T H E
L I N N - B E N T O N
C O M M U N I T Y
VOL. 53 EDITION 12
C O L L E G E
FEB. 2, 2022
MARTIN LUTHER
Enrollment Recovered Phlebotomy Program Welcoming New Blood STORY BY HATHAI SANGSUPAN
You may have heard that the nation is facing critically low supplies of donated blood, but you may not know that there is also a shortage of phlebotomists, the healthcare professionals whose job it is to draw blood for donations and medical tests. The shortage is due in part to the challenges of training new phlebotomists during the Covid pandemic. Linn-Benton Community College has run a 15-week phlebotomy training program twice a year (fall and winter) for nearly twenty years, but between Fall 2020 and Fall 2021, the college was only able to offer the program once. This January the LBCC Phlebotomy program welcomed its first new class of students in almost a year. According to Linda Carroll, LBCC Dean of Healthcare, the Phlebotomy program experienced difficulties early in the pandemic. Phlebotomy students finish their training with a five-week clinical practicum, essentially a supervised apprenticeship, at a hospital or clinic. However, at the start of the pandemic, hospitals and clinics were unable to host student practicums due to concerns about virus transmission and shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE) for regular staff. Even when these initial problems eased, students were still hesitant to return to the program. Low enrollment forced the program to pause again last fall. Whitney Funk, the Director of LBCC’s Phlebotomy program and herself an LBCC Phlebotomy graduate, said that it was the first time they had experienced low enrollment in the seven years she has taught for the program. This winter, enrollment recovered enough for LBCC to once again offer the Phlebotomy program. The program's 11 new students will take up to 40 hours a week of classes for 10 weeks. The classes include Phlebotomy (blood collection and preparation from adults, children, and infants), Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Medical Law and Ethics. Students who pass their classes with a grade of 70% or better will be assigned to five-week clinical practicums
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In addition to drawing blood from each other, students must also perform at least 120 draws from actual patients during the practicum. Erika Arnold graduated from the very first LBCC Phlebotomy program over 19 years ago and is now Lead Phlebotomist at the Corvallis Clinic. Arnold believes that the practicum experience is invaluable to students. “When we hire people from the LBCC program they have been really great because they have work experience,” she said. Arnold acknowledged that there are other phlebotomy programs that can be completed in much less time than LBCC’s, but they usually do not offer practicums. And, according to Arnold, without work experience, “Those people don’t get jobs." In addition to being a career, phlebotomy can be a way to gain valuable clinical experience for entrance into other health care programs. Funk says that about half of her students eventually go on to nursing programs or medical school to become doctors. Arnold also thinks of phlebotomy as a stepping stone.“It’s a foot in the door in the medical field. If I decide to step up or do anything different in the medical field at least I have this skill set," she said. Both Arnold and Thayer say that they love being phlebotomists, largely because of the relationships they form with their patients. Even after 19 years in the profession, Arnold said, “I still enjoy it! I really enjoy the patients! They are wonderful! … We're just trvying to make that spark, that connection with each person, be as good as we can with them and make them feel special because giving your blood is not fun.” Additional details about requirements for applying to LBCC’s phlebotomy program can be found on LBCC’s Special Admissions page or by contacting Lorraine Lara, LBCC’s Academic Advising Assistant for Healthcare at lorraine.lara@linnbenton.edu.
JR.
PHOTO: ABBY ERIKSON
Phlebotomy Program Director Whitney Funk prepares to draw blood from Gina Flak.
in local hospitals. Students do not receive pay during this time, but if they perform well, they are likely to receive job offers once their practicums are complete. According to Carroll, fulltime phlebotomists in Oregon earn a median salary of $39,823 per year with benefits. Due to the severe shortage of phlebotomists, some hospitals are also taking the unusual step of offering hiring incentives. Samaritan Health Services, for example, is currently offering applicants $1,000 sign-on bonuses at three of their hospitals. While the pay and benefits may be tempting, being a phlebotomist is not for everyone. For one thing, phlebotomists cannot be squeamish. “Blood, guts, gore – you just got to be prepared for it all,” said Funk.
Phlebotomists must also be able to remain calm and draw blood quickly even in stressful situations, Funk said. Students train for this by first drawing blood from each other, with the goal of eventually being able to draw blood from beginning to end in less than five minutes. According to Funk, during the first ten weeks of the program each student will draw blood between 30 and 50 times from their classmates. Sierra Thayer, a 2018 graduate of the program and now a phlebotomist at the Corvallis Clinic, said, “The only thing I didn’t like [about the program] was that we poked each other. It’s either you get poked or you don’t get to poke at all. I didn’t like getting poked, but I had to get over that.”
INSI D E TH IS E DITION
MUSIC A LA CARTE
SEE PAGE 6
VAN GOGH IMMERSION
SEE PAGE 9
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
LBCOMMUTER.COM
A Toilet Paper Roll Excalibur Personal Narrative — My Sister Reads
The Commuter is the weekly student-run newspaper for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors. LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Letters Welcome The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” pages to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College. Deliver letters to: Address: The Commuter Forum 222 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321 Web Address: LBCommuter.com Phone: 541-917-4451, 4452 or 4449 Email: commuter@linnbenton.edu Twitter @LBCommuter Facebook LBCC The Commuter Instagram @LBCommuter
Our Staff Adviser Rob Priewe
PHOTO: KABOOM.COM VIA PEXELS
STORY BY JENNA SCHOEPFLIN I remember when you were small. And tired. And fearless. I remember when your fists would shake with a rage that was so big, much bigger than you were, that it would spill out of your eyes and mouth. I remember when you were so full of love that you would stop in the middle of a sentence to pull me close and kiss my cheek, or arm, or whatever was within a leaning reach. What I remember the most, however, was when you would choose a single story among a menagerie of colors and shapes lined up on the shelf of your bedroom. You would hand me the book with something like reverence, as much as a toddler could hold. I would sit on the rough, purple couch in the living room and watch you crawl up next to me. Your eyes danced across pages as lions, tigers, and bears leapt from the
bookbinding to roar at you from our own play-stained carpet. My voice rang out like a song, and when you remembered the words, you would sing along to the chorus with me. When we started the same books over again, you didn’t need the pictures to spark your imagination anymore. You were these characters, and you’d put on great shows for me on the grand stage like the actress you were born to be. Little hands would creep across the edge of the curtains hiding us from the sun outside while you patiently waited for me to say the starting lines. Throwing the linen aside, you’d step beyond the window sill and suddenly you were no longer a four year old girl with a towel wrapped around her waist, but a beautiful princess in a long, flowing gown. The author’s words became my voice, and your speeches. Your arms waved through the air as you pulled out your toilet paper roll Excalibur to
vanquish the brown, shaggy dragon who stole your favorite toy– I mean damsel or damoiseau in distress. The emotions that used to run through you like a tempest, storming until there was no more water to rain down from the heavens and leave you too weak to stand, was now given an outlet that you didn’t have before. Words are hard. I know this. You know this. Feelings are even harder. Putting them together is something we are told to do, but not taught how. I never expected you to sit still and listen to me read a whole book to you, but I really didn’t expect you to learn so much. Eventually, you didn’t run to the bookshelf when you saw me walk through the door anymore. You sat me down on our rough, purple couch and without a word, would tell me with your shining eyes that your show was about to begin.
Editor-in-Chief Dakota Gange Layout Designer Kailyn McQuisten Marketing/Advertising Sean Ramos ‑ Director Alicen Arsenault - Asst. Marketing Director Naomi Thomas - AD Designer Photo Editor Sabrina Dedek A&E Editor Leah Biesack A&E Steven Pryor Sports Editor Logan Hannigan-Downs
EVENTS THIS WEEK: MUSIC À LA CARTE
FRI
04 12pm
Student Voice Editor Avery Leon-Castillo Web Master Marci Sischo Contributors Chrissy Veach Brenda Autry Kolby France Arianna Stahlbaum Carsyn Meyers Bowen Orcutt Hathai Sangsupan Rebecca Sturm
Now Hiring Students Currently Enrolled Scan Here to Apply!
POETRY OPEN MIC
FRI
04 7:30pm
SAT
05 10am2pm
ICONS:FREEPIK.COM
WHO: College of Liberal Arts - Oregon State University WHERE: OSU Memorial Union WHAT: OSU Music Alumnus Jade Hails will deliver a performance exploring musical concepts and adjacent art. There is a Livestream available for those who can’t make it here.
Cooperative Work Experience
WHO: Poetics Corvallis WHERE: via Zoom WHAT: A sharing of poems and poetic prose on love or any other topic, either original or by another author. Bring something to present, or simply join to listen!
EUGENE FARMERS MARKET WHO: Lane County Farmers Market WHERE: 5th Ave, between High and Oak Streets, Eugene, OR WHAT: Fresh winter produce, meats, seafood, bakery items, and other locally produced items.
LBCC partners with ATI Millersburg and CPP Albany to offer a variety of jobs.
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
A Sunny City Winter
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Photojournalist Spotlight PHOTOS BY AVERY LEON-CASTILLO
Mount Hood, also known as 'Wy`east' by the Multnomah tribe, sits beyond a mural of birds painted on Willhelm’s memorial mausoleum.
High-rise glass reflects the sunny sky of Gaines Street.
'Tilikum Crossing: Bridge of the People' with Mount Hood in the distance.
Downtown Portland.
A juicy graffiti wall along NATO Parkway. The famous Portland Oregon sign sits right of the skyscraper known for the Portland City Grill.
Not one window was spared; an abandoned building now a haven for street art.
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LOCAL NEWS
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Friendly Fire Snell Hall Art Exhibit at Oregon State: Future Me Reaping the Benefits COMPILED BY AVERY LEON-CASTILLO
PHOTOS BY ANASTASIA HAZEL
Anastasia Hazel’s work is highlighted in the OSU Snell Hall art exhibit. Hazel was once a Roadrunner, and now is on track to graduate as a senior. She is showing her art series titled “Friendly Fire,” which she debuted a piece of, in the Amalgam art exhibit last semester in the South Santiam Hall “Immaturity in Motion.” The exhibit will be held until Feb. 4 in Snell Hall which is open MondayFriday 9 a.m. through 4 p.m., and Hazel will be attending an artist talk on Zoom that will be held Wednesday Feb. 2, at 6 p.m. "Together, my family and I forge a space to create. Every object here was made by our little team. We have played in many landscapes, both in the cold ruins and in lush forests and rolling hills. The important thing is that we create these experiences together, and we explore the philosophies of war and peace alike from all of our different perspectives. This is not just a space to game,” said Hazel in regards to an art piece not pictured.
Zoom Art Talk Password: 267269 Dial In:
+1 971 247 1195 US (Portland) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
"As I work through college, and the stress of paying debt and working minimum wage weighs on me, I find myself increasingly resentful towards my future self. I know that what I am doing is important and will help me, but I am frustrated that none of the rewards of my labor are mine to hold. Only my future self will be able to reap the benefits of my hard work. I hate her, and she will never remember exactly how hard I work for her sake. Though I know that these expectations are something I place upon myself, I can’t help but separate us and point fingers towards a stranger in the future." - Hazel
"Golden hills lined with snow speak to her in a tongue she knows by heart. Maescia is a character study displayed in physical form. The folder contains details and trinkets that reflect a fictional character made by a friend. Each stitch is made in mimicry of her hand, and each button, cloth-strip, and trinket are carefully chosen. This is Maescia’s book from cover to cover."
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
LOCAL NEWS
5
"A quick flick of his father’s knife and his enemy lay dead at his feet. His prey didn’t even catch a glimpse of Dalewyn before his demise. Dalewyn is a character study displayed in physical form. The folder contains details and trinkets that reflect a fictional character made by a friend. Each stitch is made in mimicry of his hand, and each button, clothstrip, and trinket are carefully chosen. This is Dalewyn’s book from cover to cover."
"The image of the silver dragon curved along his spine, filling his lungs with the chill of an ancient power. Povua is a character study displayed in physical form. The folder contains details and trinkets that reflect a fictional character made by a friend. Each stitch is made in mimicry of his hand, and each button, cloth-strip, and trinket are carefully chosen. This is Povua’s book from cover to cover."
"Anger is a dominating emotion in my life. I have begun to manage this emotion more, but struggle to bottle it up all the time. It hurts to not be able to rage at will, but I understand that I have to in order to begin a path of positivity. Working on this flaw of mine is especially rage-inducing considering that my future self will benefit from all my hard work while I suffer through the task of beginning to better myself. The beginning of a mental health journey is always the hardest and always the easiest to dismiss. Through this, I feel that anger has begun to leak out and I know that my stronghold will not last for much longer." - Hazel
6 Midday Blues Cured with Rhythm LOCAL NEWS
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Oregon State’s Music à La Carte Concert Series — A Longstanding Tradition STORY & PHOTOS BY LEAH BIESACK Since 1969, Oregon State has been hosting informal midday concerts on Fridays throughout the fall, winter, and spring terms. Sailing strongly in its 52nd season, the ‘Music a La Carte’ series takes place in Memorial Union Lounge, where those high-ceilinged acoustics are complemented by the cozy couch seating and the rugs fit for royalty. The noon-time gigs last 45 minutes and are free of charge. Traditionally, they have been open to the public, however, due to all of Covid-19’s endless baggage, the live audience is limited to Oregon State staff, faculty, and students. If this isn’t you, hang on! You can still attend virtually, from the comfort of your own couch and your own rug (who needs those high ceilings anyway, am I right?). ‘Music A La Carte’ is now livestreaming their shows, and they also provide the recordings for anytimeviewing if you’re a person who just hates operating on someone else’s schedule. Last Friday, top-tier local jazz musicians who make up ‘The Olem Alves Trio,’ played to a relatively filled Memorial Union lounge. Handfuls of students filtered in and out between classes, while some settled
in on the couches to work on assignments. Oregon State faculty stopped by on their lunch breaks, friends dressed up for a day-date ventured in to listen and chat, customers from Java Stop posted up with their coffees and scones to tune in. The feel of the room is casual but inviting, cozy but light, communal but respectful of space. ‘Music a La Carte’ allows for a refreshing break between classes and obligations, is a lovely way to spend the lunch hour, and ultimately presents the perfect opportunity to pretend life is actually just one giant couch with a breezy marimba backbeat. If you missed last week’s show and are devastated (understandably), dry those eyes and check out the recording: Music à la Carte: Olem Alves Trio
Upcoming Concerts: February 4 – Jade Hails, Jazz Percussionist February 11 – OSU Strings Chamber Ensemble February 18 – OSU Trombone Ensemble and Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble
The Olem Alves Trio. From left to right, Olem Alves on guitar, Tyler Abbott on upright bass, and Ryan Biesack on drums.
Chi Alpha
Coffee in the Courtyard Wednesdays 10:30 am-2 pm Join us for coffee and conversation in front of Willamette Hall every Wednesday
CLICK HERE FOR ZOOM LINK
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
CAMPUS NEWS
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Support Animal Awareness IEDI Puts on a Zoom Event in Support of ESA STORY BY AVERY specific phobias (like to crowded spaces or LEON-CASTILLO loud noise) and much more. If you need an The Institution for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion held an informational Zoom event during this past week to spread awareness and facts about support animals. They described the three main types of support animals. The first are therapy animals. They are intended to provide emotional support to people who are in a variety of situations including hospitalized people, people who are in group homes because of age or if they have disabilities, people who are in school, and people who are in other high-stress situations. The second, and more widely known, are service animals. Apparently, the ADA only recognizes dogs and miniature horses as service animals because they have less illnesses that humans are susceptible to. Service animals are specifically trained to complete specific tasks for their handlers. They help with seeing and hearing disabilities, diabetes alert, seizure alert (for someone with epilepsy), PTSD responses, autism, and other disabilities. Emotional support animals (commonly referred to as ESA,) are dedicated to companionship. They are there to help their handlers cope with things like PTSD, anxiety disorders,
ESA, talk to a doctor about getting one. Laney Malone had a stroke at 26 and lost complete use of her right arm and had to relearn tasks like walking and speaking. She said she still struggles with speaking and also drops things, falls down a lot, and has bad pain. She had trained her old dog, about six years after the stroke, to retrieve things for her, as well as training to support her if she fell, or was doing something like gardening. After that dog had died, Malone decided to get a service dog. Many know that this process can cost a lot of money between actually purchasing a dog, going to trainings that are sometimes out of your state, veterinary care, and other expenses that go into owning an animal. Malone said she “was originally stressed about the money aspect so I decided to go with the organization that looked the best on paper to me, because of their ethical breeding policies.” Unfortunately, this organization didn’t help Malone properly with her service dog search and it led to a very traumatic three-month experience with a labradoodle she was placed with. Malone soon felt comfortable enough to look into getting another dog. She learned that it’s a common misconception that a service dog had to be professionally trained,
PHOTO: HELENA LOPES VIA PEXELS
especially for things like mobility. Of course, it’d be helpful to have a dog who was trained professionally in terms of seizure alert, diabetic alert, and seeing-eye dogs. Eventually, Malone found Rocky, a Black Lab, who she has been training along with the help of a professional trainer. She says he has done really well in his training. “For a well-trained service dog, they need lots of experience around people. Lots of socialization, lots of public spaces, crowded spaces with other animals and
people wanting to hang out with them.” Her tips for that task is having the knowledge, time and patience, maybe an extra person who knows how to train animals too. Be sure to check in with the Center For Accessibility Resources if you think you might need access to any support animals.
Sexuality and Gender Alliance Meetings Fridays 11am-Noon Via Zoom
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SPORTS
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
LBCOMMUTER.COM
OSU Sweeps LA School Oregon State Women’s Basketball Beats Bruins STORY & PHOTOS BY LOGAN Oelhoffen combined for 52 points on the responded. “We executed very well on HANNIGAN-DOWNS
The Oregon State Women’s Basketball team defeated the UCLA Bruins 72-58 on Sunday in Gill Coliseum in front of a crowd of 4,341. This game was the team’s annual Dam cancer game which featured Andrea Aquino donating eight inches of her hair after the game. Other community members also donated a minimum of eight inches of their own hair after the game. Head Coach Scott Rueck spoke pridefully of the Dam cancer initiative after the game: “Our pink game is always special, breast cancer awareness is something that has been something that we've honored and supported over the years. It's always been a special day. Andrea Aquino donated her hair today along with some community members. It’s very special sacrifice, it's something that we've always looked forward to ever since Ruth Hamblin started that trend back in 2016” The Beavers never trailed in the game, jumping off to an 11-2 lead with 5:11 to go in the first quarter. They ended the quarter up 15-11 after UCLA’s Natalie Chou made a three-point shot with 39 seconds to go. Freshman Talia Von Oelhoffen led the Beavers with 21 points, six assists, two rebounds, and one steal and block. She played for 26:04 and didn’t touch the floor in the second quarter. Von
weekend, scoring 31 points in Friday's matchup against USC. The Beavers beat the Trojans 63-61 on a last second layup by Sophomore Kennedy Brown. In the second the Beavers started strong with Redshirt Junior Taya Corosdale hitting a three 11 seconds into the quarter. OSU went on a 10-3 run in the first 4:50 of the period and totalled for 17 points while holding UCLA to 11. Redshirt Senior Ellie Mack had 6 of her 15 points in this quarter, and Corosdale also had six of her 18. UCLA came out strong in the third quarter, going on a 10-2 point run to bring the score to 34-32 with 4:25 left in the period. The Beavers held strong through and ended the quarter outscoring the Bruins 10-5 and went into the fourth leading 44-37. Oregon State’s Brown picked up her third and fourth fouls in the quarter, which Scott Rueck touched on during his press conference. “...Kennedy getting her second foul early then her third and fourth, so you know it's one of those figure it out days and I thought this group just did a really good job figuring it out.” With 4:35 left in the fourth quarter UCLA pulled within two of the Beavers. OSU responded by going on a 19-4 run to close out the game before the Bruins made a three with one second left. When asked what impressed him the most about the 19-4 run, Rueck
Oregon State breaks a huddle.
both ends. We gave up one three look that I didn't like but beyond that I thought we defended them pretty smart. You know we probably didn't rebound quite as well as we would have liked to, but you know but I just thought our decision-making offensively is just getting better.”
The Beavers next take on Arizona State and Arizona on Feb. 4 and 6 respectively. When the Beavers and Wildcats faced off earlier this season, Arizona won 53-55 on a last second shot. The game against the Sun Devils was postponed and hasn’t been rescheduled yet.
Andrea Aquino of Oregon State celebrates a basket during the college basketball game between the Oregon State Beavers and UCLA Bruins on Jan. 30 at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis.
Kayla Owens (1) of UCLA and Ellie Mack (20) of Oregon State battle for a rebound.
LB Teams Come Up Short Vs. Portland COMPILED BY LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS
Basketball Still Looking for First NWAC South Win STORY BY CARSYN MEYERS ALBANY — The Linn-Benton Men's Basketball team lost to Portland Community College, 92-89, on Saturday on their home turf. The first half consisted of constant back-and-forth action between the Roadrunners and the Panthers. Roadrunner Kye Blaser came out of the gates firing, shooting 2 for 3 from the 3-point line and finishing the first half with 11 points. Trevon Richmond led the way for the Panthers with 12 points in the first half. An 11-2 run by the Panthers at the end of the first half gave them a 13-point lead going into halftime. The Panthers kept a double-digit lead for the first 12 minutes of the second half. A 3-point jump shot by Richmond put the Panthers up 18 with under 8 minutes left to play. The Roadrunners refused to go away, however, storming back to get within 6 with 31 seconds left to play, after a 3-point shot from Ayden Foster.
The Roadrunners fouled Panther Taylor Howard on the next possession, sending him to the free throw line with 13 seconds left to play. Howard shot 1 of 2 from the free throw line, missing his second and giving the Roadrunners a chance to push the ball. With 5.7 seconds left to play Roadrunner Tyson Parker hit a 3-point jump shot that banked off the backboard, putting the Roadrunners within 1 point. After a foul on Panther Ambrose Johnson, who hit both of his free throws, the Roadrunners had one last chance to tie the game. A deep 3-point heave from Parker as the buzzer sounded saw the ball bounce off the backboard and front rim. Foster finished the game with 26 points, 22 of which came in the second half for the Roadrunners. Blaser added 25 points for the Runners. Next up Linn-Benton stays home to take on Lane Community College on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
Roadrunners Sit Third in Conference STORY BY CARSYN MEYERS ALBANY — The Linn-Benton Women’s Basketball team lost to Portland Community College, 74-59, on Saturday, January 29. The Roadrunners fell to 11-4 on the season, and 3-2 in the NWAC South Region. Portland Community College improved to 9-7 on the season, and 2-2 in the NWAC South Region. Early in the first quarter the Roadrunners jumped out to a 10-3 lead, but saw it quickly diminish after the Panthers retaliated with a run of their own. At the end of the first quarter, Roadrunners second leading scorer Liz Chavez exited the game with an injury. Chavez would not return for the rest of the game. The Panthers came out swinging in the second quarter, out-scoring the Roadrunners 22-6, and leading 40-24
going into halftime. The Roadrunners shot 10-34 (29.4%) from the field in the first half. The Panthers shot 16-31 (52%) from the field in the first half. Portland kept up their shooting barrage in the second half, maintaining a double-digit lead the entire second half. Roadrunner Brooklyn Hankwitz recorded her third straight game with a double-double, scoring 23 points with 14 rebounds. Next up the Roadrunners take on Lane Community College on Wednesday, February 2. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Linn-Benton Albany Campus.
A&E
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
Starry Starry Static
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The Immersive Experience Bringing the Past to Life STORY & PHOTOS BY BRENDA AUTRY
The purpose of art is to express and elicit emotion. It teaches us how to look beyond the necessary and find a meaning. It helps us to feel something new, and possibly excite some unknown desire within ourselves. Is it possible for the static art of the past to elicit the same emotions today as they did a hundred or more years ago? As technology claims more areas of our lives - including the way we create and consume art - are we losing the ability to meaningfully experience the old forms? The art of today moves and speaks and flashes. It’s fluid and fast and dynamic. We no longer live in a static world. So, can we look at a static work of art and feel what the artist wanted us to feel? Can it evoke the same overwhelming rush of emotions in a person today as it did in a person in 1921? What if it could…? Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, presents the works of Vincent Van Gogh in a dynamic new way that makes it relevant for a modern audience. Before entering the main exhibit hall, a pathway illuminated by his work ushers you through the life of Van Gogh in his own words. Excerpts from letters to his brother, Theo, paint the picture of what life was like for Van Gogh; How he found his way to becoming an artist, and through the mental illness that claimed his life in 1890. The intimate look into his life gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for him as an artist. The main exhibit is, at first, overwhelming. Every inch of the floor, walls, and interior column is covered in motion and color. Over 300 of Van Gogh’s works are presented in a cascading and constantly transforming display that lasts about 35 minutes. Each piece of work comes to life as they appear from blank canvas to completed masterpiece. The
streaky swirls of Starry Night twist and float all around the room, immersing spectators in the painting from every angle. HIs self portraits displayed together larger than life show the transformation in his art and in the way he perceived himself. The vibrant colors, dynamic motion and eclectic soundtrack bring his work to life before your eyes. The ever changing displays keep you enthralled for the entire presentation - and may make you want to stay for an encore. Due to high demand the exhibit has been extended through Saturday, February 12. The exhibit is open from 9 AM to 9P PM on weekdays and until 10 PM on weekends. Tickets are for a timed entry, and range from $24.99 to $46.99 for basic entry. What: Beyond Van Gogh: Portland Hours: Sun-Wed: 9 AM - 10 PM (last entry 9 PM) Thursday: 10 AM - 10 PM (last entry 9 PM) Friday: 9 AM - 11 PM (last entry 10 PM) Saturday: 10 AM - 11 PM (last entry 10 PM)
In a letter to his brother, Van Gogh writes: "I'd like to walk with you there to find out whether we look at things the same way."
Website: https://vangoghportland.com/
Duration: The visit will take around one hour. Tickets: $24.99 - $93.99. Discount for Student, senior and military. Location: The Oregon Convention Center: 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Portland, OR 97322 Silhouettes of onlookers viewing one of the displays.
'A larger than life' experience.
CLICK HERE FOR CROSSWORD
A starry night immersion.
CLICK HERE FOR SUDOKU
Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.
Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.71)
7
9
2
5
4 4
1
2
3
1
7 9
4
6
5
1
8 6 4 9
2
4
8 7
7 6
2
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Tue Feb 1 20:29:35 2022 GMT. Enjoy!
1
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Come Get Some Lunch! Check out what LBCC's 2nd Year Culinary Students have to offer!
Hours:
Monday: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Thursday: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Friday: CLOSED Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: CLOSED ONLY OPEN ON SCHOOL DAYS
Click here to order
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A&E
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
A&E
LBCOMMUTER.COM
PHOTO: THE POKÉMON COMPANY
PUBLISHER: Nintendo
DEVELOPER: Game Freak/The Pokémon Company PLATFORM: Nintendo Switch ESRB RATING: E
OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★
POKÉMON LEGENDS: ARCEUS
The Next Evolution of the Series “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” is the latest main entry in the “Pokémon” series. Acting as a prequel set hundreds of years before the events of previous titles, the game presents an intriguing look into the legacy of the series while also laying the groundwork for its future. The game takes place in the Hisui region, with the story being set centuries before it became known as Sinnoh. As the player, you are tasked with helping assemble the very first Pokédex and forging the bonds between Pokémon and their
human partners in the process. Ever since the franchise first saw release on Game Boy in Japan in the year 1996, it has been a fixture among Nintendo’s biggest franchises. Though the basic concept has undergone eight main generations of titles, the core gameplay has remained largely consistent through the years (talk persists of the currentlyin-development Generation IX). When this title was initially revealed in February 2021, there was considerable hype along with skepticism that the series could pull off the shift in gameplay shown off. Time to put these concerns to rest – the game not only does a fantastic job of honoring the franchise’s legacy, but its mixture of action-role playing game and open world sandbox adventure makes for a highly-rewarding experience for newcomers and true believers alike. While
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the redesigned capture controls and battle systems do have an admitted learning curve, once you get them down, they’re some of the best innovations the series has seen in years. The world-building crafts a living, breathing take on the Sinnoh region in ancient times where the exploration borrows both visibly and subtly from titles such as Rockstar’s open-world games (including “Red Dead Redemption” and the “Grand Theft Auto” series) and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Visually, the art direction is a sight to behold. Showing just how far the series has come in terms of graphics since the days of the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color installments, the game is rife with environments full of dynamic weather and some of the best lighting and color since the main series shifted to installments in full 3D. The cel-shaded style invokes
REVIEW BY
STEVEN PRYOR
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
the look and feel of classic calligraphy paintings – perfect for a game heavilyinfluenced by ancient Japanese art. Overall, “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” is highly recommended as the next evolution in Pokémon, presenting a highlyrewarding action-RPG experienc e that’s as thrilling as it is ambitious. It’s easily a must-buy for “Pokémon” fans and Nintendo Switch owners everywhere.