The newest edition of Oklahoma Christian University’s literary and visual arts journal, Soundings, was unveiled April 7 at DC on Film Row.
More than 200 pieces in the category of poetry, prose, fine arts and photography were submitted to Soundings. This year, out of60 people who submitted a piece overall, 50 had at least one piece published.
Throughout the night, those who had their poems published were able to read them aloud to the audience between live music. The Bare Knuckled Bucket of Dudes, Chris Sartin and David Burmeier provided the music for the evening. Along the walls of the venue, photos and art pieces included in the journal were displayed.
Soundings senior editor Sydney Scott said she is proud of this year’s journal, which includes several promising new poets. According to Scott, one of her favorite parts of the unveiling was seeing people of similar mindsets come together.
“The last half hour [of the event] is sometimes my favorite because everyone is a book nerd or a lover of arts,” Scott said. “They all have their noses in the book.”
Scott and Soundings graphic designer Victoria Willis both worked together to design this year’s journal. Willis said she looks forward to the unveiling, as it is the first time many in the audience have seen the printed product in person.
“The unveiling of the journal is always fun because no one has seen the cover yet,” Willis said.
Laura Smethers majors in gaming and animation and said she took a shot by submitting a few pieces of photography, as well as four pieces of art. Soundings ended up publishing one photo and three of her art pieces in the journal.
Smethers titled her picture in the journal ‘Memorial,’ which she took while in Japan for a study abroad program while visiting the shrines. She said her preference in art is to employ water painting, ink drawing and acrylic painting and said it feels really good to have her work published.
“There are a couple of [art pieces] that I cranked out in a week because I was bored,” Smethers said. “There was one of them that got accepted that I worked on and off for about two years. It was a little giddy sensation. You can go around saying, ‘Hey, that’s me.’”
Van Nguyen, a communication design major, submitted eight digitally Photoshopped pictures to Soundings, of which four were published. Nguyen went to Japan with Oklahoma Christian’s study abroad program, and she said memories of Japan inspired her to create the pictures she submitted, such as pictures of cherry blossoms.
Darby Franks, an English and literature major, submitted three poems to this year’s Soundings journal.
“I do not write poetry too often, so it is more just like when I have been sitting on an idea for a while,” Franks said. “I have just been thinking about it—running through my head—and then I just kind of do the first draft.”
Franks said it is wonderful to have her works published and she encourages everyone to submit their work to Soundings.
“It is fun to go to the party and be able to see your name in the book,” Franks said. “It is great seeing it on paper instead of just on your computer.”
Next year’s Soundings directors will be chosen Tuesday, April 10. All other officer positions will be announced next week.
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