UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University Vol. 96, No. 5 November 7, 2019
RACE ON DISPLAY
LU theatre’s ‘Permanent Collection’ tackles uncomfortable topic Noah Dawlearn UP photo editor When we visit an art museum, we do not see all the works a museum owns. We see a curated version of a collection. But do we ask who decides the
works we see? “The Permanent Collection,” by Thomas Gibbons, uses a museum’s art collection to ask hard questions about the role of race and who controls the narrative of our experiences. Lamar University’s depart-
ment of theatre and dance will present the play, Nov. 7-10 in the University Theatre. The play follows Sterling North, the new director of the Morris Foundation, a privately owned art collection based on the real-life Barnes Foundation
in Philadelphia. Director Caitlin Grammer said the action follows the drama that happens after a provision in the benefactor’s will comes to light about 20 years after his death. The provision puts control of the foundation in the hands of a local
African American university, who appoints a black businessman as the foundation’s new director. “When Sterling finds African art in the basement, he proposes the art be placed on public display, which goes against other provisions of Morris’s will which prohibit changing the layout of the museum,” Grammer said. “It turns into a large and very public battle over who has control of the foundation after accusations of racism are thrown around publicly,” she said. Senior Austin Jones plays Sterling. He said Gibbons poses the question of how much space in the world, both literally and figuratively, white people have left for black people. “I like putting emphasis on the situation of race, with black people trying to just be a part of this world,” Jones said. “But because of how some white people choose to treat black people, also how that connects to how history has continuously treated black people, it’s hard to really become part of that world. “Taking the line directly from the show, ‘It’s always been a situation of, we’re always trying to figure you guys out, but you never put any effort to figure us out.’ So it always brings up that question of are we truly equal?” Grammer said the play offers actors such as Jones a unique
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Austin Jones plays Sterling North in LU theatre’s “The Permanent Collection,” presented Nov. 7-10 in the University Theatre.
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DISTINGUISHED FACULTY LECTURE
Proksch to discuss music, oil, Tuesday Bryan Prosksch, department chair and associate professor of music history, will present his lecture, “Music and Oil in Beaumont: The Magnolia Petroleum Band and John Philip Sousa,” Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m. in the Live Oak Ballroom of the Setzer Student Center. Proksch has published two books, including one on Sousa, as well as numerous essays in leading musicological journals on both the history of bands and classical music. He hosts a music history show, “Behind the Music,” on 91.3 KVLU Public Radio with the goal of making the history of music fun, relevant and accessible to all. The event is free to the public. A reception will follow the lecture. The event is sponsored by Total Petrochemicals and Refining USA, Inc. For more information, call 8808046.
UP photo by Stefan McCord
The Educator’s Career Fair is an opportunity for students of all majors to network with potential future employers.
Educator’s Career Fair set for today Stefan McCord UP contributor The Educator’s Career Fair will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., today, in the Setzer Student Center Live Oak Ballroom. The fair is open to all majors, but Amy Dillow, mar-
keting coordinator for the Lamar University career and professional development center, said education majors are encouraged to attend. “Students who are interested in working in the educaSee CAREER page 2
LU unveils assistive technology lab Erin Black UP contributor
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Justin Norris and Reality Boutte utilize the computer lab — the first of its kind in the Texas State University System, Nov. 5.
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Lamar University has unveiled its new assistive technology lab, a dedicated space for students with disabilities that allows them access to an area where they can be trained on how to use technology to access information. The facility, located in 106 Cherry Annex Building across from Gray Library, opened Oct. 29. The facility is the first of its kind in the Texas State University System. Kyle Mutz, director of the disability resource center, said it is good to have a space where students, es-
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pecially freshmen or newer students, who may not be confident in their ability to use technology, can get help. “It’s going to have a huge impact on the students,” he said. “For the student who maybe has dyslexia and who never knew that books can be read to them, it’s going to cut down on that extra time that they are having to spend having somebody else read to them, rather than having a piece of technology that they can use themselves and be independent, and have the technology cater to them.” The goal for the technology in the lab is for stu-
dents not to have to rely on other people, Mutz said. “We want them to become independent so they can be able to do this stuff on their own,” he said. “I feel like some people who do have disabilities feel like they need to rely on other people and that can be really daunting. We’re all human — we want to be able to do things for ourselves. When it’s taken away from you, it’s not a good feeling.” The lab has computers with built-in technology that can cater to specific disabilities. When the stuSee LAB page 2
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INSIDE
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald
Thursday, November 7, 2019 University Press
COLLECTION
NOTICE The University Press can be read online at www.lamar.edu/university-press Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.
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CALENDAR opportunity to play characters that were written to actually be black people about issues that African American people go through. “I don’t think since he’s been at Lamar, Austin has played a character that was actually written to be black,” she said. “So that’s a really cool opportunity that these students have that they normally don’t.” Jones said no matter what one’s interests and goals are, being black in America is always going to be difficult, more difficult than for anyone who isn’t black. “Sterling is the first character that I’ve played that I’ve actually been able to really relate to, as opposed to just playing a good looking guy on stage or a side character that’s just relatively nice to everyone,” he said. “What I can also relate to him with, at least I try to, is that he wears the pride of his race, he wears the pride of him being black, like a suit, a very nicely tailored suit.” Taylor Bell plays Ella Franklin, a
LAB
worker at the museum. She said the show is about racism, but it also sheds light on how two people can be completely wrong about a situation when it feels like both of them are right. “I think it really sheds light on those people who truly don’t understand that they actually are racist,” she said. “(Ella’s) one of those characters who doesn’t get to say much, she doesn’t get to stand up for herself. She stands for those people who are quieted and their voices aren’t really heard.” Grammer said the production really tries to capture the art itself. “Our scenic designer, Liz Freese, came up with the really cool idea of using projections as a part of the set to really help the audience see and visualize the art that we’re talking about,” Grammer said. “But another thing that’s really important about the show, I think, is the concept of who controls space artistically? And who controls art? And who controls what’s visible and not visible.
“Especially in the art world, but, I think, a lot of times in the world in general, it’s white people. And so the big question that is asked by the players is who? How much space does the white world give black artists and black people in general?” Grammer said that people should see the play to be part of the discussion of its theme. “When you come and see something that was created by someone with a different point of view, it rounds you out as a person, and you learn how to experience things from someone else’s perspective,” she said. “And that’s really, kind of, my hope for this play.” Show times are 7:30 p.m., today, Friday and Saturday, with a matinee at 2 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $7 for Lamar and Lit students with ID, $10 for faculty, staff, seniors and other students, and $15 general admission. Tickets may be purchased in advance at lamar.edu/lutdtix or at the box office.
have been instrumental in establishing the lab, as well as the division of global diversity and inclusion and intercultural affairs. “We spent a lot of time planning for that lab because we want to bring the best services for students at Lamar,” Mutz said. “It was the DRC’s plan to bring a lot of student-centered activities to students.” Mutz said the disability resource center provides students a space to feel accepted.
“We’re here, ultimately, to be supportive and we want students with disabilities to be seen just as any other student,” he said. “We want students to be seen, no matter who they are, where they come from, disability or not, to have equal opportunity. I think no matter who the student is, whether they have a disability or not, that they bring value.” For more information, contact drc@lamar.edu, or visit the office in 105 Communications Building.
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dent knows the resources available, it can help in every part of the college experience, Mutz said. “It also increases that person’s confidence, not only while they are here at Lamar, but lessons they will carry with them even when they leave,” he said. “When they are working, they’ll know how to use technology in a job. It can become a ripple effect.” Mutz said Erin Tabor, disability resource center associate director and Kristin Romero, access coordinator,
CAREER
Nov. 9 LU Volleyball vs. Southeastern Louisiana McDonald Gym 1 p.m.
Nov. 12 History in Motion: Screening of “Platoon” 101 Dishman Art Museum 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 12 Distinguished Faculty Lecture featuring Bryan Proksch Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 13 The Michael Weinert Entrepreneurship Lecture Series Presents: Ed Sturrock Landes Auditorium 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 13 SETX Podcasters Meet-Up 127 Communication 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Nov. 20 InterFaith Panel — Status of the Other in World Religion Landes Auditorium 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Nov. 23
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tion industry should definitely consider attending this, to start building the core relationships with these districts, even if they are freshmen,” Dillow said. “A lot of those school districts come back year after year after year, and students should expect an opportunity to find out more about these opportunities.” The Handshake app allows students to connect with the career and profes-
sional development center to find job openings. The app streamlines the process for employers, counselors and students. Users create a profile listing their past experiences and information for future employers. Dillow said the Career Fair offers students the opportunity to meet potential employers. “They can see what districts are at-
tending as well, and they can also see the majors and positions they are seeking if they’ve posted those positions to the site,” she said. Dillow said students planning on attending the fair should dress professionally, with business casual being the minimum. For more information, visit lamar. edu/career-and-testing-services.
LU Football vs. McNeese Provost Umphrey Stadium 3 p.m.
Nov. 25 Student Lecture — Speaker Danny Chand 101 Landes Auditorium 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
LAMAR UN IVERSIT Y LT Y LECTURE SERIES DISTINGUISHED FACU LT ®
SPONSORED BY Y
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DR. BRYA YA N PROKSCH
MUSIC AND A OIL IN BEAU UMONT:
THE MAGNOLIA MA GNOLIA PETROLEUM BA AND AND JOHN PHILIP SOUSA
NO VEM VEMBER MBER 12 1 • 6: 6:30 30 PM
LIV VE O AK BAL LLROOM, SE ET ZER S TUD DENT CENT TER
LA MAR.EDU
UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, November 7, 2019
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Comm to host podcaster meet-up, Nov. 13 Sierra Kondos UP staff writer The Lamar University department of communications and media will host a meet-up for Southeast Texas podcasters from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, in 127A Communications Building. “It is an opportunity for local podcasters and aspiring podcasters to network,” Natalie Tindall, communications and media department chair, said. “We will discuss the ins and outs of the business, the craft of podcasting, and showcase what we are doing in the department.” The event will also cover the technical aspects of creating a podcast, Byron Balentine, KVLU station manager, said. “We will be talking about how to get started and the types of equipment you will need,” he said. “We will also discuss the kind of title you should have, how to set it up so that it will be acceptable to the podcast buyers like iTunes, tips on how to present yourself and picking a topic.”
In February 2018, Beaumont podcasters Aaron Barnhill and Zack Bowman launched A2Z podcast that aims to shine light on local talent. Bowman said Southeast Texas is their target audience. “But our episodes aren’t solely focused here so anyone could enjoy it,” he said. “People who listen to the radio or podcasts at their job might be our biggest target audience.” On Nov. 1, they interviewed Channel 12 “News Now” anchor DeJonique Garrison on the show. “She's uber-confident, loaded with journalistic integrity, and we had a great time talking about her path to success and the state of broadcast journalism today,” Bowman said. “We conduct conversational interviews with the folks that make Southeast Texas a bit more bearable. It’s just a casual hang — we drink a bit, and sometimes cuss a little.” Bowman said beginning a podcast is hard work. “It’s a struggle,” he said. “Unless you can throw a bunch of
money at it, you’ll need to learn how to record, mix and launch your show, as well as be your own marketer — and all that entails promoting your niche.” Bowman said the hard work is worth the reward. “You’ll meet amazing people, become closer to the ones you already know, and eventually, you’ll put something out into society that really has a positive impact on someone —and it feels pretty dang awesome,” he said. Bowman said podcasting allows him to develop marketable skills for the workplace. “There is a multitude of softskills going on our Curriculum Vitae due to the show,” he said. “And every episode with a new guest provides incredible networking opportunities.” Balentine said the department will offer a podcasting class in fall 2020. The workshop will also offer LU students the opportunity to put the class into UP photo by Sierra Kondos their degree plan. For more information on the Vanessa Guerrero, Nederland junior, and Derrick Thomas, Lake Charles senworkshop, visit facebook.com/ ior, sit with Greg Kerr, KFDM anchor and LU communications instructor, in lamarcommdept. the communications department podcasting studio.
LUPD returns to renovated station Cheyenne Ard UP contributor In mid-August, the Lamar University police station reopened after a lengthy renovation that began in April 2018, after a wind storm had left the building completely unusable. The newly-renovated station has a lot to offer for both students and officers, Sergeant Jarrod Samford said. Some new changes include the installation of private spaces. “We’ve always been an open space and didn’t really have the things that we really needed to have as a police department,” Samford said. "Having private spaces and having an interview room — this station satisfies everything. We now have a private place for people to come in and talk with an officer without being in the public’s ear.”
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Sergeant Jarrod Samford introduces features of the new LU police station. The interview room is not completely finished and new equipment is being installed to make it even more secure for stu-
dents and officers, Samford said. The equipment will include a self-contained computer with a movable monitor attached to the
wall along with security cameras. “The security cameras have not been installed, so we are not utilizing this space as an interview room yet,” he said. “But it’s nice to know that we will have this space available to our students.” The renovated police station also offers accommodations to officers who are stationed there during emergency situations, Samford said. “There’s a kitchen area with plenty of seating for all the officers, training rooms, meeting rooms,” he said. “We even have a washer and dryer for if we have to stay here and we only have limited uniforms.” The facility has locker rooms and showers, along with a generator so that the station is completely functional in the event of a disaster, Samford said.
“The generator is on the back side of the building and it’s a healthy size,” he said. “So even if everyone else lost power, we would be at one hundred percent.” The building used to house the Lamar post office as well as the police station. The post office has moved to the Carl Parker Building and LUPD now has the entire facility. “We love having the whole building and just having the things we need to function as a police station,” Samford said. The police station is one of the oldest buildings on campus, and the original structure remains from when it was first built and used as a garage for utility vehicles. The station is located at 211 Red Bird Lane. For more, visit lamar.edu/ police.
Thursday, November 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
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‘Censory’ overload YouTube content creators protest restrictions Tim Cohrs UP contributor YouTube started as a platform for people to become content entrepreneurs, even sporting the motto “Broadcast Yourself.” However, recently it has been accused of censoring and suppressing legacy creators. One of YouTube’s biggest creators, Jesse Tyler Ridgeway, known by his username, “McJuggerNuggets,” released a 50-minute video, Oct. 18, announcing he will leave the platform on Jan. 1 in favor of StoryFire, a platform he founded alongside Hollywood director and actor, Brian Spitz. Ridgeway, who has been on YouTube for 13 years, and Spitz founded StoryFire after what they say are strict and abrupt policy and algorithm changes aimed at pleasing advertisers. The changes include rapid demonetization and removal of content, viewer and subscriber suppression, artificial intelligence, and a strict algorithm. Ridgeway said he’s grateful for what YouTube gave him, but said it became “so systematic and so corporate that I feel like the heart is gone.” “I want the heart to come back to YouTube,” he said, adding that he feels it never will. StoryFire started as a platform for creators to tell scripted stories, but after hearing of creators suffering on YouTube, Spitz and Ridgeway opened the platform for video content. Since then, StoryFire has attracted Lance Stewart, Boogie 2988, Kidbehindacamera, Jeff Saxton Vlogs and Daym Drops from YouTube. The platform has been trending on app store charts for months. Ridgeway has slowly shifted content from YouTube, but due to the fact he can curse, film his own content, be compensated
for his art and still be supported by StoryFire’s ad revenue, he is going all in for StoryFire. Ridgeway said YouTube forced clickbait and heavy-handed AI on him, as well as shifting his content to please an algorithm. Between 2012 and 2016, Ridgeway created “The Psycho Series,” a coming-of-age story about a character, called Ridgeway, who wants to be a YouTuber. The character’s father breaks items to prevent him from pursuing his dream. Ridgeway attracted 17 million views over the course of 684 videos, for a revenue of $2,223,667.25, and a watch time equivalent of 11,494 years and 39 days. Ridgeway said those numbers would not be possible under YouTube’s current policies and algorithm. YouTube removed and/or demonetized 500 of Ridgeway’s videos without warning, cutting advertiser revenue. This means videos on his channel will not be recommended. Ridgeway’s revenue dropped 90 percent as a result. A YouTube representative who appeared on Ridgeway’s Twitter — his face blurred — said kid-friendly and advertiser-friendly content is more likely to get recommended than content that may be controversial. Guidelines on YouTube Premium, which is a subscription service, go against regular YouTube guidelines regarding violence, gore, cursing and sexual themes. “I created a 20 episode ‘highly produced’ series which was exactly what YouTube was going for with YouTube Premium,” Ridgeway said. “I thought this was a great opportunity. Wrong. “They demonetized every episode of the series, even age restricting the pilot. I lost upwards of 30- and 40-thousand dollars in the budget for that series, and I also received no sup-
UP graphic by Tim Cohrs
port from the platform after I brought them millions of dollars from all my previous content.” YouTubers RackaRacka claim YouTube hides content. After a search, they showed their Mortal Kombat video was nowhere to be found, even on an 18-plus account. YouTube’s self-monetization tool does not allow video game violence, and restrict creators from making money on the platform. Cartoon violence is allowed but some cartoon violence may be considered realistic. As a result, much gaming content has moved to Amazon’s Twitch, Microsoft’s Mixer and D Live. When YouTuber PewDiePie said the N-word on a livestream, it caused what has been dubbed the “adpocolypse,” where advertisers pulled out, causing revenue to plummet about 90 percent for creators, Ridgeway said, adding that YouTube sided with advertisers, and YouTubers are furious at the decisions. New users only see Hollywood content and kid- and advertiser-friendly content on their home and trending pages. The top 10 channels are corporate, mixed in with kid-friendly channels. Creators such as
PewDiePie are marginalized. Ridgeway receives roughly 10 million views a month and makes $10,000. Another creator with the same number of views, Graham Stephan, makes $100,000 a month, despite Ridgeway saying he made “clean” content for a year and a half. The advertisers one can get on one’s channel depends on content. YouTuber MatPat showed the rating system in a video, which consists of G for general audiences, PT for parental guidance, T for teen and older audiences, and M for mature audiences. “My channel is not making as much as other channels because they have labeled my channel as mature and this is under the hood,” Ridgeway said. Last year’s YouTube Rewind highlighted celebrities instead of creators and became the most disliked video on YouTube. Ridgeway recently created a second channel under his full name, Jesse Tyler Ridgeway — separate from McJuggerNuggets — which reached 10,000 subscribers on the first day. Almost immediately after, his subscriber numbers
dropped by half. Ridgeway said he believes YouTube suppressed his numbers. News and commentary channels are impacted negatively when the algorithm does not detect context, with some videos and channels being labeled as hate speech. YouTuber Nerd City has discovered a list of 15,000 words that the algorithm searches for in content that can cause demonetization. This has affected content as diverse as LGBTQ and conservative channels. Channel names are also affected. YouTuber Kidbehindacamera posted a video with Lance Stewart and McJuggerNuggets in the title. The number of views was low, but as soon as he removed the names, views shot up. Channel names that sound like inappropriate words can also be suppressed. Rob Dyke and Jesse Cox were forced to change their channel names on due to being picked up the wrong way on the algorithm. Creators urge YouTube to change their policies or they will move their users to different platforms. They say, enough is enough. How YouTube responds will shape the future of online content.
ARTS
5 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, November 7, 2019
Walking to Work
UP story package by Claire Robertson
Messer paints tempura narratives LEWES, England — Peter Messer can be seen most days walking around Lewes, England. It is more than just for his health. The medieval town is the inspiration for his paintings. His tempura paintings depict the town as dreamy and magical. “Cat’s Eyes” stars a tiny black cat on an evening stroll, its eyes lit up by the moon. The “Moon and the Star” shows a cloudy night on a lighted street corner. “The Moon was but a Chin of Gold” shows a road and dark sky, punctuated by a dainty crescent moon. One might expect Messer to be some mysterious wizard hiding secrets of an unseen dimension in his work, but in reality, he is a perfectly friendly man with what he describes as an overactive imagination. He walks between home and his studio, between his studio and the Lewes Arms pub — one of his favorite haunts — and from the pub to the studio. He knows the town well. He points to a small piece of overgrown curb. “It is kind of weird — I’ve done so many paintings just dealing with this piece of ground,” he said. “I don’t know, I just think it’s quite a powerful little space. I find myself drawn back to it all the time.” Messer turns onto Paddock Road, taking the same path as the little black cat from his painting. There is the same curve of the road, the same old wall, the same house. “This wall was probably built about the 1780s, and it would be a new wall,” he said. “There would have been an older wall here before that.” As Messer walks, he tells not only the history of the town, but his own history as well. Behind the 300-year-old new wall is the plot where he used to grow vegetables. He stopped gardening after the death of his wife, Margaret, but he can see the cabin of the new gardeners from the road. We approached the blue door to his studio where he has worked for 15 years. The building is decorated in squares of napped flint. “The building dates back to 1820,” Messer said. “It used to be stables for stagecoaches.” He unlocks the door and climbs the entry stairs. At the top is a bookshelf filled with glass jars of colorful powders. These pigments are the start of his tempura paintings. “This is like something out of ‘Harry Potter,’” he said. “I got so much of the stuff because I inherited it from a lovely old painter who died a few good years ago — 15 or 20 years ago — James Eddy. He was a tempura painter, same as me.” Messer said the collection of pigments has grown. “Not many people use this as
medium, so I ended up with a lot of it,” he said. “I will never live long enough to use this.” The scene on his easel is the curb we passed on our way to the studio — the one he says he keeps drawing. “I don’t know quite what I’m going to do with it yet,” he said. “As you can see, there’s still a lot of work to be done.” The studio is full of paintings. They are hung all over the place, leaning against walls a couple layers deep, and laying face up on tabletops. Messer said he doesn’t really look at the completed paintings around him, they are in storage until they can be moved on. “The thing that really interests you is the one you’re doing,” he said. Messer’s work begins in the kitchenette. He takes an egg from the refrigerator. “(Tempura) is just royal pigment mixed with egg yolk,” he said. Messer pulls a container from the cupboard. “This is my egg jar,” he said. “The latest in a long line of egg jars, because they usually get broken somewhere along the way.” Messer cracks an egg on the counter top and breaks it into his hand. “You just use the yolk,” he said, balancing the egg between his fingers and running it under tap water. “You don’t want the white on it.” He handles the delicate yolk the way he has been practicing for years. He dries the yolk on a square of toilet paper. “I don’t think the Florentines had toilet paper,” he said referencing the history of his medium,
“But they would have really gone for it.” He folds the paper in half and pops the yolk so it runs into the jar. Messer adds water to thin the consistency, and stirs it together in the jar. Messer selects a vibrant ultramarine blue pigment to make into paint. “Real ultramarine blue is made out of a semi-precious stone called lapis lazuli,” he said. “It was ground down in medieval times and cost an absolute fortune. In the Victorian times, they found a way to synthesize it chemically and make an affordable version of it.” He scoops a tiny amount into a saucer and mixes it with equal parts water. Messer said the measurements aren’t strict — he can tell when it’s working and when it’s not. Messer adds a small amount of egg yolk to the mixture. The yolk contains natural oils and a
chemical, lecithin, which enables the eggs to form an emulsion. “What you get is an oil that is soluble in water,” he said. “This is old technology — people were not fools in the 15th century.” The yellow color from the yolk disappears when mixed into the pigment and won’t appear on the painting. “It has to have a loose consistency because you build it up in thin layers,” he said, mixing the paint in a little saucer. Messer selects another vial from his desk. “Different pigments are made from different materials — that’s a real interest in itself,” he said. “This is burnt sienna. It’s roasted native earth. It’s called ‘sienna’ because that’s the part of Italy where it was originally sourced, but you can find the same thing in different parts of the world.” Tempura paints are applied to a hard surface. Messer makes gesso panel from powdered chalk and leather waste glue on fiberboard in large batches because it’s more affordable. He said part of the reason he chose to work with tempura was the rich history of the art. “If Raphael walked into the studio, he’d look around and see stuff he could work with because it’s the same stuff,” Messer said. “It’s an unbroken link with how people used to work. “It’s timeless. It exists out of time because it’s not part of any modern thing and it’s not part of an older thing — I’m using it in a way those old Florentine painters would have never thought to do.” Messer said he likes his paintings to have a narrative. “It’s half literary, half visual, really — a poetic undertone to the thing,” he said.
In one painting, a walker strolls down a path, oblivious to an arm that reaches out to him from a tree. Instead of explaining the poetic undertone of the image, Messer shrugs. Finding inspiration is not as dramatic as one might think, Messer said. “Sometimes I think of a title or a piece of writing or poetry or phrase,” he said. “It doesn’t always come just visually, it comes by various means. I keep notebooks of things, and I almost write more than I sketch because that will take me back to an atmosphere quicker than a picture I’ve scribbled down.” Messer said he’s sold a few hundred paintings over his long career. He paints Lewes often because that’s where he is, and he said he has a lot of love for the town and people in it. Lewes’ location, near Brighton and an hour from London, surrounded by universities, leads to a rich community of academics, artists and musicians, Messer said. “It’s one of those weird little places where things happen,” he said. “It reminds me of an Emily Dickinson poem, ‘I went to heaven, ’twas a small town.’” Later that evening, in another charming pub called the Gardener’s Arms, Messer mentions the painting of the arm reaching down from a tree. He said it was like the feeling of something reaching out to you as you walk by. In Lewes, perhaps he feels the past reaching out to him as he walks by. Or perhaps it is through his paintings that he walks the viewer through narratives of the town, his art, and his life.
Peter Messer in his art studio in Lewes, England. Messer uses his large collection of tempura paint pigments to create dreamy scenes of the town around him.
Thursday, November 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
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LU to present ‘American’ opera, Nov. 8-9 Tim Cohrs UP contributor
The Lamar Opera Theatre will present “From Opera to Musical Theatre: An Evening with American Composers,” at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, in the Rothwell Recital Hall. Serdar Ilban, LU associate professor of voice and opera and vocal area coordinator, said the concert will include work by Aaron Copland, whose famous works include symphonic works, orchestra works and some vocal works, as well as “Appalachian Springs.” “He basically not only based his music on typical American folk tunes and elaborated on them, but did great strides in developing the true classical genre of American music and symphonic music as we know it,” Ilban said. “He dabbled in contemporary styles such as jazz and some other forms, and towards the late portion of his career, he also experimented with some atonality.” The audience can expect a variety of different music, Ilban said. “As the title says, it’s a celebration of American composers from opera, operetta — all the way to musical theatre, and even more contemporary stuff like music taken from TV shows,” he said. The concert will also feature compositions by Lamar music major Gabrielle Watanabe. It will also include works by American composers Stephen Sondheim, Rolf Lovland, Ann Hampton Callaway, Rebecca Sugar, Vincent Youmans, Gian Carlo Menotti, Kurt Weill and Victor Herbert. “(She) was born in 1998, so that’s the most contemporary
Lamar University students rehearse on Nov. 4 for an upcoming opera production in the Rothwell Recital Hall, Nov. 8-9. UP photos by Noah Dawlearn
piece that we are doing,” Ilban said. The concert is a showcase of what the opera theatre has in store for this year, Ilban said, because they are doing a Copland opera in the spring. Ilban said he expects a good turnout. “We have a very enthusiastic and faithful audience, and they’ll return to performances and we are hoping the weather will be cooperative,” he said. This production is primarily student led, Ilban said. “For the first time, with this
performance, I actually let the students pick the music they were going to perform,” he said. “Each of them are performing a solo piece of their own choice they either previously worked on or they wanted to work on. We just kind of incorporated their ideas to the flow of the show. In addition to their solos, they are doing some ensemble pieces as well.” The Rothwell Recital Hall is located in the Mary Morgan Moore music building. Admission is free.
BASKETBALL
7 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, November 7, 2019
Lady Cards hoops ready for season Cade Smith UP sports editor The Lady Cardinals basketball team had a dominating 24-7 (171 Southland Conference) record last season, including becoming back-to-back SLC champions under head coach Robin Harmony. After cutting the net, the team came up short-handed, missing a NCAA tournament appearance and losing in the semifinal game in the conference tournament to Abilene Christian University, 88-79. However, the Lady Cards maintained a home-win streak of 42 games before snapping it in the first round of the WNIT tournament to the University of South Alabama Jaguars, 73-71. On April 19, Harmony stepped down as head coach to join the College of Charleston where she coached six seasons before joining the Lady Cardinals. Aqua Franklin took the helm on May 1. “I felt blessed for the opportunity,” she said. “I am really excited that we had a lot of returners coming in, coming back from that back-to-back championship team. When you get any job, the goal is to win, and I definitely want to keep up that winning tradition.” Last season, the team lost two prolific players in guard Chastadie Barrs, who currently holds the NCAA steals record at 193, and guard Moe Kinard. “Chastadie and Moe both were outstanding athletes and did an unbelievable job here at Lamar,” Franklin said. “Yes, I wish they were still here just because of what they did, but I think my predecessor Robin did an unbelievable job in recruiting and there is still a lot of talent remaining on the team.” Franklin said the returners this season include guards Angel
LU junior guard Amber Vidal calls a play during the Lady Cardinals basketball practice, Oct. 17, in the Montagne Center. Hastings, Jadyn Pimentel, Shedricka Pierson, Ashlan Miles and redshirt junior Amber Vidal, as well as centers Rikiah Cowart, Umaja Collins and forward Briana Laidler. “I am really fortunate that we have everyone that was on the previous team return,” Franklin said. “You usually don’t see that with the turnover in staff, so I was blessed in that aspect. “Some of our returners will have big shoes to fill, in a sense that we lost a lot of our scoring. Basically, it is just them stepping into different roles and that is one of the things I have challenged them to do. We have to make up for those lost points, but I think we are in great shape and have
enough talent to do that.” The team welcomes three newcomers in freshman guards Kayla Mitchell and Malay McQueen, and junior transfer forward Micaela Wilson. “(McQueen) comes from Arlington’s Bowie High School, who is a long-range shooting guard,” Franklin said. “I am excited to see what she can do with her length for us. She has played the game at a very young age and has a good IQ. Then we have Kayla Mitchel from Jonesboro, Arkansas — I have watched her a ton, she is a really quick, aggressive defender. She has improved on her memory on jumpers. Those two freshmen came in and they are ready to go, and they act
like freshmen on the court. Lastly, we have a junior transfer from Kansas University in Micaela Wilson, who will have to sit out this season.” The Lady Cardinals non-SLC schedule sees them play Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, Louisiana-Lafayette and the 2019 National Champions Baylor. “I think we have a pretty tough non-conference schedule,” Franklin said. “We are going out there to compete and we will take it one game at a time. We are going to learn from each and every game regardless if they are the defending national champions or not.” Franklin said that planning for games will be a game-by-
UP photo by Cade Smith
game watch, but she’s looking forward to seeing how the team will perform. “You have to adjust to your opponents and what they do,” she said. “You also have to see who their best players are — they (Miles and Vidal) might be an inside player with one team and with the next team they might be a guard.” The Lady Cards played their season opening exhibition Tuesday against East Texas Baptist University, winning 64-47 in the Montagne Center. They will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma, Friday, to take on Big 12’s Oklahoma State University Cowgirls. Tip off is set for 11 a.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Cards hoops have high expectations Cheyenne Ard UP contributor The Lamar University men’s basketball team ended last season with a 20-13 overall record,12-6 in Southland Conference, carrying a strong nine-game winning streak before falling to New Orleans, 72-76, in the second round of the SLC tournament in March. But despite the loss that abruptly ended the season, head coach Tic Price said he has high expectations for the team. “Last season, looking back, I think we finished strong,” he said. “We lost, but we learn from each loss. We tell our players after loss, ‘Learn, don’t relive.’ We are very determined to make progress and I think that says a lot about the character of the team. “I love what our guys are bringing on a daily basis. Their preparation has been good — not one guy in that locker room wants to fail. Their body language indicates that every day.” This year, the team returns with four veteran players along with nine new players. “We’ve got four returning players who have really shown tremendous leadership,” Price said. “We have Avery Sullivan, an inside presence (and) a leader in the locker room. He’s been with us, knows the system and knows the expectation. V.J. Holmes is also returning. He’s one of our most versatile players and gives us another threat on the court. “Then we have T.J Atwood, who’s been with us four years. He has been a model guy on the court and off the court. I couldn’t be more pleased with him. My coaching peers have so much respect, they have picked him to be one of the pre-season, all conference players. And then Davion Buster, who really came on strong. He’s probably our most improved player from a year ago and has the ability to be one of the
best players in the Southland Conference.” Along with the veterans, Price said he has high expectations for the newcomers. He said the most coveted player during recruiting was Anderson Kopp, a freshman out of Houston and a long-range shooter. “He plays very hard and he’s always looking to get better,” Price said. David Muoka is a 6-feet 10inch shot-blocker from Hong Kong. “He’s still learning — he’s young, but boy, he can be as good as he wants to be,” Price said. “He’s got a high ceiling to be one of the big guys in our conference over the next couple years.” Price said Dylan Morrison from Canada is a big-time, worldclass athlete who is an exciting player to watch. Ayaan Sohail was a top guard in El Paso a year ago who Price said has a lot of potential. Ellis Jefferson is a transfer from San Antonio. “(He’s) probably our best onball defender we have on the team,” Price said. “Each guy that we sign brings versatility to the team.” Holmes said the team is excited to get on the court and look forward to a good year. “We’re definitely excited,” he said. “We’re preparing every day, coming here and getting good practice, and get extra shots up when you’re not in practice — really building the team chemistry to prepare for the season. Our team goal is to win more than 20 and get a ring.” With high excitement also comes high expectations that each player has for themselves, Muoka said. “I look forward to competing with all the great teams, it’s a lot of great competition in the conference,” the freshman center said. “I just want to continue to bond with the teammates to get better together, but also individu-
ally. I hope to improve, and I know I will with the right mindset, and just getting better with each and every day.” On the court, Price said that the team has to improve on both sides of the ball. “Right now, we have to clean up our execution on our offensive end and defensively,” Price said. “We’ve got to quickly learn our rotations. This is kind of on-thejob training for us right now. It’s a work in progress and we’ve got to learn what it takes to win on a division one level with such a young group.” The team’s non-conference schedule features games against Texas Christian University, Kentucky, Utah Valley, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Rice. “We’ve got a tough non-conference schedule,” Price said. “You’ve got to be ready to play.” Price said the team is looking forward to traveling to Kentucky in late November to take on the Wildcats. “I think our players will be excited to play in Rupp Arena,” he said. “When we recruited these guys, and we mentioned Kentucky being on the schedule, they all became very giddy about it. It’s a challenge, of course, a huge challenge, but we’re not just going to play, we’re going over there to win.” All in all, an exciting season awaits the Cardinals, Price said. “I think this is a team that you would love to say are Lamar Cardinals,” he said. “I think you will enjoy our style of play. I think that you will like how tough our kids will play and how hard they will play.” The Cardinals won their season opener, Tuesday, winning 86-40 against Champion Christian in the Montagne Center. The Cards will return to action UP photo by Noah Dawlearn Friday, when they take on Arlington Baptist. Tip off begins at 7 LU’s Anthony Cameron dunks the ball during basketball practice, Oct. 17, in the p.m in the Montagne Center. Montagne Center.
Thursday, November 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
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Cardinal x-country wins 17th SLC title Gavin Robertson UP contributor The Lamar University men’s cross-country team won the 2019 Southland Conference Cross Country Championship, Nov. 1, in Conway, Arkansas. This is the 17th time the team has won the SLC championship. “It was a good a season,” head coach Tony Houchin said. “We have worked hard for this all season. Lamar has had a long history of successful distance running. I think it’s a testimony to the support that the athletic department puts into our program. It’s also a testimony to the type of people that we are able to attract.” The men’s team scored 34 points, which was 86 points lower than Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s 120. Points correspond to athletes finishing position, with first place being worth one
point. LU’s Jordan Rowe won the individual title. Jack Gooch finished third with Liam Burthem in fourth. Harry Halford, 12th, and Declan Neary, 14th, rounded out the top five pointcounting scorers. “(I’m) really proud of everyone and how they’ve conducted themselves across the whole season, and I think it’s a testament to the group of lads we got here,” Rowe said. “Everyone wakes up every day and works hard just for one big common goal we all have.” The Lamar women’s crosscountry team also had two top10 finishers, with Julie Emmerson in fifth place and Katy Whiteoak in ninth place. The team finished sixth in the competition overall. Both the men and women’s teams will travel to the NCAA South Central Championships,
Courtesy photo
The Lamar University cross country teams pose with the men’s Southland Conference title trophy, Nov. 1. Nov. 15, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Houchin said that he is not sure how the team will do. “The competition there is a
little bit tougher,” he said. “All we can do is come up with a race plan that’s going to be beneficial to us and execute it as
best we can. I think we haven’t had our best day yet, and I’m hoping that’s what we get when we’re in Fayetteville.”
UPsports briefs SOCCER LU’s Lucy Ashworth was named the SLC Player of the Year and Forward of the Year, Esther Okoronkwo was dubbed the SLC Newcomer of the Year, and Steve Holeman earned his second Coach of the Year honor. In addition, Ashworth, Okoronkwo, Juana Plata, and Anna Loftus took First Team All-SLC honors, Sophia Manibo and Kaisa Juvonen were named Second Team All-SLC, and Madison Ledet was picked to the Third Team All-SLC. WOMEN’S GOLF Lamar University's women's golf team scored a 330 in the final 18 holes of the Idle Hour Collegiate, hosted by Mercer University at the Idle Hour Country Club. The Cardinals totaled 969 across three
rounds to finish 16th in the tournament. Alessia Trebbi-Tindall and Carson Racich tied for the low round on Tuesday for LU with each Cardinal scoring a threeover-par 75. Trebbi-Tindall birdied the third, sixth, and 17th holes, and Racich birdied on the 13th, 14th, and 17th. For the tourney, Trebbi-Tindall scored a three-round total of 229, finishing tied for 26th. Racich captured a share of 48th place with a total of 236, Bruna Roqueta scored 249 in three rounds to tie for 78th, Brooke Duzan finished 85th with a 255, and Madi Smith rounded out the Cardinal five with a three round score of 288. The spring portion of the schedule will begin Monday, Feb. 10, at the Texas State Invi-
tational, hosted by Texas State at the Plum Creek Golf Club in Kyle. Big Red will then head to the UTRGV Invite on Mar. 2-3, the HBU Husky Invite on Mar. 16-17, the Babs Steffens Hatter Invite on Mar. 29-30, and host the LU Cardinal Classic on Apr. 6-7 before heading to the Southland Conference tournament on Apr. 20-22. VOLLEYBALL The Lady Cardinals (8-15, 310 SLC) lost in three sets Tuesday against the University of New Orleans Privateers (12-15, 5-8 SLC). Kayla Neumann and Abigale Nash had nine kills, and Dannisha House poured in another seven. Annika Slovak did double duty with 31 assists and 14 digs, her third consecutive match with a double-double.
Erin Pequeno had 10 digs, and Nash, McKenzie Bennett and Dylann Guerra each had eight digs. Lamar kept it close through the first 18 points of the match, trailing by just two at 10-8, but a 7-0 run by the Privateers fueled UNO to a set victory. The Cards dropped the first game 25-16. LU came out of the first break with a 6-0 run. UNO chipped away a bit, but LU was still comfortable 19 points later when they led 16-9. New Orleans refused to give up and started trading three points for every Cardinal point, 18-16. Lamar snapped the UNO streak with a 2-0 run and led 20-16, but a quick sub pushed momentum back UNO's way. The Privateers tied the match at 20-20, again at 21-21. UNO
had their first lead of the set at 23-22., but took the final two points to win 25-23. New Orleans had a 9-3 run to open the set the third frame. UNO errors and kills by House and Nash eventually pulled Lamar back within one point at 11-10, but UNO answered that run with a 4-0 streak, and led 15-10. Lamar came within one point of New Orleans at 18-17 and again at 19-18. New Orleans won six of the final seven points to take the game 25-19 and the match 3-0. The final Lamar home game will take place Saturday, 1 p.m. The Cardinals will honor their three seniors - Nina Pevic, Erin Pequeno and Dannisha House. The regular season will end on the road at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 14 and at Abilene Christian on Nov. 16.
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