The Sou'Wester: September 2021

THE VOL .91

SOU’WESTER

THE VOICE OF GSW

VISUAL ARTS

SINCE 1934 have found in the real world, whether that be graphic tracing and repurposing, or actual junk sculptures created from what usually would be considered as worthless to most.”

ART IN VIRTUAL REALITY AND THE MODERN WORLD Cloie Davis Staff Writer

What made you want to become an artist?

Jim Klein, an artist and student “I think I always wanted to be in the Fine Arts program at an artist. As a child, art was my Georgia Southwestern State favorite thing, so I just followed University, has been expanding suit with that and now I’m here. and revolutionizing the concept The early 2000s were my childof traditional sculpture through hood so I hold a lot of stuff rethinking and redesigning trafrom that time period in high ditional sculpture and incorporegard, and it inspires me a lot. rating it into the digital, modern created objects, I comment Aside from that, I get inspired world, through virtual reality, by other artists, movies, vidon these issues through visual 3-D printing and various digital, metaphors using motifs of the eo games, and various types sculpting programming mediroad, casinos, and night life. By of media, that makes a mark ums. Upon asking Klein what on the collective unconscious using the digital realm as an his art is about and what are which is why I lean into some intermediary I intend to show the main ideas behind his work, people the beautifully horrifying references heavier than others.”

Klein responded, “The main world of my unconscious and ideas behind my work all factor hopefully show them that they into power and how our country have their own unconscious that uses this power to exploit the is ready to be explored.” people through capitalist loopholes and urban sprawl, result- Your art sounds very interesting in a contemporary manifes- ing, what are you working on? tation of manifest destiny that “I’m currently working on sculpcontinues to this day. By using tural plate dramas and custom both real world and digitallyimages on license plates to

SEPTEMBER 2021

take the role of canvas. License plates are already indicative of locations but these locations will be places within my unconscious built up from stuff I

PAGE 2 That’s really interesting. You mentioned the collective unconscious a few times while describing your inspirations and ideas behind your work.

How would you describe the presence and influence of the collective unconscious in your work?

“As something that has been evolutionarily bred into us as humans, the collective unconscious shows in all of us, as it is the go-between for all human minds, and gives us that real sense of connection, because it is what makes the human experience. Media is a large influence on this, which is why I choose to take ideas and images from media and advertising. The road is another interesting connection as we all have it, know what it looks like, and know the symbols of the road. They are so natural to us that we forget they are there. I suppose that by building off of these mental motifs I can connect to the human experience and solidify my presence in the timeline with where we are now in society.”

That’s so fascinating. I really resonate with that. Would you say the process of making art is different in virtual reality than it is in the real?

“In its current state, there are a lot of differences that are physical; such as not being able to feel the object with your hands (which is already being addressed with haptic technology designed to stop hands to simulate form), and a more helpful difference is that you can shrink yourself down to smaller sizes and work more closely with the object. Aside from that, all of the fundamentals of sculpture still apply. It’s just the new tools that you have to figure out that’s a little difficult.”

Creating in virtual reality sounds like it would be a very intriguing, almost psychedelic experience. What is that like?

“It is psychedelic in a lot of ways, but the best part about it to me is how natural it feels. I get to use my kind of learning which is extremely hands on. It is also extremely convenient for stuff that would usually be

tough in the real world, especially since gravity is not an issue in the digital realm.”

How has modern technology, like 3d printers, sculpting programming on computers, and virtual reality headsets, changed the way you make and think about art?

“All of this stuff has radically changed my outlook on digital art and has broken down barriers between what is “real” and what isn’t. It gives me a lot of room to play with these ideas conceptually in my work, and in the next five to ten years, I think all of the technology is going to be extremely common and easy to use, hopefully giving many more people the same realization.”

It’s really interesting that you bring up the real and non real. What does the real and non real mean to you in your work?

“Ever since I got into virtual reality, it has been fun to challenge what it means. To me, reality is really just perception.

When you put on a headset or fall asleep, you enter a new perception.”

That’s so true. Your art and conceptual ideas are extremely fascinating and really resonate with me. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.

“Of course! Thank you so much!

PAGE 3 FACULTY AND STAFF

OCTOBER FORECAST

KNOW YOUR STAFF! MRS. SYLVIA SWANSON

Moses Simmons Associate Editor

We may all study, teach, or work at GSW, and many of us know our teachers, friends, and administration. However, how many know the staff that provide so much and allow the school to function as well as it does? Without them the entire school would go kaput!

Now it may be unfair to the other workers, but students do in fact have a favorite type of worker at GSW, the food staff!

As anyone can tell you, the best way to people’s hearts are through their stomach, and nobody can hold a candle to our hot-food line worker, Mrs. Sylvia in that regard. In our exclusive interview (though she would tell anybody who asked) that every student’s meal was served with love and care as long as she had anything to do about it. She considers every student family, and misses us all when she cannot be there for us. Considering she’s worked for all of us at GSW for the last 14 years, and at the school in Ellaville for the 13 years before that, she may as well be our patron saint for hungry students! Next time you’re in the Caf, don’t forget to thank the workers there, and especially Mrs. Sylvia Swanson!

LOCAL NEWS

work-out tanks, every article of clothing is hand-made in Americus by local workers. The inspiring story of becoming a Sabrina Hagler fashion designer began when Editor-In-Chief she was 15 and living in Venezuela by handcrafting her own T31 is a local women’s apparel bathing suits. Within six years business owned and started by of sewing her first bathing suit, Elena Carné. From leggings to Elena closed her businesses

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: T31 ELENA CARNÉ

PAGE 4 and started over in America. Since her move, Elena has transitioned her business from bathing suits to a women’s apparel line focusing on fostering hope. She donates a portion of all profit to the needy to help women and children create a better life for themselves and their families. With the goal of spreading faith-filled messages of love, hope, and unity through women’s clothing collections, Elena met with The Sou’Wester to talk about her company and During the pandemic we donathow they have provided for our ed more than 30,000 face masks community. to our community and different parts of the country, and before What is T31?

I met for this interview I packed “T31 is a women-owned com750 facemasks that are going to pany dedicated to encouraging be donated and distributed to others to reach for big dreams, children in need in the Navajo as we reach for our own. T31 Nation in Arizona.” also aims to create jobs and opportunity for our community.

Do you have any advice for About our name, T31™ is short the students of GSW? for Tepuy31. The T stands for “I firmly believe that you must Tepuy, similar to Tepui, which always be consistent with what is literally translated to, “House you are doing and find joy in it. of God”. The number 31 comes Be proud of yourself and your from Proverbs 31, a description work. Through determination, of a woman of noble characsetting goals, God given talents, ter—she is a virtuous, hardworkand personal faith, you can fuling, faithful, strong woman that fill your dreams.” we can aspire to be.”

T31 is at 502 W Forsyth ST and How has T31 provided for the is open on weekdays from 9-5. community?

“T31 has been involved with our community in many different ways since we relocated our business from Miami, Florida in 2015. We actually have been working proactively with the GSW marketing Club, and we are part of the GSW Experiential Learning program.

MAJOR MAGNIFIER

AN ENGLISH PERSPECTIVE WITH DR. RUSSELL DeShaun Simmons Staff Writer Transitioning from high school to college, I was very unsure of my future endeavors and what career I wanted to pursue. This is mainly because I have so many passions and interests, so as a result, I spent my freshman year as an undecided major. For me, Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semester consisted of schedules filled with various courses that piqued my interest. It wasn’t until I realized that throughout my life, reading and writing were two things that always truly mattered to me and that I had natural talent in. Ultimately, this led to me finally declaring English as my major.

For anyone who is undecided, in between, or unhappy with their current major, I am here to tell you that I completely understand what you’re going through and that it’s going to be okay! This is the beginning of a new series where I will explore different majors/departments by speaking to professors and students about their experiences and more information on their field. Through this, I hope to help those who share my same experience and are facing the tough and often painful decision of choosing their major.

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To me, being an English major gives me so many opportunities that I wasn’t aware of prior to my decision. I would love to pursue a career in Professional Writing and Law, but one can also go into Education, Marketing, Public Relations and so much more. To talk more about this major, I spoke with Dr. Russell from the English Department about his experience as an English professor and his thoughts about the major.

Being a college level English professor for about twelve years now, he’s very knowledgeable on the subject. I sent Dr. Russell a few questions and these were his responses: What is your favorite class to teach?

“I like teaching World Literature I. There are usually a host of different students from a variety of different backgrounds. I also like the “premodern” world of heroes and myths. I like to engage the students and attempt to get them to contribute to the class. I also like to keep the class lively and have students reflect on the material.”

Why do you think the English major is important?

“Our age is saturated with media. Being able to read and analyze texts and images make one stronger and better able to navigate the world.”

strenuous process for the researchers in the island region “Wallacea,” an area between Asia and Australia. The examined DNA divulged that the girl had common ancestors along with the Papua New Guineans & Indigenous Australians of modern-time, who all showed up in Wallacea about 50,000 years before. The genes discovered did not reflect any other population previously known, proposing the idea that a group of archaic people went from Asia to Wallacea at an earlier date than expected, with no modern kin.

The Toaleans, as they are named by archaeologists, were Do you have any advice for a cryotic group of ancient huntstudents that want to pursue er-gatherers whose primary diet a career in this subject? consisted of edible shellfish and “Hard work and networking are wild pigs. This culture of people essential for success.” had leftover tools with carefully crafted arrowheads, however, had limited fossils and impractical recovered DNA. Making the teenage girl’s skeleton the only recovered remains of the Toalean people and the first Talik Hill time, prehistoric DNA has been Staff Writer found in Wallacea. This new revelation has altered our preA team of archaeologists unconceived notions of the history earthed the decomposed reof the world; our knowledge remains of a teenage girl around lated to genetics and archaeolthe age of 18 years old withogy is constantly changing, and in the Leang Panninge cave, discoveries like this illustrate the in South Sulawesi, Indonesia potential scope of how much during an excavation in 2015. we still haven’t become aware The analyzed DNA disclosed a of about the world. But, with lineage that hasn’t been discov- every new open door, comes ered anywhere else in the world. improvement, development, and a greater understanding of Obtaining the DNA from the the world around us.

7,200-year-old bones was a

WORLD NEWS

NEW LINEAGE OF HUMANS DISCOVERED IN ANCIENT DNA

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LOCAL NEWS

AMERICUS TAKES TO THE STREETS FOR THE HEART AND SOLE 5K Jackson Carlstrom Staff Writer

“Specifically, with funds raised from this year’s race, I would like to begin planning a ‘Screen Your Teen’ event where middle school and high school aged students can receive a free heart screening. This event is still in the pre-planning stages, but I have hopes to be able to host this in the Spring/Summer of 2022, making it an annual event,” Devon Varnum, the brother of Cole Varnum, said about the proceeds earned from the Heart and Sole 5k. “The purThe Cole Varnum Agency is a pose of the ‘Screen Your Teen’ nonprofit charity organization event is to hopefully detect unknown heart conditions in founded in memory of Cole Varnum, a psychology major at our local youth, enlighten the Georgia Southwestern. Varnum community of Sudden Cardiac was 21 years old when he unex- Arrest and what measures to pectedly passed away in 2018 take if such were to occur, and to ultimately save lives.” due to sudden cardiac arrest

from an unknown illness, later discovered to be cardiomegaly. “I loved seeing members of the On the morning of September 11, a little over 100 people woke Varnum was very active both on community of all ages particup, put on their running shoes, campus and in the community, ipate because it goes to show and always loved volunteering how much our community cares and ran in the Heart and Sole about the Varnum family,” Mad5k. Runners, joggers, and walk- and helping others. The Cole ison Hobby, who participated Varnum Agency seeks to poers who participated in the 5k for the first time with the GSW tentially save lives by raising met at Global Graphics, where public awareness about sudden BCM group, said. “I was 100% the race started and finished. cardiac arrest and other heart shocked when I won a medal in Runners tackled 3.1 miles of general, let alone first place. I related issues. Their goal is streets through Americus with the help of the Americus Police to help provide local schools, won first for women ages 20-24 businesses, organizations, and and it was a great experience, department and the Georgia but I’m just thankful I had the individuals with AEDs, and to Southwestern State University opportunity to participate in the provide the opportunity for Police.

Heart and Sole 5k.” Preparations AED/CPR training and heart screenings. The Heart and Sole are already being made for next This year’s Heart and Sole 5k 5k was established in 2019 to year, so to keep up with any was the second year for the 2022 Heart and Sole 5k updates, bring awareness about these event, having started with the issues to Americus. All proceeds or to keep up with everything first 5k in 2019. The 5k was The Cole Varnum Agency is up organized by The Cole Varnum from the race went to beneto, go and like The Cole Varnum fit The Cole Varnum Agency.

Agency and backed by severAgency page on Facebook. al local sponsors in Americus.

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ASK THE CANES

Do you think all core and elective classes are necessary?

Senior Psychology Major “Core and elective classes are good in the fact that when you take them, they give kids an opportunity to learn information in other areas that they may not consider. They become well-rounded students, but the number of core/elective classes that we are supposed to take is just ridiculous. I think between electives, not even core classes, I’ve had to do twelve elective classes that have nothing to do with my major. I do not think they are necessary. Not that many. I don’t think the university should make anyone do more than five electives. A lot of our elective classes tend to be lower level so I don’t think they’re hard, but because there are so many, because they’re so expensive, they add up. And to me it’s an unnecessary expense to have a student pay that much just for a class that doesn’t matter.”

MEET OUR

WRITERS Sabrina Hagler Editor-In Chief shagler1@radar.gsw.edu

Freshman History Major “Yes, it’s beneficial to be exposed to broad information from a variety of different subject areas that can act as background knowledge & increase your understanding of the world. They’re necessary and each class has its own importance.”

Junior Nursing Major “If you were to ask me this question when I first started college, I would’ve said they were a complete waste of time! However, as I continued and finished my prerequisites, I noticed the upsides for certain classes. As a nursing major, core classes such as biology, psychology, and anatomy & physiology helped prep me to get accepted into nursing school. However, core classes and electives such as music appreciation and history did not help at all and are not helpful for the topics and materials we get tested on today.”

Junior Visual Arts Major “As a Fine Arts major, I personally feel that I should be focusing on my art studio classes, art history, philosophy, humanities, and liberal arts courses I need for my major, and to better understand art, which is what I’m interested in, rather than having to use that energy, time, and money to take math and science courses that have nothing to do with my major, what I’m interested in, or what I want to do. I think taking electives is good though because it lets you try new things, and helps you find new interests you may not have been exposed to without taking them.”

Senior Theater Major “I like taking electives, but I wish we didn’t have to take as many core classes. I don’t really feel like I need three to four classes in science courses. I would rather use that time taking theater, arts, and humanities classes to better understand my major.”

Moses Simmons Associate Editor asimmo10@radar.gsw.edu

Talik Hill Staff Writer thill19@radar.gsw.edu

Jackson Carlstrom Staff Writer jcarlstr@radar.gsw.edu

DeShaun Simmons Staff Writer dsimmon9@radar.gsw.edu

Cloie Davis Staff Writer rdavis27@radar.gsw.edu

Dr. Ashley P. Jones Faculty Advisor ashley.jones@gsw.edu