Pioneer LogLewis & Clark College’s Student-Run Newspaper

Students answer the oft-asked question: What did you do this summer?

September 17, 2010

Marni Bates: an author

by Julia Stewart

English major Marni Bates (’12) describes her summer as having an “insane to do list.”
 “1. Edit the fiction novel I wrote in high school called That’s Debatable 2. Start and finish a new fiction novel called Awkward, and 3. Get my diver’s license.”
Getting her driver’s license was the only task Bates did not accomplish.

When asked how she is able to balance schoolwork and writing for pleasure, Bates claims she is a huge procrastinator and gives a lot of credit to her mom, who set a strict ultimatum while Bates lived at home this summer.

“I had to finish two chapters a week (in lieu of rent) or pay my mom $50,” said Bates, “but I never had to pay.”

Awkward will be Bates’ third published novel. It is a fiction book written for young adults, Bate’s favorite audience.

“Young adult fiction is the most versatile genre,” believes Bates. “The others are too formulaic.”

Believing that she has a moral responsibility while writing novels geared towards teenagers, Bates takes advantage of the genre’s flexibility by tying class and gender issues into her plots.

Awkward is a story about McKenzie Welsley, who knocks over a football player and attempts CPR…but he doesn’t need it. The whole event is filmed and posted on YouTube. 4,000,000 hits later and Bates takes us into the life of America’s new poster child for social awkwardness. Three down and more to come, Bates already has
an idea and a tentative title for Awkward’s sequel.

 

Four LC alums: a collaboration afloat

by Julia Stewart

On Thursday of last week, I was welcomed aboard The Labrador, a 135-foot vessel docked on the Willamette River close to Sauvie Island amongst comparably pocketsize sailboats. It is on this massive craft that four recent Lewis & Clark art graduates– Kyle Thompson, Lewis Feuer, Zoë Clark and Caitlin Ducey– have spent the last two years transforming the rusted iron frame and salt-water-worn wood deck into a gallery space named 12128 to showcase their own work, as well as that of other Portland artists.

The history of the vessel dates back to World War II, when it was used to ship bodies’ home from Europe. It later fell under the ownership of Thompson’s father who used the boat for 25 years to crab fish in Alaska, a featured sport on The Discovery Channel’s popular series “Deadliest Catch.”

Thompson is currently enjoying the balance between teaching chemistry at LC and  artistically collaborating on The Labrador.

Spencer Byrne-Seres: an artist

by Drew Lenihan 

For many artists, it is the very the process of creation that fuels their desire to produce artistic work. But for Spencer Byrne-Seres (’13), the enjoyment comes from sharing the work with friends and family.

During this summer’s Fourth of July celebration, Byrne-Seres, his father, and a couple of friends built sculptures, drew portraits, and cooked an entire goat in an annual event they call the “Dome-a-thon.”

“We started having this party because me and my dad wanted a Geodesic Dome in our backyard to use as a greenhouse. That was three years ago. Now we make art and celebrate the collective consciousness of our friends’ artistic expression and the name just stuck with the party.”

In the weeks leading up to the holiday, Spencer erected a larger-than-life wicker man inspired by the duality of humanity.

“The man’s posture indicates submissiveness to the dome because the dome is a metaphor for everything. As humans, we are nothing, thus we are slaves to the dome,” says Byrne-Seres.

Though Byrne-Seres’ philosophy sounds reminiscent of Dadaism and other avant-garde art movements, he insists that it is not.
“It’s nothing, I’m nothing. I don’t give a shit, I just built it.”

Martin Watkinson: a musician

by Sam Margevicius

Some of you may have heard or seen the mysterious Martin Watkinson (’12). His long blonde whiskers and flowing shaggy hair were immediately recognizable as he cantered up the hill with his large reinforced cello case. 

This summer Watkinson was stolen from us by the sun bleached streets of Portland, where he spent his days entranced in rhythmic cycles of cello fantasies with his trusty loop machine.

On July 4, Watkinson moseyed on over to The River House for fireworks and a triple kegger, bringing along his cello and loop pedal in hopes of entertaining guests. Sometime during the long day’s journey into night, Watkinson fell asleep instead of playing music. When he awoke, his livelihood (in the form of a loop pedal) had gone missing.

His heart was broken for almost a month, until he saw a friend on the street. She had taken his loop pedal on that fateful night, fearing it would be stolen.
With his trusty loop pedal back in place, Watkinson continues his endeavors in the streets. Check him out.