Author: Holly Chaisson

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Arts

Houghton Hires New Photography Professor

Houghton welcomed 11 new faculty members this year, including new photography and digital imaging professor, Ryann Cooley.  Professor Cooley comes to Houghton after several stints as a photographer in both the advertising and missionary fields.

However, before pursuing his career in photography, Cooley worked as a financial planner. In the late 80s, on what is known as Black Monday, the stock market crashed and Cooley marks this as the start of a series of events that happened in his life where he said God started speaking in his life, “convicting [him] of [his] motivations for being in the financial sector.” After the revelation that money was his “primary motivation”, Cooley said that he realized he could “only serve one master”, something which “shook [his] world.”

Cooley_RyannEventually Cooley stepped away from the financial sector and said that this time in his life was one without “a sense of direction, motivation, or drive.” The next six months were spent in prayer, Cooley said, almost “like [he] was in a monastery.” This intense period of prayer ultimately left Cooley with a dream in which he was “a photographer for missionaries, traveling the world to document various missions” as a graduate of Brooks Institute, a school he heard about in high school.

Initially following his dream, Cooley contacted Brooks Institute and learned that both the tuition and admission requirements were out of reach. Dismayed, he began to look elsewhere. Yet a month later he received a call from Brooks offering him admission and scholarship. After being accepted into the undergraduate program at the Brooks Institute under the Alumni Scholarship Program, Cooley immediately enrolled and successfully completed his degree. Following his graduation, he began to contact missionaries to see if he could come along on their missions and take photos. When Cooley was denied these opportunities, he said his next step was to “go and make a name for [himself] as a photographer,” so he moved to New York City, “the hub of photography”, in order to do so.

In NYC, Cooley worked as an assistant photographer for several years with his first client being Levi’s. His work in advertising gradually grew and was followed by an opportunity to shoot for a Presbyterian mission organization while they were on a mission in Mexico for three weeks, an opportunity Cooley said he “jumped at.” His work with missions organizations continued with groups like the Arab World Missions in Morocco and the International Bible Society based in Colorado Springs.

Following the birth of his son and the start of his family, Cooley said that his career direction changed. “My dream had come true,” he said, and it was now time to return to the advertising world, which Cooley said he sees as “much [of] a mission field” as those he had worked in before, calling advertising a “foreign country itself.” In 2012, after a reasonable stint in advertising, Cooley pursued and received his MFA in Photography, Video, and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts in NYC so that he could teach.

Before coming to Houghton, Cooley looked into and interviewed at several schools, but he said it was the students at Houghton that stood out to him because they were “easy to talk to and articulate;” students he wanted the chance to work with. After receiving and accepting the position at Houghton, Cooley and his family moved from New York City to Angelica, and he said that the transition was big, but that he was “ready to move on from the city.”

When asked what he hopes to bring to Houghton, Cooley said that he wants to bring an “NYC edge,” and introduce more conceptual art that will help in his goal of “pushing the boundaries of what people expect of art.” Additionally, he would like to see the number of photography classes grow to include more advanced classes that offer students the opportunity to specialize in areas such as lighting. Also important to Cooley is the relationship between the music and art departments. He hopes to help bring the departments together in combined performances, and said that there may be a collaboration with Professor Brian Johnson in the works for this year’s Christmas Prism.

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Arts

“Diary of Love” Recital

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The recent faculty recital, Diary of Love Songs, featured Kelley Hijleh, voice, Sharon Johnson, piano, and Steven Thomas, violin. Martha Thomas, wife of Thomas, the violist, said that the recital was “a musical energy that has been birthed by love,” and according to Professor Kelly Hijleh- she has got it spot on.

Hijleh is the lead vocalist of Diary of Love Songs, and has been part of the Houghton faculty for 21 years. She said her hope for the recital was that to unite the campus through music. Hijleh said that this recital was more personal to her than previous recitals because it is, in effect, a story of her own relationship with her husband of 23 years. The recital featured two pieces written by her husband, Mark Hijleh. One, More Precious than Rubies, was first played at the couple’s wedding, and will be played once more, this time by Hannah Hijleh, the couple’s daughter. “Romantic love is a great gift from God” Hijleh said, “and I have attempted to share my life story.”

A member of the music faculty for 10 years, Johnson explained that this recital encompasses her relationships with dear friend Kelley Hijleh and her students. She said the recital was a special bond she was able to share with Kelley, and said the experience was one that enriched their friendship. Johnson also said that recitals help her to better communicate with her students by helping her to bridge the gap between musician and teacher. “I am not just a teacher but also a learner and that creates a holistic environment for students,” she said, “and that can be seen clearly when I perform on stage.”

“Music is very present in our life and in worship,” Thomas said, “ and when we worship we are closest to God.” Thomas said that the recital was a very exciting event for him and a strong expression of his own spirituality as he said, “I am most intimate with God when I play music.”

The recital was unanimously described to be “all about love.” A theme that is reflected both in the repertoire and the participant’s back stories. To begin, Hijleh and Johnson performed four Italian love songs from the 17th and 18th centuries. The first two selections highlight the beloved, while the third, a decidedly darker melody, “depicts love that is faithful in the face of faithlessness” according to Hijleh’s program note, and finally the fourth piece reflects the “fiery passion” that is “often depicted in love songs. Hijleh brought life to the lyrics with dramatic expression and a passionate delivery of the melody. Following the Italian selections, is another series of four pieces by Johannes Brahms. The themes of passion, fire, and love are present throughout, and Hijleh’s performance mirrored these well. Also on the program was Hijleh’s performance of an aria from the French opera, Louise, entitled “Depuis le jour.” It was an “exuberant” piece that Hijleh said “[captured] for [her] better than anything the feeling of being in love.

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Arts

Annual Faculty Art Exhibition

The start of the new school year offers opportunities not only to grow academically and spiritually on campus, but also to enjoy what the art department has to offer with this year’s Faculty Art Exhibition. Originally featuring the work of two professors, this exhibition has occurred annually since the art department was founded at Houghton College and was expanded eight years ago to become the comprehensive group faculty exhibition that it is today.

Faculty_Art_Show_1Jillian Sokso, chair of the art department, said that the purpose of the Faculty Art Exhibition is to “engage the community in what’s happening with the art faculty,” similar to the faculty recitals that happen within the music department. Twelve different medias from six professors are featured this year, which Sokso said would help students to get a good idea about what is available to study in the art department. Additionally Sokso said that the exhibit also “benefits the faculty” involved, as it is “good to get to work together” and will foster “helpful conversation” amongst colleagues. Faculty members featured this year include Ted Murphy, Ryann Cooley, Jillian Sokso, Dave Huth, John Rhett, and Gary Baxter.

Professor Ted Murphy, who teaches fundamental art courses such as painting, drawing and Intro to 2D Design, as well as the art history course, Renaissance to Early Romanticism, has over 26 pieces featured in the exhibition. One of his series, Drawings In and Out of Context, was completed “during the lectures and seminar discussions of the past year in the Contemporary Context class” he helped to teach, according to his artist’s statement, noting that “in order to better concentrate on [the class] discussions [he] began to draw.” Concerning his part in the exhibition overall, Murphy said in his artist’s statement, “these works grew out of a process” and that this “current body of work reflects [his] overlapping interest in representational art and degrees of abstraction,” as well as reflecting “an interest in Zen painting”.

Houghton’s new photography and digital imaging professor, Ryann Cooley is also featured in the exhibition, and is showing an installation conceptual piece entitled “The Last Supper”. Cooley’s typical work in the light-based mediums of photography and video is reflected in this piece, which employs twelve working TVs. The twelve TVs represent the Twelve Apostles, giving the piece its name. Cooley plays Mel Gibson’s “The Passion” on a loop while arranging the TVs to face the wall, allowing the viewer to only observe the light given off as its reflected. He said that as observers walk amongst the piece they are unaware that “Christ is continually being crucified” and that this “mirrors the conditions of the Last Supper where Christ said that his disciples didn’t ‘get it’,” as the viewers will at first miss the true meaning of the exhibit. “Yet,” Cooley said, “one can still enjoy the piece just like the apostles enjoyed Christ’s presence,” by evoking a reflective nature in the observers.

Chair of the art department and professor Jillian Sokso said that her work in this exhibition is “all relatively recent and was done over the summer.” Her works include drawings, an installation piece and book sculptures. When asked about the inspiration for her work here, Sokso said that much of it stemmed from her recent residency at the Woodside Art Center in Troy, NY.  Her installation piece is also inspired by the concept of “strategic reuse,” something Sokso said she is interested in.

The exhibition formally opened the 30th of August and will continue to run through the 6th of October. A reception will take place the 20th of September complete with live music and food, as well as featuring the artists themselves speaking about their work.

 

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Arts

Houghton Palooza

Spring came just in time for Houghton’s annual outdoor music extravaganza, the Houghton Palooza, taking place this Saturday April 27 on the quad at the townhouses. This year’s event will host a musical line-up featuring of a mixture of local musicians and Houghton students.

Courtesy of samecity.com
Courtesy of samecity.com

One of the bands performing this year is Samecity. Headed by Justin and Hannah Bowersox, Samecity is an alternative/folk rock group that will be playing the songs from their new EP that was released this week. Graduate Justin Bowersox, lead vocals, said that the band’s music “[addresses] the issues of brokenness and hopelessness and reconciling them with the hope found in Christ.”

Hannah Bowersox, senior, said that for Samecity, the Palooza is “an opportunity to play for friends…they can see what we devote our hearts to.”

Many involved with the event are hoping for and expecting a big turnout. For many of this year’s performers, the Palooza is an opportunity to showcase a year’s (or more) worth of hard work and practice. Senior Dan Larson, drums of Samecity, said, “it’s nice to see all our friend’s bands and what everybody’s put together.”

Sophomore Aaron Arber and his band “Crowning Achievement” will also be playing at this year’s Palooza, performing a selection of covers and some original songs ranging from pop punk to heavy rock in genre. This is the band’s first time playing at the festival, and Arber said, “We’re going to try our best to entertain, but we’re mainly playing to have a great time.”

In addition to the musical main event, there will be several different clubs making an appearance and hosting booths. For instance, junior Nathan Hatch said that Printed Matter Press will be offering screen-printing and that the Environmental Club will offer Henna tattoos. Senior Lanthorn Committee members Hannah Hanover and Megan Specksgoor will also be joining the festivities and hosting a face-painting booth.

Hanover said that, in addition to face-painting, the Lanthorn’s booth will feature some free books as well. Hanover added that she and her fellow editor, Specksgoor, “can’t wait to relax with other clubs on campus…and to have the opportunity to share [their] enthusiasm for student art with the campus.”

Hatch said that this year will be different thanks to the involvement of several different clubs, making this year’s Palooza “a better event for everyone.”

Accompanying the music and various activities hosted by each club’s booths, Hatch said that there would be “plenty of 3 Bums pizza, cotton candy, and smoothies.” Hatch also said that Silas and Sadie Miller will be selling lemonade to raise money for Silas’ well fund in Africa.

This year’s Houghton Palooza is sure to be a “rollicking good time in the sunshine and a great opportunity to socialize, relax, and listen to live music,” said Hanover.

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Arts

“The Magic Flute” Opera

Beginning on Friday April 19 Houghton College’s lyric theatre program will be putting on a performance of Mozart’s whimsical opera, “The Magic Flute.” According to the director’s note written by Dr. Conor Angell, the production is a fairy-tale narrative that mixes “slapstick humor with serious moral messages.” It mixes humor with powerful themes such as “light overcoming darkness”, making the production an enjoyable show for children, students, and even parents alike.

Courtesy of houghton.edu
Courtesy of houghton.edu

This “outlandish, fairytale kind of plot” will be brought to life by a chamber orchestra and a full cast and chorus, all led by director Angell and conductor Andrew Dibble. This opera features characters such as the Bird Catcher; an energetic, simple, and bumbling man by the name of Papageno played by graduate student Chris Olsen; and the sinister, cruel, and vengeful Queen of the Night played by sophomore Rachel Anacker.

In the director’s note, Angell said that Mozart “wrote some of the most beloved music of all time for his last opera, ‘The Magic Flute.’” This opera, a result of the collaboration between Mozart and his librettist, Schikaneder, was written primarily for the middle-class suburban theatre crowd, said Angell. Angell also said that it is unique that this production will feature more spoken dialogue than is typical, making it “similar to modern musicals.” Alongside slapstick humor and some strikingly serious and cruel instances, this beloved show also features a love plot full of twists that is sure to “pull the audience’s heartstrings,” as Angell said.

Though perhaps an unexpected choice as an opera, Angell said that those involved wanted to “balance the feasible with the ambitious.” Additionally, this opera will be performed in English, helping it to resonate with an audience that may not frequent the opera. Angell hopes that by using the chapel as a venue, the full opera experience will come through, aided by spectacular sets, powerful vocalists, and a superb chamber orchestra.

Angell went on to praise the work on the set design, led by junior art major Amy Coon. This production has been made possible by the initiative taken by many students to “stand up and volunteer.” “Go big or go home” seems to be the overarching idea, said Angell, with “bigger lighting, bigger sets, more costumes, and better lighting” all being a part of the show. Freshman Luke Duttweiler said, “The audience will enjoy the incredible costuming and the set.”

Everyone involved in the production has been preparing for this weekend since December, said Angell. Duttweiler said that the opera has been a “ton of work…but [that] it has a huge potential reward.” A show cannot go on without its crew behind the scenes, however, and sophomore Lara Larsson said, “we forget that a production is not simply performers on a stage. It truly is a team effort!”

“There’s this buzz amongst the cast and also around campus and the school of music,” said Angell. Larsson said that all who are planning on attending should “be prepared to smile, laugh, and be awed.” Houghton’s “The Magic Flute” promises to be a night filled with incredible sets, bright lights, and a stellar performance.

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Arts

Annual Film Festival

The annual Film Festival is on Friday, April 12 this year, a night for Houghton’s amateur filmmakers to showcase their current creative endeavors. The first event of the evening, a formal event, will first feature a “Blue-Hue” pre-party that will be hosted at 8 p.m. in the Van Dyk lounge.

arts&sports_filmfestThe competition, following the pre-party, will take place in Wesley Chapel promptly at 9 p.m. As in any competition, the judging and awards will follow the screenings. Categories this year range from animation and comedy to commercial and drama. According to one of the judges in the competition, Sally Murphy, points are awarded according to different elements of the films such as acting, directing, and cinematography.

The awards are given for achievements such as best actor or actress, best cinematography, best editing, and of course, best picture. The competitive nature of the festival aside, contestant Aaron Fitzgerald, senior, regards it as an opportunity to “celebrate the work of filmmakers on campus.” Cory Martin, junior, said that the purpose of the festival is a chance for students to proudly “display their art to the public.”

Expectations are high for this year’s turnout. “In the past, the Houghton Film Festival has been a big letdown for me. The content was not good. It did not provide a good context to show something you had worked hard on. It was a popularity contest,” said Fitzgerald. “On further inspection, the quality of work and the attitudes of the people submitting films this year seems to be a much higher level and I am happy that I submitted something.”

Submissions this year range from the serious to the comical; “some are stupid and make you scratch your head and laugh, and others are on a more serious note,” senior contestant Andrew Jones said. From an animation film based on a Richard Simmons’ dance video submitted by Martin, to a short film-poem that adapts Ulysses by Tennyson entered by Fitzgerald, this year’s entries are sure to both entertain and encourage thought-provoking dialogue for filmmakers and attendees alike.

This evening would not be possible, of course, without the interest of Houghton students in the art of filmmaking. Jones is looking forward to the Festival as an opportunity to showcase his videos on a larger scale than the in-class critique. Jones said, “Video is such a big part of our culture and it’s great when I can contribute my own ideas and stories. I just enjoy telling stories through film, and much like writing, acting, singing, or painting, film is just another way you can tell a story in an engaging and entertaining way.”

Senior Nicholas Quigley said, “I wanted to submit my piece to share with my friends what I actually do as a communication major.” His entry, Visions, is a submission in the Drama category; he said that his piece “is an ambiguous piece that takes you on a journey in and out of this guy’s head as he deals with his darkest time in his life. What I love about the piece is its ambiguity that leaves the viewer open to interpreting it as they want.”

This year’s Film Festival is a celebration of film that offers a chance to view some fantastic amateur films by fellow students. Murphy said that it is an opportunity to “feel a little Hollywood glam,” making this an event that students will not want to miss.