The Muse 2024

An ASMSA Magazine of Student Art, Literature, and Music

THE MUSE 2024

Kiria Flowers, Solemn Beauty, Wood, Aluminum Bars, Blue Acrylic Sheet, 36” x 6” x 3” Published in the 2024 edition of Celebrating Art 1

index AB (Annabelle) Maness (‘25): 19 Alexander Back (‘24): 32 Anara Johnson (‘24): 2 Anna Jones (‘24): 29 Avery Binuya (‘24): 33 Brylee Hughes (‘26): 12 Calen Long (‘25): 34 Charlotte Lammers (‘24): 10 Ciara Stephens (‘24): 9, 13-14, 16-17, 22, 26-28, 34 Ella Campbell (‘24): 14, 16, 20, 24 Faith Wesley (‘26): 31 Gwen Oliver (‘24): 4-5, 11, 26, 28 Hailey Judkins (‘25): 15, 18 Ivy Hong (‘24): 23, 25 Jaime Hernandez (‘25): 34 Jonathan Tucker (‘25): 8 Kaira Harper (‘24): 13 Kelvin Orduna (‘25): 15 Kiria Flowers (‘24): 1, 15 Laney Caldwell (‘25): 5, 7, 11, 18, 22-23 Leah Hollinger (‘25): 30 Lyla Hill (‘24): 13, 16, 23, 28 Maddox Jessup (‘25): 9 Maddox Porter (‘24): 17 Matthew Carter (‘26): 3 Michelle Lin (‘24): 16 Nasya Choy (‘24): 10, 14 Natyleigh Jenkins (‘24): 20 Olivia Busby (‘25): 8, 10-11, 17, 20-21 Pixie Rodgers (‘24): 7, 22 Preston Lowe (‘25): 21, 25 Rosie Garner (‘25): 29 Shane Driver (‘24): 25, 30

Anara Johnson, Egg n Toast, Glazed Porcelain

the muse 2024 staff Kaira Harper Olivia Busby Rosie Garner Jaime Hernandez Maddox Jessup Alex Hernandez-Oaxaca

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“Passage” Matthew Carter

The dusk sky signals to families all over that it is time to return to the comfort of their homes. It was a warm night in the family home, a terracotta hut that stood low on the slope of a mountain in the Andes. The house always released a humming of music from their classy vintage radio set, throughout the nocturnal hours until the sun comes up, but tonight the rhythmic buzz was cut off suddenly and followed by what can only be recognized as a mother frustrated beyond reasoning. She rambled on, stomping her foot and shouting at the top of her voice to a couch of boys, indifferent to the situation.

The youngest son hasn’t come home.

A young man, not even thirteen years old, wanders the streets of this slanted town. The boy is a skinny listless pulp of bruises and scrapes, his matte hair frizzed like spiderwebs, and his lips dry like the rest of his face aside from the dampened streaks under his eyes. With a limp, he stumbles, despite his efforts to solicit support from the walls of these narrow streets. In an effort that takes all night, he arrives at the hut. He slowly approaches the wooden door and knocks, but gets no response. He looks in the window to find that the lights are off. But when the sun rises and he uses the light of dawn to peer inside, he sees nothing but an abandoned house and a broken aged radio.

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Gwen Oliver, You’re So Beautiful, Oil Paint on Mirror, 18” x 10” Finalist in Arkansas High School Artists Competition Arts Across Arkansas (Sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council) - 1st Place for Visual Arts

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Laney Caldwell, Organic Shapes With Primary Colors, Construction Paper, 9” x 18”

Laney Caldwell, Zendaya Portrait, Digital Art

Gwen Oliver, G.A., Acrylic Tape, Masking Tape, Varnish, 30” x 40”

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Yared Belete, Abuna, Acrylic Paint on Canvas, 18” x 14”

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Pixie Rodgers, 7:24, Digital Photography

Laney Caldwell, Optical Illusion, Mixed Media, 18” x 18” Yared Belete, Self Portrait as a Villain, Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 18” Selected for Historic Cane Hill Arkansas Art Exhibition 7

“Some Young Man’s Vigor” Jonathan Tucker

Some young man’s vigor fills the air it, Echoes the world o’er without relent and, Impells the grave to keep their flame but, What does he know of the grave?

Youthful faith fills his mind since, He has not felt the touch of death and, A long life still lies before so, What does he know of sad twilight?

He has not lingered in years of dusk and, He’s not broken in body or spirit so, When light still fades despite his rage then, What does he know of what should have been?

Olivia Busby, My Roommate, Acrylic on Canvas

And you, my father, who has grown so quiet, Whose weary soul can’t stay defiant, No pain nor anger any longer, Into night without tears, fierce or somber, For that flame in your heart you carry no more, I shall carry in mine, set alight, evermore.

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“Girlhood” Maddox Jessup

Scholastic Art and Writing Award - Gold Key in Poetry In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace, We bloom with beauty in the sun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

We wear dresses with frills and lace, Ribbons in our hair and braids undone, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace.

The stories in our imaginations race, Together we have our own fun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

Secrets we share and the gossip we face, Our lasting friendships that can not be outdone, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace.

We try to make our mark and carve out our place, In today’s world, our race has just begun, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

As years pass we will make our own warm embrace, Our trophies and triumphs, the battles we have won, In girlhood’s tender and uncertain grace, With dreams to chase in life’s uncharted space.

Ciara Stephens, Stages, Acrylic on Canvas, Wood, Aluminum Screen, Metal, 60” x 24”

Ciara Stephens, Stages, Short Film, 8 min. 39 sec.

Arts Across Arkansas Finalist

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Nasya Choy, Tea Light, Glass

Olivia Busby, Sheet Over the Flowers, Digital Art Scholastic Art and Writing Award - Gold Key

Anara Johnson, Egg n Toast, Glazed Porcelain Charlotte Lammers, A Divine Intervention, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 12”

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Olivia Busby, Yellow Faced, Acrylic on Panel

Laney Caldwell, Mobile Apps/Video Games Grid, Mixed Media, 24” x 24”

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Gwen Oliver, Everyday Design, Mixed Media (Construction Paper, Foam Board, Rubber Cement)

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Brylee Hughes, Stagnant, Digital Art

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Kaira Harper, Sea Light, Glass

“The picture this painting was based off of was taken by a friend I made while we worked together on a project about Parkin, Arkansas.

The St. Francis River has supported life for hundreds of years, and continues to bring people together, like it did that day for me.”

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Butterfly

Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 20”

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Nasya Choy, Gua Sha Set, Glass

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: The Spirit of Parkin, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 20” x 24”

“I’ve spent hours looking through old National Geographic magazines and cutting out shapes. This piece is a conglomeration of all those magazine clippings.”

Ella Campbell, Thursday Afternoon

Mixed Media, 18” x 22”

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“54”

Hailey Judkins Scholastic Art and Writing Award Honorable Mention in Poetry In winter’s hold, my sorrow finds a home, The world grows cold, and with it lonely hearts, As leaves slowly descend, just to be blown, I find the sound of grief its somber start.

I seek for comfort in the starry skies, But hear no response to my soundless plea, No affectionate face, no soft replies, Just ghosts dancing, swaying, forever free.

Yet in the darkness, seeds of peace may grow, Grief and heartache water a soul arid, In time, the scars may heal, their mark may go, And love, once lost, one concluding ballad.

In heartbreak’s tranquil night, I grieve the day, When love’s embrace, like snow, did melt away.

Kelvin Orduna, North by Northwest Movie Poster, Graphic Design, 11” x 17”

Kiria Flowers, Floral Blue, Glass, 12” x 12” 15

Michelle Lin, Seaside, Glazed Porcelain

Ella Campbell, Help! I’m in Love!, Mixed Media, 11” x 11.3” Included in Scholastic Silver Key-Winning Portfolio

Lyla Hill, Relaxing Picnic, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”

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Maddox Porter, Черный No.1 (Black No. 1), Acrylic Paint, India Ink, Graphite, Pastel on Paper, 18” x 24”

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Gravity, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 12”

Olivia Busby, Mermaid Study Hour, Digital Art

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Hailey Judkins, Underwater Air, Digital Photography

Laney Caldwell, Monochrome, Mixed Media, 9” x 9” 18

“This piece centers around Nike, the embodiment of victory in Greek mythos, where she is representing The World card from a tarot deck. Nike was often mistaken for biblical angels due to her being a winged goddess, which is why I thought that it would be ironic for me to give her a halo reminiscent of old paintings depicting biblical stories.”

AB Maness, The World: Nike Mixed Media, 9” x 12”

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“Loving a Star” Natyleigh Jenkins

and when you shine like that i have this ache in my chest like you’re burning right alongside me but you aren’t you’re so far away in your own little universe i can’t have you i can’t have you i can’t have you

Olivia Busby, Grey Tea, Digital Art

Ella Campbell, The Fisher and Man, Mixed Media, 8” x 10”

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Preston Lowe, A Pop of Pink, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”

Olivia Busby, Study in Planes, Acrylic on Panel, 18” x 24” Arts Across Arkansas (Sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council) 2nd Place for Visual Arts

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Ciara Stephens, North Winds, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 16” x 20”

Laney Caldwell, Pink and Brown Abstract, Construction Paper, 9” x 9”

Featured at the Cane Hill Exhibition

Pixie Rodgers, The Heron, Digital Photography 22

Lyla Hill, Strawberry Picking, Acrylic on Panel Canvas, 8” x 10” Arts Across Arkansas Finalist

“Horizontal energy using horizontal lines, vertical energy using horizontal lines, vertical energy using vertical lines, horizontal energy using vertical lines - all using triad colors.”

Laney Caldwell, Vertical vs. Horizontal

Construction Paper, 12” x 12”

Ivy Hong, Floral Symphony, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

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Ella Campbell, Westward, Fabric/Textile Art, 33.5” x 27.5”

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Preston Lowe, Alphabet Flo, Mixed Media, 18” x 18”

Shane Driver, Solitude, Digital Photography

Ivy Hong, Quiet Contemplation, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

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“This work was my take on ‘landscape painting’ as someone who mostly creates 3D work.”

Gwen Oliver, Shadows Mixed Media (Sand, Modeling Paste, Paint, Spray Paint)

Ciara Stephens, Lucille, Acrylic on Streched Canvas, 12” x 24” 26

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Juke Joint, Acrylic Paint on Stretched Canvas, 9” x 12” Best in Show - Fine Arts, 2024 Arts and Humanties Symposium

“The painting is based off a historic photo taken in a juke joint in Parkin, Arkansas. The town was very popular for its blues music, historically having a street nicknamed ‘The Bottoms’ which was lined with juke joints.”

Ciara Stephens, Juke Joint

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Gwen Oliver, Trash, Mixed Media, 28” x 28”

Lyla Hill, Angie and Lyla, Graphite Pencil on Paper, 11” x 14”

Ciara Stephens, ALLUVIAL: Howlin’ Wolf, Acrylic on Stretched Canvas, 12” x 12” 28

Rosie Garner, Persian Pieces and Perceptions, Digital Photography, 8.5” x 11”

Anna Jones, The Bright Side, Digital Photography

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Leah Hollinger, Untitled, Construction Paper

Shane Driver, Baily’s Beads, Digital Photography 30

“A Hike Through The Flowers” Faith Wesley

“The first movement of this unaccompanied solo for Bb Clarinet takes you through a serene field of flowers. In the second movement, you’ve ventured too far, and get lost in the forest. You try to run and run when you realize you’re lost in this hostile environment.

Eventually, you see the flowers again and find your way out of the forest.”

Score:

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Faith Wesley was named an Arts Across Arkansas Finalist for Music Composition.

Audio:

“Amphibian Kombat” Alexander Back

Alex Back received the 1st Place Award from Arts Across Arkansas in Music Composition.

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“Picture this: Within the murky depths of an average swamp, a lone fly dances in the air, oblivious to the lurking danger below—a hungry toad, eyes fixed on its next meal.

“Amphibian Kombat” breathes life into the timeless struggle between toads and flies, but with a silly twist. Through a series of movements, the piece narrates a comedic showdown between the fly, our courageous protagonist, and the toad, the formidable antagonist. Aware of its inevitable fate, the fly confronts the toad head-on, engaging in a comical, JoJo’s-Bizzare-Adventures-esque brawl for survival. Join me in experiencing this goofy portrayal of the admittedly grim dynamic between flies and toads.”

Score:

Audio:

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Avery Binuya, Reflections, Fired Stoneware, Underglaze, Picture Frame, 10” x 12” x 6” THEA Foundation Scholarship - 3rd Place 33

Jaime Hernandez, Sift, Short Film, 3 min. 13 sec.

Movie:

2024 Overall Winner - Visual and Preforming Arts Arts and Humanities Symposium

Calen Long, Oobisseum, Rotoscoped Short Film, 58 sec.

Movie:

Arts Across Arkansas (sponsored by Arkansas Arts Council) - 2nd Place in Film

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Cover Art by Olivia Busby