Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2
5 “Alive” 16 Drawing
Shelby Dunn Aaron Viramontes
17 Drawing
6 “1789” Ken Lew
Megan Waters Photography
“The Price of Life” Justine Kudla
Kane McKeown
18 Photography
7 “The Three Girls” Maya Swartz
Katie Bern
“The Apologetic Stare” 19 Bookmaking
Samantha Dietel Amelia Moreno
Bookmaking
8 “Beautiful Disaster” Angie Helwich
Hilary Vander Sanden
20-21 Photography
9 “The Cheese that Sets My Heart Ashley Patnett
Aflame”
Danielle Malloy 22 Senior Seminar/web Design
Jordan Groll
10 “Love: Contextualized”
Sammi Powers 23 Mixed Media
Jen Szalko
11 “The Rose Cutter”
Steven M. Harper 24 Painting
“Keyboard Caliphate” Leah Murphy
Daniel Carroll
25 Digital illustration
12 “At The Clinic” brian sykes
Kathleen Bucsanyi collage
brett ratajczak
13-14 “Small Town Witch I & II”
Megan Waters 26 Photography
maya Swartz
15 Graphic Design
Andrea Bernardi
Ceramics
Jade Braden
3
27 drawing 33 “All We Ever Find”
Jennifer Szalko Devon Ross
28 Painting
Erica Bartley 34 “Authorial Intrusion”
Painting Samantha Dietel
ANDREA MOORE “Graduation”
Kathleen Bucsanyi
29 drawing 35 “Memories”
Leah Murphy Rachel Monahan
drawing
ken lew 36 “I solved the world’s
30 Photography problem…”
Jordan Groll Danielle Knoff
illustration “Essence of Transience”
erica bartley Rachel Monahan
31 Painting
ROMISHA TAYLOR 37 “Perseverance: A Zombie Tale”
Ceramics Molly Caldera
Marichu Gonzales
Flannery SHannonv 38 “October 16, 1807”
Paola Gonzales Stephen Zahradnik
“Boy”
32 Ceramic Tiles Jamie Marquez
Brittnae Brasfield
Flannery Shannon 39 “The drama is all Greek to me”
Jade Braden Megan Waters
Jordan Groll “The Colors of Your Life”
Joanne Hill Janeen Wilkey
Justine Kudla
Kathleen Murphy 40 “Black Women”
Lisa Guardiola Shannel McLaurin
Marissa Finazzo “Winter Stepsister”
Marichu Gonzalez Jennifer Dalla Betta
Maggie Noffke
Meghan Sutherby
Paola Bianca Gonzalez
Sergio Gonzalez
Tara Reed
Alive
Shelby Dunn
5
1789
Megan Waters
I think I see,
What I think to be,
The dream of a simple man.
But when it is in fact to me
The thing I forever had in hand!
The things I hold; the things he –
He with other would together band
To scheme and plot to scorch the land
Till found these things with joy and glee;
Are as dull to me as they are bland.
Not precious to me at all, you see!
For I was born into fortune and
Now know and so sadly can about wealth agree;
It is the evil and arrogance in men, you and I, we.
6
The Three Girls
Katie Bern
Composed of three
Always different
Personalities contrast
Mostly harmonious
Dramatic at times
Girls they are
Sisters, of course
Oldest, middle, youngest
Ideas clashing
Fights starting
Tears streaming
And words flying
One comforts
While one cries
And the guilty one remains clueless
A functioning family?
Perhaps not
But abounding in love.
7
Beautiful Disaster
Hilary Vander Sanden
8
The Cheese that Sets My Heart Aflame
Danielle Malloy
I felt like a dog with a Beggin’ Strip being dangled in front of its nose. My mouth was salivating as I watched each dish pass by
me, all looking better than the rest: dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), spanakopita (spinach pie), pastichio (the Greek equivalent of
lasagna), moussaka (layers of eggplant, meat, and cheese) – everything smelled as if it had been flame-roasted by the thunderbolt
of Zeus himself.
As my older brother reached over my plate with his olive oil-smeared fingers for his sixth piece of crusty sesame bread,
I saw it round the kitchen corner. The noisy, crowded Greek Islands restaurant suddenly seemed so peaceful as our waiter glided
over with his bounty. At this point I had a one-track mind; I could almost taste the delicious lemony tang on the saganaki (flaming
cheese) that he was about to ignite. It was slow motion as he poured the tiny shot of ouzo onto the then-lifeless rectangle of cheese,
when suddenly a chorus of “Opa!!” rang through the air as he lit the cheese on fire, flaming it to crispy, gooey perfection and finally
dousing the flame with a generous squeeze of lemon. My nose and ever-patient taste buds had been jolted back into reality; it was
time to feast. As I forked my portion of saganaki onto my plate (why my family of five ordered only one dish is beyond me), I suddenly
felt a little skeptical: all this anticipation for what? A little square of stinky cheese that’s been soaked with some weird, licorice-
flavored liquor, then lit on fire?! Maybe it’s just me, but I thought fire in the kitchen was generally a bad thing? It took about the time
from plate to fork to mouth for me to conjecture all of this, but by the time I actually took my first bite, I was sold.
All of my previous memories of saganaki had not failed me; the crispy, flaky outside, so perfectly salty and lemony, gave
way to the warm, oozing inside, all of which seemed to meld together in a way that makes you think about the love that goes into your
food. Someone was willing to risk his eyebrows being torched off just so I could enjoy this food of the gods. Sadly, as quickly as it
had begun, it was over, and I ached for more. Aha! There was one piece left, but before I could even open my mouth to ask if anybody
wanted to split it, my younger brother skewered it with his fork and popped it in his mouth. He did it so fast that you could have
blinked and missed it, but I sure as hell caught it, and I was mad. He didn’t even have the courtesy to ask if anyone else wanted it?!
“He’s five,” my mom said, rolling her eyes at me, and I realized that maybe I was being a bit irrational, especially seeing that I had
another mouthwatering course on the way.
I was satiated for the time being with the saganaki, but I got my second wind as soon as my dinner was laid in front of me.
“Lamb Rosamarina for you,” said Niko, as he placed the five-pound plate in front of me, doubtless thinking that my eyes were too big
for my stomach (he was probably right). The beautiful loin of lamb was steaming in a bed of moist orzo noodles, all drenched in what
can only be described as pure sin: béchamel sauce (basically butter and lamb drippings. Yeah.). The minute I touched my fork to
the lamb, it immediately slithered off the bone. As I lifted the forkful to my mouth, I inhaled the hearty aroma of the Greek season-
ings, and I hoped that the dish would taste half as good as it smelled. I finally took my first bite, and the lamb was so tender that I
barely had to chew it. I thought the phrase “melt in your mouth” was only applicable to M&M’s and other bite-sized chocolate goods,
but now I knew that lamb could also fit into the category. In this moment, my eyes met with my mother’s, and we exchanged a silent
but telling understanding that this was the kind of food we were meant for. (I now understand why I associate most with my Greek
heritage, despite the fact that I am only 25% Greek and roughly 60% Irish: corned beef and cabbage just don’t hold the same gusto
as flaming cheese and tender, succulent lamb.) The orzo (rice-shaped pasta) that served as a pillowy haven for the lamb was just as
good – perfectly smooth, buttery, and cooked to al dente perfection. It served as the consummate complement to the excess bits of
tender lamb and decadent sauce. Unfortunately, my stomach finally caught up with my mind, and after about 10 bites, I had to call
it quits. It killed me to have to refuse baklava for dessert, but I had eaten myself into a state of food-induced comatose, and I had to
throw in the towel before I would have to be carried out on a stretcher.
Ten years later, these Greek dishes still hold the same mystique for me, whether served at the Greek Islands, Pegasus, or
even if we foray into some home cooking (note: saganaki… not such a good idea in a kitchen with curtains). At this point in my
life, I’ve probably consumed over 75 orders of saganaki, but my stomach still lurches with excitement each time I yell “Opa!” as my
favorite dish ignites.
9
LOVE: CONTEXTUALIZED
Sammi Powers
10
THE ROSE CUTTER
Steven M. Harper
Keyboard Caliphate
Daniel Carroll
The more and more I coerce the numbers in my computer into words about me
And mold the Starry Sphere that precedes the Elysium
Into the lightning strike neurons that precede the crackling and stinking City of God.
11
At the Clinic
Kathleen Bucsanyi
The room was full of plastic chairs. They were a funny faded orange color, and the metal legs were tarnished and rusty. They had seen
better days, just like the people sitting on them. I chose one in the back corner, furthest away from the front desk where the foreign
receptionist sat collecting the insurance cards.
It was crowded, the air smelled like stale sweat, and yet, it was frigid in there. The girl to my right had a nursing book and spiral open
on her lap. Her head was down and her short blonde bob had fallen over her face. Her pen moved ferociously as she took notes, never
pausing to look up from her work. I wished I had brought something to keep me that busy.
Several other girls sat near the door. They were all silent and slumped down in their orange chairs, as if sliding lower would help them
disappear from this whole situation. Their hands were folded in their laps and their glassy eyes glued to Oprah, who was live on the
small boxy TV mounted on the wall.
We were all wearing sweatpants. When I had made the appointment, the lady on the phone had told me to dress “comfortably” as if I
were scheduling some overnight retreat at the YMCA.
The people outside began to yell and shout again. I looked out the cloudy window to see them waving their giant Jesus posters and
screaming threats of eternal damnation. A petite Asian girl and an older man, who appeared to be her father, rushed through the
doors. She was the youngest for sure, probably not even out of high school. They took their seats and stared down at their shoes, no
doubt trying to avoid the judgment we were all passing at that moment. Not that any of us had the right to; we were all in the same
boat. Or rather, the same cold, orange chair-filled room.
My attention wandered to the barren white walls. They had a yellowish tinge to them, fitting in perfectly with the aged and disre-
garded décor. There was a long jagged crack next to me, running from the baseboard up to the ceiling. I followed it with my eyes, but
then grew nauseous.
The receptionist continued to call out names, which were barely recognizable amidst her heavy accent. One at a time the girls made
their way up to her desk. I watched them dig through their pockets and purses and pull out wads of crumpled bills to pass over to her
anxious open hand. Then, in turn, they each disappeared with a green coated behind a heavy wooden door.
I leaned over in an attempt to catch a glimpse of what was back there. I saw a gurney covered by a blue sheet. People wearing scrub
caps and surgical masks stood around it. The door slammed shut and the nausea hit again.
The chubby, dark haired girl in front of me suddenly stood up. When she turned around, I saw streams of tears running down her face.
She grabbed for her coat and abruptly scurried out the front door. Applause erupted from the people with the Jesus posters. The rest
of us re-crossed our legs as the receptionist erased her name off the list.
She summoned me up next. The door opened and the nurse appeared to take me back. Get in, get out, get on with life, I silently
repeated to myself as I took one last deep breath. Just like he had.
12
small town witch
Megan Waters
I
sudden stops-beats-pulses
take a second
to gather
(smiling face melting, dripping absentmindedly charming;
scatterbrain sketches take shape in
the laugh lines)
(whodunit feral abandon voiced strong craze of heat from flustered
petal-chapped lips)
trembling feverish zealots (street angel lying on the curb,
cars clamor by drenched [sweat&tears]
met w/ expletive
& distracted delusion)
giggling eyes [belladonna irises sullied by crack whore smears] betray –
pipe dream –
misconstrued syllables&syntax;
moonshine wide eyes ask little [intricate simplicities]
mad love - the minutiae of mania are all on their own
13
small town witch
II
14
Andrea Benardi
Graphic Design
Jade Braden 15
Ceramics
16 Aaron Viramontes
Drawing
Ken Lew
Drawing
17
Justine Kudla
Photography
18
Maya Swartz 18
Photography
Amelia Moreno
Bookmaking
Angie Helwich 19
Bookmaking
20 Ashley Patnett
Photography
21
Jordan Groll
Web Design
http://insideye.org/
22
Jennifer Szalko
Mixed Media
23
Leah Murphy
24Painting
Brian Sykes
Digital Illustration
Brett ratajczak
Collage
25
Maya Swartz
Photography
26
Jennifer Szalko
Drawing
27
Erica Bartley
Painting
Andrea Moore
Painting
28
Leah Murphy
Drawing
Ken Lew
Drawing
29
Jordan Groll
Photography
Erica Bartley
30
Illustration
Romisha Taylor
Painting
31
Brittnae Brasfield, Flannery Shannon, Jade Braden, Jordan Groll, Joanne Hill, Jus-
tine Kudla, Kathleen Murphy, Lisa Guardiola, Marissa Finazzo, Marichu Gonzalez, Maggie
Noffke, Meghan Sutherby, Paola Bianca Gonzalez, Sergio Gonzalez, Tara Reed
Ceramic Tiles
32
All WE ever find
Devon Ross
All we ever find is ourselves; reflection of the very self we wish to become,
All we ever find is risk, disappointment from those we appoint as the bearers of our smiles,
All we ever find is the thought that what I had worked so hard to become
All we ever find is what we knew was there, what WE once had, and what we fail to realize
still exists.
33
AUTHORIAL INTRUSION
Samantha Dietel
GRADUATION
Kathleen Bucsanyi
34
Memories
Rachel Monahan
35
I solved the
world’s problem…
Danielle Knoff
Coffee
A culture
then a drink.
How did it happen?
Starbucks.
Essence of Transience
Rachel Monahan
36
Perseverance: A Zombie Tale
Molly Caldera
Jed’s boat was named Perseverance. Along the side was painted a phrase: Keep Calm and Carry On. It was painted by the British
Ministry of Information during World War II and was sold for war money at auction.
He’d used this antique for years to fish the marina of Louisiana. Now, he’d use it to escape. After four days of hiding in the lower deck
from the monsters, one of them hobbled to the ledge of the harbor. Without a thought of the fall, it stepped over the ledge into the
lake, sinking, without as much as a thrash to save his life. “No breathing lungs,” Jed thought to himself. He had an idea.
“Lula, we’re setting sail.” Jed whispered. “What on earth?” Lula barked back in a hushed yell. “Where are we going?”
“The radio said the monsters are infectious and eating people. If we stay here, we’re goners.” Lula looked across the abrasive sunset
into the nothingness that extended for miles. The undead could be heard like a low approaching buzz in the distance.
“No, absolutely not. We have barely any gas and nowhere to go.” Lula was growing frantic by the minute while the wail of reanimated
bodies swayed haphazardly.
The gas in this antique would get them twenty miles off the shore. Lula could see the intricacies of these monsters – pale gray-green,
their eyes glazed.
“I’ll be back,” Jed went to find a gas can. From below the deck he felt the boat sway suddenly in lofty motion. He returned as Lula was
struggling to regain her balance on land, unsure of where to turn. “Lu!” he cried out. Lula had leapt from the boat. Jed was immobi-
lized, afraid to leave his solitude.
He pleaded for her to return. In the distance, the wall of groans was encroaching on the marina. Undead limping and tumbling;
cracked skin, oozing thick pastes of blood and puss, arms detached at the joint like a bag of bones.
There was silence. Lula relaxed her face. She walked a few steps toward the boat and again the fast approaching herd, chasing the
scent of her ripe flesh. Certain death on land was more comforting than uncertainty on the abyss of the Gulf. Jed motioned frantically
for her to jump.
Lula bent down and unlatched the rope holding Perseverance ashore. Fearfully planted, unable to budge an inch, Jed was weeping for
his wife to return. The boat was soon twenty-five yards from the shore; Perseverance became an ebbing silhouette on Lake Pontchar-
train.
He fell to his knees. Unable to witness the savagery of the walking dead, he sunk his head, pressing hard in to the flaky paint. Amidst
the white noise of waves came the booming sound of a low feeding howl.
“Now where are you going?” he asked himself. The lake would eventually flow to the Gulf, after that, well, what after that? He raised
his head and looked out at the lake. He grabbed his pole.
Fishing was something Jed loved to do alone. The serenity of his niche in the marina was a countryman’s solitude. The lake offered an
air of liberation. Lula was terrified of Perseverance; it was unsafe for anything, and he shouldn’t go out there too much to fish. He’d
often joked to her, “Nobody ever said you’ll go blind if you fish too much.”
The troubles of the day were still fresh in his mind; thoughts of tomorrow were creeping in. The water tossed Perseverance around the
lake. Jed looked out at the horizon ablaze: Keep Calm and Carry On.
37
October 16, 1807
Stephen Zahradnik
A kiss is a time-machine
Meant to keep us alive.
A meeting in secrecy
Buried in moist pleasure
Mouth to mouth
Explosions of Mount Vesuvius
Occur in rapid succession
Lightly plucking,
Tongue to tongue
Entangles and frees
Sweetness against
Nothingness.
A void
Closes with noses
Tingling from minty after-shave.
Boy
Jamie Marquez
38
The Drama is all
Greek to me
Megan Waters
if Aphrodite is Hormones –
fais batter ton tambour
let Loose a battle Cry
of Waged winsome war –
so what of Pheromones
eh, Ms. Dickinson? –
I’m biting off Far
More than I can chew
A dab of laughter,
A squirt of anger,
A splattering of joy,
A stroke of fear,
A mix of love, and
A hint of pain.
39
Black Women
Shannel McLaurin
Categorized
Stereotyped
Judged
Carries the burden of statistics
Made out to be less than
Beauty dependent on the shade of color
Stand up
Be more than hips and thighs
Lips
Breasts
Love yourself
Carry yourself with respect
Don’t forget that are equal if not more
Be more than
Be better than
Be strong
Strong
Black woman
WINTER STEPSISTER
Jennifer Dalla Betta
40
Saint Xavier University
3700 West 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60655
41