will know. It’s a nice balance because our current Pan-Hellenic has organizations that are known nationally and

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4 and Long th

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by Joseph Genest Illustration by Hannah Swann “We weren’t even smoking.” A phrase uttered all too often across campus offers serious consequence.

This year drug arrests on campus and in dorms have nearly doubled in comparison to last year. VCU Police Chief John Venuti said most of their arrests come from “complaints that come in”. Complaints?

Contemplating the term, a complaint about drug usage would infer two things: 1. The usage is in an open area and clearly visible to numerous people.

2. The users are being so detrimentally offensive it is imposing upon someone else’s right to live comfortably.

In most of the interviews I’ve conducted, the general consensus does not even come close to matching these criteria. The most basic formula to these complaints is in the simplest differentiation from dorm life to real life: police don’t need a search warrant, and those

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complaining know that.

Before I go any further, yes, I am well aware that most drugs, as well as alcohol consumption under the age of 21, is illegal. However, these laws have several convoluted issues that arise in terms of economic and social prosperity. I could go on for days about the pros and cons of making drugs legal, but the very purpose for complaining does not line up with the logic to why these substance’s restrictions were made in the first place. About 70% of the people I interviewed received complaints at times they weren’t even participating in anything wrong. However, in allowing this, VCU is encouraging behavior not compatible with the real world. As an educational body responsible for helping students transition into the adult world, how does condoning this behavior help?

I think it’s a double edged sword when it comes to VCU’s responsibilities. On one hand, the school is suppose to help ensure a safe and healthy atmosphere for all of its students, which in all fairness, means that certain students hold the right to live and work in a drug free environment. On the other end, VCU also acts as a profitable business.

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don’t. And yes, you can say VCU offers students services to help them get on track in the event that they do get in trouble but keep in mind, the competition (other state schools) does as well.

Then there is the factor of the state. A police officer holds their power to search your dorm as being a “friend to the commonwealth”.

Because you have allegedly violated your housing contract by violating a school regulation, the officer has the right to search your room under the interest of both VCU and the state. The state is protecting their investment in the university.

However, I find that there is a contrast in interest with the actors involved. The state has laws in place to protect its people from harm, not to protect its private interest in prospering as a state. VCU, however, can hold the right to search as they own the building. Additionally, because the state has written the law in such a way that infers more to the rights of its people, it should put privacy over economic interest.

After all the research and interviews I had on this subject, I have to say my feelings are mixed. On one end, it’s not the worst thing to be able to keep an

It’s somewhat dishonest (and hypocritical) to be so harsh on students when methods the school uses to attract students include bringing in musical artists that rap about how much ‘They Love College’

As the saying goes, “the customer is always right” and when it comes down to it, a school is more likely to invest in the interest and impose upon the rights of another if their investment will make a better return.

In other words, they encourage students to tell on other students for their illegal activities under the assumption that those engaged in illegal activity will bring in less benefit to their school then the ones that

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eye on kids who just left the comforts of home in hoping they assimilate well to the real world. On the other end, I do have a problem with kids abusing the powers at hand to handle their own personal gain against grudges they hold. In the end, the only solution I can think of to this problem comes in personal responsibility on both sides.

While it is true that VCU will never stop their students from participating in these activities, (in fact, I would

embrace the fact that VCU was ranked #5 in terms of marijuana activism in High Times) a certain amount of regulation is necessary. Although a school will never encourage drinking or doing drugs, a more honest approach would be cool.

Telling freshman to be smart about their drinking and don’t try to compete with their older peers would be a first step. Making it known that it bothers other residents to smoke in the dorms and imply (but not suggest) other alternatives.

It goes for the other end too. A marijuana or alcohol charge comes with some heavy consequence.

Besides that, it’s somewhat dishonest (and hypocritical) to be so harsh on students when methods the school uses to attract students include bringing in musical artists that rap about how much “They Love College” (come on, VCU don’t act like you didn’t know what the song was about). I think if VCU upped their punishment without the need of bringing in the law, you would find a healthier relationship between those students with errors and the school.

Keep in mind, most people that come to college want to be here, (the idea of this place has been etched into some of our brains since preschool) so they probably would not want to lose the opportunity to stay. All in all, I think it’s also hard to judge those who have gotten in trouble (I think Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Ted Turner have done pretty well, and are completely candid of their past). Because of this unknown factor of success, doesn’t it hurt VCU to encourage putting a criminal charge on someone, crippling their chances of employment that in return would increase their university’s reputation?

In the end, walking past posters for musical artists that burn more weed than the DEA in Mexico and passing a security desk talking about how “dank” a room smelt, it seems this is a problem that is here to stay. The real question is, with VCU’s reputation growing and growing in academia, will their approach become more open-minded and honest, or will this thought just go up in smoke?

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A hot topic today is self. Simply put, you are the sole beneficiary of your self. In essence, you reap what you sow. We create the self in numerous ways, and as much as it is concrete, it is fluid and ever changing.

Today we construct the self with different tools and systems such as networks; including friends, family, and institutions we are a part of.

Much of today’s self-construction comes from social networking. Focus on identity is aided greatly- both simplified and confusing- by this system. It’s a process that is largely decided by the ideas constructed through social networking.

Identity is silly today; a matter to be joked about as we see and identify among new trends from day to day. For example: deactivating Facebook, of which largely played a part in the creation of my own self, and re-establishing my identity played a huge role in the identification of this experience (self creation and self identity establishment). Pychology of the self today is, in contrast to the past, much more of something that is personally reflected and decided alone. Ritual is less of a deciding factor in the maturation processes.

“Identity is silly today; a matter to be joked about as we see and identify among new trends from day to day.”

There’s an odd creation of self that exists in the cyber arena, causing confusion in the construct that is self. Many people claim that selfrealization is a process that comes as a natural occurrence as well as a cyber realization. Such as “Nixie Felis” aka Tiffany Williams, VCU Undergrad student that like many today decided to change her Facebook name as an assertion of a changed identity.

“I’m a different person now,” says Nixie on her changed self. She that Facebook allows you to create a character for your self, “building” who you are. Nixie says she wants a fresh start, and that she has “taken advantage of [construction of self], the power to be who I really want, and to alter who people see me as.”

Facebook lends more freedom to create our self, as well as possibility

for more experimentation, such as changing your name. The information you reveal in the “about me” on Facebook may be filtered because of many social, cognitive, and/or emotional reasoning. All of which can play a large part in constructing identity. In essence, meta-analysis regarding self and its construction occurs as a product of social network.

“I can be whoever I want, “ says Nixie.

Freedom from self or escape from a constant, unchanging self is a goal for many. We spend most of our lives discovering a solid idea of what our self is; it seems exhausting and possibly insignificant to being what we are. Creation of self is a natural, healthy occurrence, but also to break it down, and let go- being trapped in one’s self may be more uncomfortable that not knowing your self, or caring.

The Constr uction of Self

Teddy Gregson Illustration by Will Godwin ink

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contemporary issues

Ever-too-green

by Kathleen Brown Photos by John Shuck

Venture to Church Hill’s Evergreen Cemetery of Richmond, where notable historical figures like Maggie L. Walker were buried, and prepare to be shocked. Not only is the historical African American cemetery completely overgrown with fast-spreading weeds, there’s trash everywhere, a result of looting and serious maintenance funding and perpetual care mishaps stemming from the 1970’s.

John Shuck is a retired Richmonder who has devoted countless hours organizing to get Evergreen back in decent shape. The moral interventions of this guy are admirable and worth emulating.

“I’ve been working with genealogy all my life,” said Shuck. “With the advent of digital cameras, there’s a website, findagrave.com, which I used to start looking at Evergreen, went out there, and tried to find clean-up projects.” His wife, Debbie fully supports her husband in his endeavors.

Pick a time, any time, and John Shuck is bound to be out at Evergreen, distributing the brushclearing tools, paid for out of his own pocket, from the bed of his cobalt Chevy pickup truck. Then, as sunlight filters through the pines, melting layers of frost from the dappled ground, he prepares to take a group of VCU or VSU student volunteers on a tour of the , revealing riveting bits of history not mentioned in the public school system. One of these points includes a discussion on the absurdity of segregated cemeteries. Shuck updates his Facebook page with pictures of clean-ups each weekend, including a brief summary of the day’s events. Shuck and his recruits have discovered various antiques, including old glass Coca-Cola bottles, rusted cans from different brands of beer, shag carpets stuck in the ground by surrounding tree roots, random buttons and knick knacks galore.

Some have compared the clean-up at Evergreen to an archeological scavenger hunt. It may be fun to find these so-called “artifacts” but it’s humiliating to know that such land has been so shamelessly spat-upon due to ignorance and blatant acts of societal prejudice.

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Is the city of Richmond poorly distributing money for its public property? If something so important, chock-full of precious history, and sentimental as Evergreen has been ignored all this time by the city’s legislators, while Hollywood Cemetery, historically white and just miles from Evergreen, prances around all crisp and clean, something’s seriously wrong here.

In March 2010, CNN journalist Phil Riggan wrote, “I was given a tour of a forgotten land. It would have been more encouraging if it had been in a Central American jungle and we were looking for the ruins of a Mayan temple. No, it was Richmond, and we were seeking the ruins of what was supposed to be a symbol of blacks finding a measure of equality.”

Go back eight years prior to Riggan’s visit, and you’ll find a message thread on an online forum with hundreds of views, one of which, by Eric Alfredson, states: “Is anyone aware of the effort to restore this large “colored” cemetery in the Richmond, Va (Henrico) area? It is a large cemetery with tremendous over growth that is being cleared (at least 5 years worth) with a limited number of volunteers. This will become a fabulous story,”

Today much progress has been made, thanks to volunteer efforts, but less than half of the cemetery has been cleared. Even seemingly small victories are a big deal to Shuck and his cohorts, such as when Richmond Road, which once served as a navigable pathway through Evergreen, was discovered underneath the rapidly growing vegetation.

A more personal discovery

by Shuck and his volunteer team was noted in the Henrico Citizen newspaper. Richmond native Welford Williams’ mother is buried at Evergreen, and he remembers the days when the burial grounds were “nothing but grass and headstones.”

Williams spoke disappointedly about how his mother’s grave site became lost in the wild brush over the years.

Shuck et al rediscovered it in their efforts to preserve the site, which proved to be an emotional, overjoyed event for Williams and his family.

Shuck became interested in Evergreen partly due to his self-described slightly compulsive tendencies. Acknowledging the indelible marks of racism in this

country’s history, he explains his thoughts and motivations, void of self-flattery and pompousness.

He doesn’t blame the ignorant looters for dirtying and disrespecting sacred grounds, nor the erred allocation of funding in the city, he just gets out there and teaches what he knows, and plays what he feels is his current true calling- his role in humanity. This is philanthropy at its finest.

“Something that’s messed up…

I’ll leave it for a while then it needs to be cleaned up,” Shuck states, suggesting his incentives reach beyond a desire for cleanliness and order in the world as he speaks of Bonnie Davis, a VCU journalism professor and published author who has written books on historically black places of burial, namely, Here I Lay My Burdens Down: A History of the Black Cemeteries of Richmond, Virginia.

Shuck agrees that Davis’ writing sets the perfect stage for action, adding, “Part of the surmise is to get volunteers out there. The student population’s been great; I’ve actually got some girl scouts coming out soon,” he amusingly notes.

John affirms that although he, in his seventies, may be a main coordinator for the project, “As far as volunteers, It’s gonna be cleared by the young folks.”

It’s obvious that Shuck will not be shaken in his virtuous quest. As Richmonders, we have an opportunity to restore a smidgen of the diverse racial integrity (which never should have been lost) to this part of the city, and show that we care for and value those who have passed away in this state’s capital. And when the painful history of racism flares up, we have the responsibility to diminish it. As a community, it is our duty to make sure that justice is equally distributed among each and every member.

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GSEX Rev luti n

by Cassie Mulheron

At the beginning of the semester, Women’s Studies officially changed its name to Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies.

Shannon Le Corre, an alum to Women’s Studies, holds a welcoming opinion to the change: “I think it’s necessary to have changed the name because my degree covered so much more than just women’s struggles. I wish that my diploma had shown the new name because the work we do is not just about women, it’s about people and its about how gender and sexuality shapes society.”

Le Corre makes sense of the name change, stating, “It definitely lends itself to a wider demographic and sort of takes the focus away from having gender equality just being a woman’s struggle and makes it more open to a wider audience of people who care about these issues but might not feel that it was their place to study women.”

But what is Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies? Half of the problem before the name change was that people were not exactly sure what the degree entailed. It is an interdisciplinary degree that allows people to put different types of theory into practice. It really gets to the core of “who” we are with a curriculum that is interdisciplinary and intersectional, dealing with more than just women’s issues. Students often describe it as learning about what was left out of traditional, patriarchal (male centered) textbooks and public school systems.

Most people thought it was just for women, specifically feminists.

While many of us are feminists, it is not a pre-requisite. We are inclusive as it gets, accepting people regardless of their sex, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, economic status,

contemporary issues geographic location…and the list goes on.

Many of the students major, minor, double major or even receive a dual degree in GSEX. Some of the common combinations are with English, Fine Arts, Social Work, Psychology and Sociology. I am graduating this semester with a dual degree: B.F.A. in Photography & Film, B.A. in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, as well as a minor in Psychology. After graduating, I hope to teach English in South Korea for a year to explore a bit. I really enjoy working with people, especially children, and feel that with my GSEX degree and my psychology minor that I am more prepared for that. I want to pursue an M.F.A. in Art Therapy or even possibly get a master’s in teaching. You learn so much about tolerance in Gender Studies. There are so many different types of people and I want to be able to help people, regardless of their sex, gender, race, nationality, “ability”, etc.

“Students in this department

feel a sense of welcoming and being part of something bigger than themselves.”

“I consider all the learning in my GSEX classes to be fundamental critical thinking tools for understanding the world around me,” says Fatima Sissoko, a senior in Biology and GSEX. She reminisced about being lost her first year and, “trying to form an identity for myself with all these irreconcilable ideas about my body, my sexuality, my ambitions and my own potential that were elucidated through the fine eyes of a remarkable faculty I, personally, admire, respect and love as if they were [and they are] family.”

Students in this department feel a sense of welcoming and being part of something bigger than themselves.

Sissoko contines, “You take what you learn about life, its ecosystems and relations, and can watch yourself grow into a more intelligible, intuitive, enlightened individual; you can see that money you or your parents are spending put to good use.”

So what are the GSEXers up to now? This summer, Liz Canfield and Dr. Archana Pathak are leading a group of students to study abroad in Canada for Women’s Worlds 2011

in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. The course description states, “The purpose of the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies study abroad program is to provide students with an international experience that focuses on global feminism and the lives of women around the world.”

This year the conference hopes to break social constructs and limits with the theme, “Inclusions, exclusions, and seclusions: Living in a globalized World”. The students will get a chance to earn 3-6 credits, meet women from numerous nations and attend cultural events in Canada, such as the Ottawa Jazz Festival.

If you haven’t already fulfilled your diversity credit, check out the intro class. If anything, it will open your eyes and broaden your beliefs.

Questions? Stop by the Starke House, 915 West Franklin Street 1st Floor and pickup an informative student crafted zine about the department. Or pop in and speak to Undergraduate Advisor Liz Canfield or the department Chair Dr. Janet Hutchinson. They are more than happy to chat with you!

s le it’urse i h W act: fficial cocall it F n Fu the o many to the not onym, refer Xers. acr EX and s GSE GS dents a stu

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by JAIME BARNETT

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This simple do-it-yourself project is a great way to create personalized wall art for any space! It's an easy stenciling technique that uses everyday objects found at your local hardware store. This tutorial covers how to create a basic example, but the possibilities are endless with a touch of your own creativity. Not to mention - it can be completed for less than ten dollars!

I chose a two foot by two foot piece of plywood to create my message on.

Inspect your board for splinters and if necessary, lightly sand the surface before attaching the letters.

Using a straightedge and a pencil, lightly mark where the letters will be placed. This works best by drawing straight lines across the board to act as a guide where the letters will evenly be attached.

Once you have decided on a message and composition, attach your letters using your straightedge guide.

Smooth any air bubbles out as it is important that they are evenly attached so no paint will seep under.

Note: Adhesive letters can be found in the mailbox section at the hardware store or at any craft store.

Spray paint your entire board in a series of coats, allowing at least thirty minutes to dry between each coat, until there is an even distribution of paint and color. Make sure this is done outside with newspaper under your board to avoid any accidents!

My board took three coats of paint to reach my desired shade of blue.

Once the final coat has been applied, allow your board to dry approximately 24 hours. Note: Always spray paint outside, wearing old clothes and a dust mask if possible.

After the paint has fully dried, remove the individual letters to reveal a woodgrain stencil underneath. If you have trouble, try using an x-acto to lift up the corner of the letters.

Your wall art is complete! A clear coat of varnish may be applied to give your board a clear shine or you can use acrylic paint to add details to your work. Use your creativity to come up with something unique!

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By JOEY CHAPMAN Photos by Nathan Congleton In the ever-humid summer of 2008, five friends hailing from all corners of Hampton Roads came together, hoping their separate influences would immerge into a hardcore powerhouse.

“All of our past bands had broken up around the same time, so we got together and collaborated,” says bassist Chad Cornwell.

The resulting songs written that summer would later become the bands demo. As furious and heartfelt as the five tracks were, their 2008 demo (released on Swim Harder cassettes) showed there was a presence of uncertainty in which direction their music would take.

Without front man Knox Colby’s distinguishable vocals, listeners may have thought the recording was a compilation of bands, opposed to a flowing guided album.

Perfection is rarely an overnight occurrence. For some, it takes time.

For Vicegrip, all that was needed was maturity.

“No time to escape/ I’m forced by their actions to a fork in the road: a fork in their tongues/ a kick to the f***ing head,” bellows Knox Colby in the record’s opening track “Lion’s Den.” A year older and wiser, Vicegrip released their debut record, “Savage Struggle,” with help from Last Anthem Records. The demo’s one minute melodic, next minute Clevostyle worship flow had smoothed its

kinks out, resulting in two tracks of unrelenting metallic hardcore. Both boisterous and refined, the hardcore outfit clearly demonstrated progress towards finding their niche.

Upon first listening to the record, I wondered where the group would go from there. Would their next release be equally heavy? Perhaps there would be catchier choruses with more hooks and sing-a-longs? Or would it be something completely different?

A year later, those questions were answered by a deafening voice.

A local showcase at Double O Studios in Hampton, VA took place in honor of Moutheater latest EP release, but it was opening act, Vicegrip, who stole the show. Knox, Chad, Keith, Rodney, and Phillip delivered a punishing ten-minute block of virgin material to the eager audience.

I quickly locked my dropped jaw, fearing the sonic assault would knock me unconscious. Visceral, sludgy, hopeless, and more than anything, pissed. White knuckles, grinding teeth, and banging heads were aplenty amongst the crowd. I’ve been associated with the band for a number of years now, and I can honestly say that this is the best material the fivepiece has offered.

You can sample the rough tracks on the band’s bandcamp page (HYPERLINK "http://vicegrip. bandcamp.com/"http://vicegrip. bandcamp.com/) and fight out for yourself. If you are a fan of Integrity, Ringworm, Pulling Teeth, Shipwreck, it is imperative that you educate yourself

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by GENE STROMAN 1. “Elevator to the Gallows” Louis Malle, 1958 (France) French director Louis Malle’s first film Elevator to the Gallows begins with a beautiful, stylized close-up of actress Jeanne Moreau’s face, her two eyes resonate like stars in a cloudless sky. “I’m the one who can’t take any more. I love you,” she says as the camera slowly pulls away, revealing that she is on the phone with her lover – the man who is to murder her husband.

With that, the viewer is introduced to the simple, yet effective plot of Malle’s foray into the film noir genre. The film was made just on the fringe of the New Wave movement and includes many techniques that are later revisited by Godard and Truffaut, among others. Perhaps what is most notable about Malle’s first work is the camera-work. The lamp-lit streets of Paris at night are photographed in a stylized light, and set to a sad, but cool, careerdefining soundtrack by trumpet master, Miles Davis. Louis Malle is also said to have given Moreau her big break into national stardom with Elevator to the Gallows (she would be cast in Truffaut’s Jules et Jim just a few years later). Although she had starred in over a dozen feature-length films, no one had shot her quite like Malle did; sans makeup and in natural light.

2. “Doubt” John Patrick Shanley, 2008 (USA) The story of Doubt is set in the mid60s at a Catholic Church and school in the Bronx. The school’s principal, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is convinced without evidence that the head priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has an illicit 18

relationship with the only black student at the school. Sister Aloysius’ witch-hunt is led solely by a new schoolteacher’s (Amy Adams) intuitions, leading to several hairraising confrontations between the three characters. With an all-star cast, it’s no surprise that the acting is overwhelmingly convincing, but the most striking scene involves an unnerving conversation between the black altar boy’s mother and Meryl Streep as they walk through the Bronx on an autumn day. This film took me by complete surprise. I was amazed that playwright John Patrick Stanley was able to pack such deep and contentious storytelling of his dramatic piece into 104 minutes. Despite the arguably short runtime, the film’s pacing is perfect, in keeping with the cold and contemplative mood of a chamber play. Doubt examines the themes of religion, race, and homosexuality, and it will surely cause you to rethink the principles of faith and doubt. The film received five academy awards – and it’s no wonder why.

3. “Hunger” Steve McQueen, 2008 (UK) Hunger is not directed by famous American movie star Steve McQueen. Rather, the film is the first masterful effort by an English auteur of the same name. The title refers to the 1981 hunger strike carried out by prisoners of the Irish Republican Army, led by Bobby Sands (played by Michael Fassbender).

Let me preface the review by saying this work of art is absolutely raw and not for the faint of heart – expect explicit nudity, blood, and feces. McQueen made certain that his footage reflected the vulgar and demoralizing conditions suffered by the inmates of the historical conflict between Irish nationalists and Margaret Thatcher.

The film is impressively riddled with remarkable cinematic technique, especially for a first time director – clear and crisp cinematography, recurring sound motifs, realism (Fassbender took several genuine beatings and went on a crash diet to get down to a disgustingly-thin 127 pounds), and a single shot of conversation lasting 16.5-minutes. Hunger is important both for the slice of history it chooses to examine and for its great artistic integrity – don’t let this one go unwatched!

Michael Haneke is one of the hottest, most consistent filmmakers in World Cinema today. You may recognize his name from the 2007 remake of his own film, Funny Games, (starring Naomi Watts) which had a wide release in the US. His latest directorial effort, The White Ribbon, takes place from the early 1900s to the outbreak of World War I, and set in a small German village. The audience follows several prominent inhabitants of the village (schoolteacher, pastor, baron, etc.) and watches their reaction to the bizarre events happening to a number of their children. The film is shot in a black and white tone that is clearly reminiscent of legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist’s work with Ingmar Bergman. The content is also consistent with Bergman’s sensibilities (and perhaps a reason why I’m attracted to this film) – themes include childhood, marital relationships, religion, morality, and so on. The White Ribbon primarily concerns itself with the way children in the village are raised. The title refers to a ribbon placed around the arm of a ‘misbehaved’ child. In addition to the gorgeous cinematic landscape (Haneke made the decision to switch from color to black and white), the beauty of this film is in its ambiguity. Questions about why these mysterious events are happening and who causes them are largely unanswered and remain for the audience to deliberate.

5.

“Fitzcarraldo” Werner Herzog, 1982 (Germany) CinemaTalk had the fortune of screening German filmmaker Werner Herzog’s masterpiece Fitzcarraldo for the club’s second meeting. This epic film follows Irishman Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (played by longtime Herzogregular Klaus Kinski), a man obsessed with the opera of the great tenor Enrico Caruso. Fitzcarraldo (as he is called in Peru) dreams of opening an opera house in the middle of the jungle, and he will stop at nothing until his dream comes true.

To raise the funds, he purchases a parcel of rubber-producing land, as well as a 340-ton steamship, which he enlists the help of a local Indian tribe to literally pull it over a mountain. What makes this film so magical is the perpetual hell (Peruvian politics, lack of funds, actors dropping out halfway through production) Herzog had to endure in order to successfully create the film precisely as he had envisioned it.

And yes, he and his crew literally pulled the boat over the mountain. Also of note is how Herzog uniquely places actors in a sort of situation and films their real, human responses. Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo includes countless remarkable shots that will stick with the viewer forever. The film reinforces the cliché that one can do anything if he puts his mind to it. Herzog and his crew have succeeded in creating a monumental film that is hard to imagine being made by anyone else.

4. “The White Ribbon” Michael Haneke, 2009 (Austria)

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arts & culture

by CHARLES PECK

Twenty five years after his death, Jorge Luis Borges remains one of the most compelling, influential writers of both modern and post-modern literature. Originally published in 1962, “Labyrinths,” a collection of his best poetry, essays and short stories illustrates every aspect of the Argentinean author’s genius. The fantastical portrayal of the struggle between real and surreal is condensed into the dreamworlds within each work of “Labyrinths,” while remaining concise and eloquent, with the aid of a good translation. Some highlights include the short story Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius, which portrays a coalition of intellectuals attempting to create a new world simply through the power of imagination; and the gripping “Deutsches Requiem,” which follows the introspection of a subdirector of a Nazi concentration camp awaiting his trial and execution after the end of World War II. Creating the perfect balance between rational and emotional, real and surreal, elusive and succinct, Borges proves to be, as John Barth says, “like the great artists of other centuries [...] [engaging] the heart as well as the intelligence.”

Widely proclaimed by critics and scholars alike as the quintessential post-modern novel, Thomas Pynchon’s “Crying of Lot 49,” released in 1966, follows Oedipa Mass as she haphazardly pursues a quest to unveil a global conspiracy between two mail distributers, “Thurn and Taxis” and “Trystero.” The true story is unveiled, however, through the peculiar characters Oedipa meets along the way (her psychiatrist, Dr. Hilarius, who prescribes her LSD and the stamp specialist, Genghis Cohen, to name a few) and the coincidences which result. Through its satirical

reinterpretation of the modernist detective story, Oedipa’s quest is one which parallels that of the reader, as she fluctuates between certainty and uncertainty in the evidence she’s collecting. At just 152 pages, Pynchon’s ability to condense an entire ontological discourse, as well as a captivating story, into such little space proves the author’s true genius and this book’s fundamental role in the post-modern canon.

Tom McCarthy’s latest novel, released just last year, is an experimental, modern epic drenched in philosophic and thematic material.

Following young Serge Carrefax, who was born in England at the turn of the 20th century to an ambitious inventor and a deaf mother, McCarthy creates a world just as chaotic and progressive as the one Serge is involuntarily exposed to--revealed through his interactions with the Great War (WWI), recreational drugs, and the emergence of telecommunication which leads Serge to Egypt. What really makes McCarthy a great writer, and likely accounts for much of his recent commercial appeal, is his ability to create an accessible novel in spite of its peculiarity; one which is able to address the problems of post-modern literature while still prompting some sort of emotional response through its characters and their relationship with the reader (which seems to be the theme of this review’s series).

Above all, it’s refreshing to know that writers like McCarthy still exist in a literary world dominated by vampires, werewolves, and Justin Bieber fan fiction.

After all of that post-modern jargon, it might be helpful to return to a true classic. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray’s brilliant Victorian novel, expertly satirizes the shameless

pursuit for wealth and esteem all too common to both 19th century England, and, if not more so, to contemporary life. Following primarily two young women, Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley have just graduated primary school, and are confronted head-on by the realities of Victorian life. Becky, a naturally independent woman, deems it only natural to pursue a wealthy husband; while Amelia, whose financial and marital particulars are spoken for, faces her fair share of personal hardships. The real appeal to the modern reader, however, is the biting criticism of classic characters we continue to see from generation to generation: Jos Sedley, the insecure older brother of Amelia who takes hours getting ready; George Osborne, the defiant son of a controlling father who shares his lust for admiration; and Miss Crawley, the rich old aunt whose favor (and inheritance) everyone fights for. Though it is lengthy, at nearly a thousand pages, Vanity Fair is guaranteed to provide new insight into both the past and present.

Ted Hughes, British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death, in 1998, bore the unfortunate burden of both losing his wife (Sylvia Plath) and subsequently facing backlash from Plath fans and feminist literary critics who claimed he provoked her suicide. As a result, his reputation, particularly in the US, remains tainted and his work often undermined.

Though his personal life warrants some degree of criticism, “Crow” is some of the best poetry of the past century and thereby noteworthy in its own right. In a sense the antipoet, Hughes creates a narrativelike structure to the collection, exposing a bleak, despairing world whose sole protagonist is the titular Crow itself. Depressing, endearing, revulting, terrifying, funny--”Crow” is a schizophrenic pastiche of nihilism, absurdum, and British wit.

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by Addison Wheeler Juxtaposed against the ironically flashy, imagist, and contemporary works so prevalent in the art community today, Erin Willett’s bleak, surrealist landscapes stand out for their blatant simplicity and attention to stark imagery rather then painstaking detail. A senior Painting and Printmaking major and Sculpture minor, Willett has worked with everything from oil paint and charcoal to screen printing ink. Her main focus, however, is the abstract, almost dystopian landscape painting that is definitive of her style.

“I really like working with landscapes,” Willett says. “The subject, the visual field, of the work is non-object and thus must be shown without the use of object.” Willett is inspired by music, and often paints in rhythm with what she is listening to, which ranges from atmospheric post-metal like Godspeed You Black Emperor to hardcore punk like Icons of Filth and Discharge.

The depressing and disconnected nature of darker music helps fuel the themes of isolation dealt with in the landscapes. “This interest in isolation comes from the idea of every human truly being isolated within their own bodies, minds, and history,” says Willett of her work. “Because of this unavoidable solitude, every person reaches out to others in efforts of communication.” In a world where art is becoming marginalized as a flashy, commercial commodity, Willett’s art strikes a chord of discontent that reverberates as darkly as the color in her landscapes.

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by CESLEY MUSGNI Fall 2010, I experienced one of the worst things a Graphic Design student of the 21st century could face in art school: a laptop malfunction close to midterms. This was beyond last-minute-print-job the night before a major critique. My portable workstation was temporarily dead and sitting in the Cabell Library basement, waiting to be catered by the tech services.

I had no idea where to go at this point. Two or three projects were due within the next week, and all my necessary files were idly sitting with a bunch of other failed computers.

My first reaction was to go upstairs to use one of the few, beautiful, new 27" iMacs on the second floor of Cabell Library. As such a powerful new addition to the sea of PCs, I felt relieved. I rushed to the iMacs, USB drive in hand, ready to finish some projects.

As nice as the library’s iMacs are, they are simply for web browsing. No essential design program can be found on these computers.

Stumped at this point, I contemplated asking to borrow a classmate’s MacBook. With our similar schedules, there was no chance in hell anyone in the Graphic Design department would lend me their laptop when they were trying to get finish own projects.

So, I asked around Pollak. Where on campus could I possibly go to work on a Mac with Adobe Creative Suite, without stifling someone else's work schedule in order to salvage my own?

Out of all the visual art buildings at VCU, the Pollak building was the only one with no general computer lab.

As freshmen in Art Foundation, we had access to a Mac lab at Bowe Street to work on projects. The only time I worked on a project there was in a heavily video-based, time studio class. All of the other times, the lab was mainly used to print documents and photos. I'd also have to pester an AFO student to card me in.

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my hands on them. I was in shock and awe. Out of all the departments, the Sculpture department had their own computer lab with Macs included! I know that VCUarts is ranked number one for Sculpture, and if they were to fund one of the departments with more money it would be them. But do they really need it so much that they have a passcode locking the rest of the non-Sculpture world to keep it exclusively for them?

Through a friend in the Sculpture department, I was able to obtain the magic four-digit passcode that would answer my Macbook-malfunctioning prayers. When I got to the Fine Arts building, I punched in the supposed code, but the door remained locked.

I peered through the window and quietly knocked, and a sea of heads facing down turned into eyes staring back at me.

Once inside, I instantly jumped to a seat in front of an iMac. They were just as beautiful and brand new as the ones in the Cabell Library, except it had Adobe Creative Suite, plus more.

I looked around. There was also a large format, four-process color printer sitting at the opposite side of the room. I was amazed, and at the same time annoyed, knowing that none of this was intended to be available to me as a Graphic Design student. Our major uses these particular devices daily. On most occasions, we have to pay outside of tuition for these resources.

I frantically tried to get as much work done in the few hours I had available. The friend who had given me the passcode walked into the lab 30 minutes into working, and sat at the computer to my right. We said hello and small-talked as my eyes shifted from my project on my screen to hers, which revealed nonchalant web surfing.

I became even more infuriated knowing Pollak was without a computer lab, as my limited time in the Fine Art’s building was ticking away.

In comparison to other Graphic Design programs, VCU’s department takes a very traditional approach to teaching (i.e. instilling manual craftsmanship and analog

experimentation), but 99.9% of the time, students in this major will use their laptops during the process.

It could be from the very start of a project or at the end for production preparation.

With computers and technology in general, there is always one thing to consider: Murphy's Law. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Clients change their expectations.

Colors on a print job can easily mismatch the colors intended on a design. Being 99% done to designing a job and realizing that the dimensions are off can happen.

With budget cuts and the tight financial situation that VCU is going through, I would like the university to consider the very limited money we have, and invest it into something that is known to be 100% beneficial to the students. In the Graphic Design department’s case, implementing a computer lab in Pollak would be an ideal step. There is not enough funding for the school to reimburse graphic design students for print jobs that roughly cost us hundreds of dollars collectively throughout a semester. The least they can do is give us a guaranteed workspace to ensure productivity. I wouldn't want to spend my tuition money any other way.

I know this kind of addition to Pollak is a change too big to enforce immediately but there has to be some way to give Graphic Design students access to Macs that does not result in us frantically running around campus in distress. Adding the necessary programs into the Macs already existing in the library, or opening accessibility to current Mac labs at other visual art buildings such as the Fine Art Building, to other art majors will make a difference. They would be small changes with big impacts.

There are so many resources within the general art school that are unreachable to individual majors.

All I'm asking is for one of these resources, the computer labs- the one resource that is across the boarduseful to all the art majors, especially to the Graphic Design students, to be considered in the future plans of VCUarts.

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by WHITNEY DOWNING photos by CASSIE MULHERON As Kendall Battle prepared for the seventh annual STRUT fashion show, she also balanced her first year in college, and in the Art Foundation program. In November, Battle was selected as one of the eight fashion designers to present in the textilethemed show.

“I haven’t cried yet,” she says.

A couple months later, her dorm room was covered in woven leather strips. But it wouldn’t have happened if a friend hadn’t suggested that she submit her designs on the day of the auditions. Thinking quickly, Battle prepared a slideshow of her past pieces and presented it to the planning committee in the Student Organizations room located in the Commons. They seemed to like her ideas and invited her to be apart of the design team.

Then she began the work. Finding her inspiration through music, Battle was required to submit a total of six sketches before December. She had chosen to work with two fabrics— leather and velvet. After STRUT’s planning committee approved each

sketch she started the tedious work.

“Its one thing to draw your ideas on paper but producing them into something tangible is a whole different story,” says Battle.

I was able to get a sneak peak of a piece she worked on over the winter break. It was a leather mini skirt accented with pieces of a broken mirror giving it an edgy rock and roll feel. She even had a few battle wounds to show for it. “But it’s worth it,” the young designer explains.

Battle was able to get access to the STRUT’s model try-outs held on February 2 and 3 because she is one of the designers. Both nights drew huge crowds of talented models all trying to land a spot on the runway.

The judging committee allowed the designers to suggest who they would like to see their clothes.

This year’s STRUT drew a crowd of 1100 people to the Siegel Center.

According to director Stefa’nie Thomas, a number that large has not been achieved since 2008. As one of the biggest fashion shows in the VCU community, and as part of Richmond Fashion Week, this was Kendall Battle’s chance to prove that she can handle the pressure.

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Coral chiffon dress by H&M, hm.com Black strappy wedges by ALDO, aldoshoes.com Fuchsia umbrella, dollartree.com DIY belt: $1.98 belt from Fan Tastic Thrift wrapped with blue duct tape from Ben Franklin

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Caught In The Storm With cold weather in the past, bright neon colors from tulips and daffodils can finally awaken our concrete city. As they say, after every storm comes a rainbow.

Fashion Director & Lead Stylist: Isabella Althoff Assistant Stylist: Bayley Wood Photographer: Amber Bender Hair/Makeup: Carly Childers Model: Amanda Lee James Special thanks to the Maymont Foundation and the National Historical Society.

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Neon sheer zipper top

by Forever 21, forever21.com Orange and pink patterned bikini top, Salvation Army Black linen high-waisted shorts

by Arden B, ardenb.com Virtual pink sheer over-the-knee sock

by American Apparel, americanapparel.com T-strap heels, Diversity Thrift Cyan umbrella, dollartree.com

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Strapless cut-out bathing suit

by Alloy, alloy.com Magenta silk scarf

by Cabi, cabionline.com Yellow rimmed sunglasses, Exile Gold studded bangles, solid gold triple finger ring

by ALDO, aldoshoes.com Suede bow bangle

by H&M, hm.com Clear bubble umbrella

by Target, target.com

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Cobalt blue dress

by Talbots, Fan Tastic Thrift DIY belt: $1.98 belt from Fan Tastic Thrift wrapped with blue duct tape from Ben Franklin DIY belt: $1.98 belt from Fan Tastic Thrift painted with neon highlighter yellow spray paint from Ben Franklin Evergreen umbrella, dollartree.com

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arts & culture Magenta silk scarf

by Cabi, cabionline.com Orange and pink patterned bikini top, Salvation Army Purple cotton spandex jersey bandeau pencil dress, worn as skirt by American Apparel, americanapparel.com Gold latch belt, Fan Tastic Thrift Nude strappy wedges

by ALDO, aldoshoes.com Deer, owl, fox rings

by AngelinCHINA, etsy.com/people/AngelinCHINA

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Vol. 3 No. 4 May 2011

Summer in the City We've got your Richmond summer covered

Ink

Caught After the Storm Bright neon colors are in this season Featured Artist Erin Willett

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Yellow sports bra, emerald silk razorback

by Forever 21, forever21.com Vintage black pleated chiffon pants, stylist’s own Hot pink sunglasses, stylist’s own Suede and wooden heels

by H&M, hm.com Blue umbrella, dollartree.com

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