A student from the creates an installation of audio, white sheets, and ceramics to create an environment that give her viewer a strong emotional response. Photo by Andrew Jeffers

Students in the program “Creating Dangerously” have been working diligently throughout spring quarter. Their goal is to create in-depth autobiographical work related to issues of racial, cultural and gender representations in the United States. This week they present their finished pieces in the form of  installations, multimedia art and performances in the Evergreen Gallery.

Members of the program have been working on a daily basis over the past week in preparation for the opening reception on Friday, May 24th from 6-8PM. In conjunction with the opening, the students are presenting a lecture series on their work every Wednesday in Lecture Hall 1 from 11:30-1pm through June 5th. If you have time to spare over the next couple weeks check one of the lectures, and come to the gallery opening to see this amazing program’s work.

A student from the program uses wheat paste to post flyers examining white privilege and the relationship between citizens and police. Photo by Andrew Jeffers

Rites of Passage

Alex Y. Mauricio, from the series “A Family of Guardians”

Now on display, just a few great examples from Jean Mandeberg’s and  Evan Blackwell’s program Rites of Passage: Ceramics and Fine Metalwork.  Take a study break and explore the intricate and fanciful works in the display cases.

A student carefully crafts a work of art in the Fine Metal Studio. Andrew Jeffers photo

Keaton Donovan, “Katana Wakizashi Tanto”

The students in the 2012-13 program Rites of Passage have been studying for two-three quarters, focusing on three-dimensional studio art materials, and investigating ideas about the celebrations, ceremonies and often age-related events that we remember through associated objects and images.

Artists are the ones who make the plaques, vessels, amulets, awards, medals, portraits, etc. that pass through the memories of generations, and these objects are often made using ceramics or precious metals. The work on display in the library cases demonstrate many hours of research, seminar, skill development,design, and critical exploration of ideas through tangible materials.

                                                     — Evan Blackwell and Jean Mandeberg

Students in the program Picturing Plants sketch the native plants growing at the Mima Mounds on Fri., May 10, 2013. The students were charged with drawing five different plants on the field trip. — Shauna Bittle photo

Last week was too nice to waste inside; so when we were offered the opportunity to accompany the program Picturing Plants on a field trip to the Mima Mounds, we jumped at the chance. The sun was high as faculty Frederica Bowcutt led students along the path, pointing out the native species that flourish in the natural area preserve. Stalks of camas rose above the grass, and the students looked for rare specimens like the chocolate lily and the golden paintbrush.

After spending the area at the Mima Mounds, the group traveled south to the Glacial Heritage Preserve. The preserve is an important restoration site for the Puget Prairie ecosystem–less than 5% of this original ecosystem remains today. At Glacial Heritage, volunteers are repopulating the land with the prairie plants that once grew wild there. At this time of year, the wildflowers are in bloom, and the area becomes a blanket of yellow, white and blue blooms. All in all, we could not have had a better day to be outside, nor a better venue to observe our area’s natural ecosystem.

This class will be featured at an exhibit in the Library at the end of the quarter. Come by and see their work!

Picturing Plants faculty Frederica Bowcutt (in red cap) holds a stock of St. John’s Wort as she introduces students to the native plant at the Mima Mounds. — Shauna Bittle photo

A student gets an eye-level perspective on the prairie plants growing at the Glacial Heritage preserve. — Andrew Jeffers photo

The group gathers in the pathways between plant restoration areas at Glacial Heritage in Littlerock, WA. Volunteers have been trying to rebuild native plant populations by harvesting, propagating and planting native seeds. — Shauna Bittle photo

This week at the Evergreen Beach.  Photo by Andrew (Beach Bum) Jeffers

Another beautiful spring day. This one from 1989. Photo by Steve (Loves a Hammock) Davis

This is what spring looks like.  Enjoy your weekend!   

Multi-track Class of 1981

The new Evergreen Student Music Project website is now live!

To celebrate the collaborative works of this 33 year old tradition, you can now listen, view and download all of the past albums for the first time.

Since 1980, the Evergreen Student Music Project has been an annual collaboration of student originated work that has been produced in a variety of formats such as vinyl, cassette tape, CD, and thumb drives. Selected Evergreen student musicians are recorded by the advanced multi-tracking class  every year. The annual project has been kept alive for the past 33 years with the support of Peter Randlette, Electronic Media Audio Interns, Terry Setter, Electronic Media staff, Student Activities, and various committed staff and students.

The site: http://blogs.evergreen.edu/esmp/ is an online archive that provides playback, downloads, and amazing views into the history of the project.

Please join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EvergreenStudentMusicProject.

Students and faculty of the program Awakening the Dreamer, Pursuing the Dream dance through the streets of downtown Olympia during Procession of the Species on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013. The group dressed as their spirit animals, and represented the element “air”. — Shauna Bittle photo

Each year, in concert with Earth Day, Olympians take to the streets in a big way for a celebration unlike any other. It’s called the Procession of the Species, and it seems to bring the whole city out for a joyous Saturday downtown.

Founded by Evergreen alumnus Eli Sterling almost 20 years ago, the Procession is a celebration of nature and the elements; but it’s also an expression of community. The studio space where costumes are built is open to all, and everyone is invited to participate.

This year, faculty Cynthia Kennedy and Terry Setter brought the students of Awakening the Dreamer, Pursuing the Dream to the studio several weeks in advance of Earth Day. They learned about the history and intent of the Procession from Eli Sterling himself, and then decided as a group to go as physical embodiments of their spirit animals. We documented them as they created their costumes and then, on Procession Day, as they danced through the streets.

Please enjoy their journey in this short video, our latest One Minute Evergreen:

Click here to view the embedded video.

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE

Showing Now through June 15, 2013

Opening Reception: Friday, May 3, 4:00-6:00 PM

Galerie Fotoland is thrilled to present our first ever photography competition for Evergreen students.  We invite you to come see this eclectic and dynamic collection of photographs on display in the first floor lobby of the Daniel J. Evans Library building (right outside Photoland).

This photograph by George Silver was awarded first place. It was created in the Beginning Digital Photography class in Summer 2012.

The exhibition, sponsored by Photoland and the Daniel J. Evans Library, was curated and juried by four of Photoland’s student interns: Race Dillon, Emily Hoppe, Kathleen Moloney, and Emma Tronier.  They asked current Evergreen students to submit their best work and they received enthusiastic responses.  The exhibit includes 28 pieces created by 21 student artists who used a verity of photographic processes including both darkroom and digital work.

The second place photograph, created by Lily Smith in the Beginning Photography class, Winter 2013.

Congratulations to George Silver who received first place, and a $100 gift certificate; Lily Smith, second place and a $75 gift certificate, and Andrew Chard, Dakota Barnard, and Stacie Feldman whose collaborative piece received the third place prize and a $50 gift certificate.  We’d also like to give a big thanks to everyone who submitted work to the show!

The third place photograph, created by Andrew Chard, Dakota Barnard, and Stacie Feldman in the Color and Lighting class, Winter 2013.

Come stop by Galerie Fotoland to see the rest of the show!

Photoland Intern Emily Hoppe hanging a photograph by Moses Dane. – Andrew Jeffers photo.

A staffer’s daughter lays next to her alter-image drawn in chalk on Red Square during Bring Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day on Thursday, Apr. 25th. — Heather Schofner photo

It seems like the last week in April deserves some recognition as “The Cutest Week of the Year”. That’s the week that the children of Evergreen employees take center stage at a pair of annual events: Bring Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day, and the Bubble Blow.

First comes BYSADTWD (whew!). It starts with breakfast and a sing-along led by Les Purce, and is followed by fun events around campus. Parents and kids make photograms in Photoland, draw in chalk on Red Square and visit over an ice cream social. This year, the day included a tour of Evergreen’s underground tunnels from the Central Utility Plant to the Library Building.

The last Friday in April (except in cases of rain) coincides with the Children’s Center Bubble Blow. Everyone is invited to join with Evergreen’s very smallest students to blow bubbles in Red Square. Kids chase clusters of tiny bubbles across the green as grown-ups challenge themselves to make bubbles a yard or more across.

The kids bring a good burst of energy to campus just as the entire area finally shakes off the heavy rainfall of early spring. We look forward to playing outside with them again next year.

Evergreen employees and children tour Evergreen’s underground tunnels from the Central Utility Plant to the Library building. — Shauna Bittle photo

Donna Simon of the Evergreen’s Children’s Center (at right) brings the kids out to Red Square for the annual Bubble Blow. The event coincides with the Annual Month of the Young Child. — Andrew Jeffers photo

A future Greener solicits help with a bubble wand at the Bubble Blow. — Andrew Jeffers photo

Environmental Analysis student Bonnie McLeod studies an interesting pattern of striations in the sand during a class trip to Yellowstone. Although McLeod originally had thoughts of working professionally in a lab, the program and the trip awakened an interest in doing environmental field work in the National Parks system. — Shauna Bittle photo

I first photographed Bonnie McLeod in a chemistry class last spring. At the beginning of the school year, I got to know her a little bit better when I went along with Environmental Analysis (in which she was a student) on their trip to Yellowstone. Bonnie impressed me with her intelligence and thoughtfulness and, as I got to know her better, I was struck by her bravery in setting out on a new career path after years of working in the banking industry.

I am a firm believer in the power of images to tell stories; but I know that images on their own tell a fractured story. As I work more and more in video multimedia, I appreciate the power it has to help place images in context, and to tell a more complete narrative. I asked Bonnie to sit down with us and share a little of her story in her own words. In our conversation she talks about changing careers, the relationship between students and faculty and being a recipient of National Science Foundation STEM scholarship.

Since then, Photoland has entered into a collaboration with the Admissions department to help bring more student stories to the broader community. We are excited to say that these pieces are in progress and should be unveiled soon.

In the meantime, allow me to introduce you to Bonnie McLeod.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Faculty Mike Paros (at left) and the Sheep Club separate the lambs from the ewes on sheep shearing day, Sat., Apr. 6, 2013. In the background, a group of students trim a sheep’s hooves as Gerry Larson shears a ewe. — Shauna Bittle photo

Members of Evergreen Students for Sustainable Animal Agriculture (also known as Sheep Club) lead a dual life–students by day, shepherds in their free time. Many are current or former students of Agriculture and Conservation in the Pacific Northwest, a program whose faculty encourage the students to get out of the classroom and gain hands-on experience working in agriculture.

To that end, Evergreen faculty Mike Paros keeps a flock of sheep nearby, which this year numbers 33 ewes and 48 lambs. Although Paros manages the flock, the students take the lead in their care. They are there daily to tend the animals and see to their health.

“Everything about the operation from lambing and breeding the animals, all the way up to marketing the meat and buying the feed…We can be a part of all of that,” says club member Kirsten Larsen.

This Saturday, as winter gives way to warmer weather, the students brought in professional shearer Gerry Larsen to help the animals shed their heavy fleeces. As he sheared, they trimmed the sheeps’ hooves and took mental notes. As the day progressed, a brave few picked tried their own hand at shearing under Larsen’s instruction. Evergreen photographer Shauna Bittle was on hand, and captured the day in our latest One Minute Evergreen.

Click here to view the embedded video.