Mount Hood

‘Clever, lewd, crude and undesirable’ art

Kevin Reed | Entertainment Editor

Auston Ricks’s artwork is centered around the viewer thinking in a different way than they are used to and interpreting his art in their own way. Ricks is a criminal justice student in his junior year here at Western. In his spare time, he puts together message-based art pieces using a mixture of photography and drawing. Recently, some of his pieces have been showcased in a display on the second floor of the Werner University Center, across from the Wolf Grill. I got to sit down with Ricks this past week and ask him about his art process.

“I want to go for something different but that still expresses something,” said Ricks. He explained that the most important part of his art is the expression and messages in his art. “I try to do something I wouldn’t say more complex because some of these drawings are super simple but something that’s different.” His artwork truly does reflect this because looking at each piece you can tell they all have a specific emotion or message around them.

The process Ricks goes through to put his artwork together is quite unique.

“A lot of these are actually pictures I take, some are not. What I’ll do is draw a picture and use free software to put the two together.” Usually he will take his photographs and his drawings and use several online programs such as Burner Bonanza, and LunaPic to crop and fill the images and an app called Pic Collage to place the drawn image into the photo. Art sometimes runs the risk of becoming too crowded or over complicated because of the medium it’s portrayed in. The process he goes through is intentionally straightforward in style so the viewers can focus on what the art piece means to them. He mentioned how the art pieces start as an idea, in his head or a random drawing and that each is done in one sitting.

“Almost all of these, once I start it, it’s all the way through. Whether it’s sitting down and working for three to four hours or not.” Though art pieces that have been worked on for months are beautiful and spectacular, some lose their message and the creator’s original feeling. This style of art is without any distractions for the viewer and just gives them a peek straight into the artist’s mind. There really is no room for distraction and leaves nothing but raw and pure creativity on the page.

Many times ideas will come to Ricks just from him drawing and or taking pictures of something he finds interesting and putting the two together. In his piece “Sex” the background of the print is actually a picture of dried coconut milk. He also takes inspiration from plenty of other artists.

“Top three definitely are Ralph Steadman, Salvador Dali and Doctor Seuss.” When talking about one of his more colorful pieces he mentioned Andy Warhol inspired him. “The color scheme is based around Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe which actually goes into a lot of these.”

Sometimes, the message or feelings Ricks has behind a piece can be heavier for him and viewers. Whether it’s the overall message of the art or the emotions he was going through, some of his works hold a heavier message than others. Describing his print “Finger Jam.” “That’s a car I crashed … So I took a picture of it. That’s on the road I had just crashed. I had it on my phone for a long time. Then one day I drew that, and they both came together so well.”

A comment on his art display read “Your art is very clever also very lewd, crude, and undesirable,” to which Ricks responded: “What a good description in art in general.” Ricks thinks about art in very new and different way than some other artists do. Ricks is a fantastic artist who is able to create such thought-provoking art in such a simple medium. He doesn’t distract the viewer from his message through the art and puts it right there on the page. A large part of his art comes straight from his heart and on a whim what he puts out is untouched creativity. Ricks posts new pieces of art on his Instagram @ricks_pressionism.

Contact the author at kreed17@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

A dog fight of Wolves versus Coyotes

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

Western Oregon’s lacrosse team hosted the College of Idaho’s Coyotes on April 8, but it was a slick fort to hold down as the Coyotes conquered the Wolves on their turf, 22-5.

Rain came down on the Wolves, both on the field and on the scoreboard. The Coyotes cleared the Wolves of any scoring chances, striking quickly in the first quarter, 6-0.

The home-field defending team dug themselves a deep 14-2 hole going into the second half — in major part to the multiple daggers the Coyotes threw from varying directions at Western’s net.

Attempting to lick their wounds, while quickly upping the pace in order to get back, the Wolves increased the higher output of attempts, but could only conjure up near makes and crossbar hits amounting to just three goals in the second half.

“We knew we were close, we just had to get a little inch inside and just a little lower,” said junior defenseman Bryce Hinkle.

The battle at midfield may have been the catalyst for which direction the ball moved and favored. The difference was 19-3 in favor of Idaho, which allowed them to be ball dominant most of the game.

“We’re just kind of getting into our own heads,” said attackman Andrew Barnett. “We really just need to play calm, cool, collected. I think we can come out and beat a team like that, we just made mental mistakes today and if we can pick up on that, we can run with them.”

The Wolves started out fast with a 3-0 record but are now 4-4, third place of their division. The team gathered in a huddle after the game to discuss their mishaps and what to look forward to. They’re only two games behind the No. 1 Coyotes, and are still not technically out of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) postseason picture.  

There’s one more game on the schedule for the Wolves, as they’ll go head-to-head against the Southern Oregon Raiders on April 21. Faceoff is at 7 p.m.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: Simson Garcia

Cycling in style

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Scattered around campus, waiting in front of buildings and seated along sidewalks are bright orange bicycles that popped up around Western early spring term. The recently-launched bike share program allows students to grab a bicycle and, with just the download of an app, start pedaling.

“Students should feel free to hop on this bike and ride it wherever they want,” explained Student Enrichment Program director Marshall Habermann-Guthrie. For only 50 cents for a half hour ride, the Spin bike share company aims to provide accessible and inexpensive transportation options to cities and campuses around the United States.

To get started, download the “Spin – Ride Your Way” app onto a smartphone. Habermann-Guthrie advises students to log in to the app with their .edu email to get the discounted rate of 50 cents per half hour instead of $1 per half hour for non-Western users. Students can input a form of payment such as a debit or credit card and continuously add money to the app, or they can choose a monthly option for $14 per month or annual option for $49 per year. These packages allow users free unlimited rides up to thirty minutes and provide transportation to downtown Monmouth, Independence or for a quick trip across campus.

Finding a bike can be simple by viewing the app’s map that shows every bike’s location in the Monmouth area. Scanning the bike’s QR code with the app triggers the back wheel to unlock, allowing users to hop on and ride to their next destination. Locking the back wheel after riding will notify the app that the ride is over. Because the bikes lock on their own, they can be docked at any location as long as it’s out of the way of cars and pedestrians.

The bike is complete with a front basket, a headlight and taillight, a kickstand and a bell. No special clothing or helmets are required when riding. “You shouldn’t feel like there’s some barrier between you and hopping on a bike,” said Habermann-Guthrie.

Habermann-Guthrie expressed his hope that this program will help all students, especially low-income individuals that may not have another mode of transportation.

“If we can provide an opportunity for students to get to an internship in Independence for $6 a month or 50 cents a ride, that is a huge benefit to our students,” he explained.

Many students, including sophomore Ellen Moore, are already utilizing the campus bikes.

“I personally don’t have my own car, so it’s really great that I can use them whenever, and it’s also better for the environment,” Moore explained. “Plus, bike rides are just a fun way to get exercise with friends, so it’s perfect that they got here in the spring.”

To try out the new bikes, download the app and get your first two rides free. Contact Habermann-Guthrie at guthriem@wou.edu with questions or comments.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Keeping your body hydrated

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

As you make your way through campus and notice endless amounts of Hydro Flasks in the hands of students, note that it’s for a good reason; making sure that you are consuming the right amount of water everyday is a necessary component of good health. Upping your daily intake of water can do several beneficial things for your body: improving digestion, preventing fatigue, helping your metabolism, supporting the detoxification of your kidneys and simply just making your skin glow — these are some of the infinite things it can do for you.

If you’re anything like me, this can be a little difficult because at any given moment, I’d rather have a cup of coffee in my hand than a bottle of water. However, there are some small ways that you can start slowly upping the amount of water you drink daily. They may seem minor, but they will actually eventually add up. If you struggle with getting enough hydration, follow some of these tips to make sure that you get the water that your body needs.

 

Infused Water

Taking your filtered water and infusing it with your favorite mixtures can change the flavor of your beverage drastically. When it seems more appealing to drink, you may find yourself pouring a glass more often than you’d think. My favorite infusion is adding strawberries, lemon and basil.

 

Drink before eating

Make it a habit to drink a glass of water 20 minutes before you have each meal. Not only will it help you reach your daily water requirement, but it will also help prevent you from overeating, as water helps curb any unnecessary cravings.

 

Have it ready

Make water convenient and readily available by keeping a bottle of water with you at all times. Even if you aren’t all that thirsty, you’ll likely find yourself sipping on it as the day goes by.

 

Set a reminder

If you’re consistently forgetting, put a reminder on your phone that will force you to get up and fill a water bottle every so often. That way, you don’t get to use the excuse that you “forgot.”

 

Set a goal

Setting a goal for how much water you need to consume a day will help you hold yourself accountable. Figure out what you need and write it down somewhere that you’ll see it constantly.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@mail.wou.edu

 

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Male Privilege

Paul F. Davis | Photo Editor

As an upper middle class white cis-male living in the 21st century, I am probably one the most privileged people to ever walk this earth, and this privilege has allowed me live in something of a bubble. This bubble helps me be awfully unaware of some the worst parts of our culture: fearing being shot in the back because a police officer thought my phone was a gun — I don’t even think about the police — or walking through the world expecting the worst — I expect the best — and especially I don’t have to deal with any of the problems most women have experienced or experience every day.

So I asked a few of my closest female friends and family about their least favorite things they have experienced related to being a female to illuminate what an average woman may go through that I never would.

“When I go parties or the bar I feel as if I can never fully relax … because I have to keep a lookout for anything that could happen to me or my friends. And when I see certain men at those parties I take my girl friends and we leave because I know they are trouble and I don’t want anything to happen to me or my friends,” said Rachel, a current student.

“In the past when I was running an LA Fitness, there would be times when people would come up to me and ask for the manager and I would respond with ‘I’m the manger, how can I help you’ and they would talk down to me as if I wasn’t qualified to be the manager, even though I was being professional and polite,” said Kelly, a graduate of Western.

“It’s not that he touched me or said anything extreme it was just the way he singled me out sometimes in class and looked at me that made me feel super uncomfortable,” said Abby about a former professor she had while attending Oregon State University.

“I have large breasts and I love them, but there are points when I hate them just because of how often they are stared at. So I wear clothes that don’t emphasize them so I don’t have to deal with it,” said Lauren a current student at Oregon State University.

After hearing about these experiences from some of people who I love the most in this world, I feel nothing less than thankful that I don’t have to deal being made to feel as less or feeling uncomfortable or feeling being stared at, but I have to demand that we change our actions as a society because if we do nothing, nothing will change and our future women will experience these moments time and time again. Which is something I don’t want any female person to experience.

I’m not going to sit by passively because change starts in one person and spreads so I’m going to actively work to prevent these things by changing my own behavior and by being responsive when my female counterparts experience something sexist. And lastly, I am going to ask you to do the same because no woman deserves to feel less or experience less just because they are female.

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Gaming’s newest trend: battle royale games

Kevin Reed | Entertainment Editor

Thanks to the huge success of Fortnight and “PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds” — or “PUBG” — similar video games have been coming out and trying to recreate their success. All of these games have brought new life to the battle royale genre. So why are these games so popular across all gaming platforms?

The basic concept of a battle royale-style title is this: a large number of players are dropped into a large map and the last player standing is victorious. The concept is a lot like “The Hunger Games” in a video game. Players have to loot and pillage the map for randomized weapons and items. To ensure that the game doesn’t last indefinitely, the map will shrink as the game progresses. Over the course of a single match usually a safe zone will appear and all players have to move into that safe zone — this will happen periodically until the remaining players have nowhere to hide from each other. Vehicles are important in battle royale titles and can make the difference between players getting in the top five or not. However, some recent games don’t currently have vehicles like “Fortnight.” However in titles like “H1Z1” and “PUBG” vehicles are a major part of the games play-style. Other game mechanics like crafting, building and hunger depend on the title.

A Japanese book, “Battle Royale” by Koushun Takami, actually helped inspired all modern battle royale games. In the novel, 42 high school students are taken to a deserted island and forced to fight to the death. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins also contributed to the original idea that started the whole genre.

Back in 2013, a mod was made of “ARMA: 2” called “DayZ,” where players tried to survive in a zombie apocalypse situation. This mod was important and eventually became its own standalone game. After Suzanne Collins’s novel became popular, developers decided to remove the zombies and make a game mode for “DayZ” where players fought themselves instead of the undead.

The next big game to come out for the genre was a game made by Daybreak Game Company called “H1Z1.” The game didn’t fully release until February 2017, but was in Steam Early Access long before that. With a massive 150-person lobby, games were hard fought and very long. “H1Z1” caught the eye of Twitch streamers and YouTube stars alike and the community around this game grew massively. In the past “DayZ” had been streamed but never caught this level of popularity. Many game developer companies saw this success and tried to replicate it in their own games by creating battle royale game modes. Titles like “Minecraft,” “Ark: Survival Evolved,” “Grand Theft Auto Online” and “Paladins” created battle royale style game modes. Then new standalone games started getting released.

Currently, all around the gaming community, battle royale games are booming. “Fortnight” and “PUBG” are massively popular and new games are sprouting up more and more. The whole structure of video games is based around risk and reward. In battle royale games you need a combination of luck, strategy and skill to be able to win a round.

Winning in other video game genres comes and goes frequently, except for professional players; winning in this genre is rare. Every decision is a risk and a chance you have to take whether it’s picking a place to drop in, which weapon to use, or what vehicle to use. It’s this high-risk scenario that immerses gamers and makes them love these games even more. Battle royale games have been in the backseat of gaming for years but now they are taking the community by storm in a big way.

Contact the author at kreed17@wou.edu

Photo by: Playbattlegrounds.com, Bohemia.net, H1z1.com

Volleyball setter paints a picture for the world to see

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

A stereotypical question many college students are faced with is “what are you going to do in college?” When a student finds the answer, the question expands further to “what will that do for you?”

Volleyball setter Leila Holt is an art major and focuses her art on “portraying a feeling. It’s more for my mind and emotions. Art is more of me,” said Holt. What used to be a hobby is now a drive toward making her art piece better than the last, as well as better than the competition.

But Holt’s no stranger to those questions being raised. During her first two years, the now-junior was just brushing by, prerequisite after prerequisite, for completion of her liberal arts core courses. Not dead set, at the time, on where exactly she’d put her vision towards, a few art classes helped paint a picture for her future.

In her younger years, Holt drew up early passions in softball, hula and volleyball among other things she’d find interest in. The first game changer, however, was volleyball, a sport she’s loved since elementary school. Growing up in Manoa, Hawaii, she played ball at Kamehameha High School where she helped her school win state.

Soon after graduating, she stepped foot on Western’s volleyball court into a class of seven recruits. Throughout the years, she’s earned her battle scars and stripes, through knee and elbow scrapes from hard floor digging dives and slides, to keep a game alive.

Last season, Holt led her Western squad in assists which elevated her to eighth all-time for the school in that category, with 1,239 assists. 2017 didn’t go as planned for the Wolves, however, finishing last in their division.

“We have such great talent on our team, it’s just the cohesion which hasn’t kind of clicked,” said Holt.

Next season, Holt will enter her senior year as a team leader. Her experience benefits the Wolves as she played all but one game during her first year and started in half of the games; an experience which, according to her, has led her to taking on a “motherly” role to the many newcomers.

“It won’t be hard, you’ll be fine,” she expressed adamantly to her younger volleyball teammates in passing. Her mentorship role is something she learned on and off the court, as she grew up with five siblings — a few of which have also played collegiately in different sports — and in the collectivistic nature of Hawaiian culture.

Ever the veteran and leader, Holt has found a home in volleyball and it’s also managed to weave smoothly with her artistic side.

With her eyes set on art as the major, she’s just getting started, and following completion of her LACC’s and art classes she’s taken thus far, is eager for more.

The transition in both art and volleyball for Holt is based on one commonality: both free Holt from all the world’s stresses.

“Volleyball is my physical escape. I have to constantly work out for it, but it’s also a very mindful thing. Art is more for my mind and emotions.”

At this point in her portrait of life, Holt has found harmony between the two, but volleyball’s rigorous in-season schedule has kept Holt on her toes; “(Volleyball) does take a lot of mental stress and also emotional stress. But art helps take away from that.”

Holt credits professor Kim Hoffman for the decision in helping choose art as her focus. Hoffman and Holt discussed that very relationship between majoring in art and competing in volleyball and how the combination may be difficult, considering the busy schedules both environments provide.

“But (Hoffman) came to me one class period and he had the change of major form, handed it to me, and told me ‘write your name down’ … and so if he sees potential in me and thinks that I could do it, then of course I’m going to do it.”

It’s not uncommon for students to regret a degree choice. In fact, it’s common that students venture their whole education discontent with their major. But majoring in art, Holt says, is the best decision she’s made.

“I’m so happy with it. I see everyone stressed out with finals and things, but for me, I don’t get that type of stress anymore. It’s more of ‘I’m stressed about if my project is good enough.’”

Whether it’s ceramics, sculpting, drawing or painting, it’s no longer about just doing the work, but about her strides in progression piece after piece. In her room, she was befuddled at old drawings she pinned to her wall — drawings she came to reflect back on and vehemently took down soon after. Holt, therefore, has become her own biggest fan and critic.

“If you don’t see something wrong with your piece, then you’re never going to get better. There’s always something that you could’ve done, or could still do to make it better,” Holt said.

And while many may have a particular art piece or painter they’ve become inspired by, Holt enjoys studying and taking away bits and pieces from all aspects of art she’s seen: “I like artworks that you can think about, also seeing and wondering what it is or whether it makes you feel a certain way.”

Art is an escape from social anxieties, a release into the creative process and a place where one can get in the zone and work through for two to three hours, in the eyes of Holt.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu   

Photo by: Paul F. Davis