By Wade Walker 

Using photography and image manipulation, Molly Moreschini produces powerful depictions of loss and survival that provoke intense reactions from the viewer. She uses the death of her parents as inspiration to fuel a series of photographs which are both terrifying and intoxicating. Her work can be viewed at the CSU-Pueblo Fine Arts Gallery throughout the month of April as part of the Senior Show.

“I think that makes the best art when you take your personal experience and give the world something they can identify with.” Caroline Peters, CSU-Pueblo assistant professor of art, said.

In a collection of 10 photos, Moreschini attempts to reproduce the dreams that have been part of her nocturnal world since the loss of both of her parents over the last 2 years. In 2015, she lost her mother suddenly. Concerned about an abnormal mass, her mother went in for a biopsy and ended up on life support due to complications. The diagnosis was lung cancer and she was given a month to live, she made it 3. Moreschini was her caretaker, alongside her wheelchair-bound father, and she spent her days helplessly watching her health deteriorate. Only 8 months later, her father died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD. Moreschini was also her father’s caretaker.

“To see the people I love the most go through that and sit there and be completely helpless is a nightmare in itself.” she said.

Sometime in the wake of her mother’s death, the dreams began. In her nightmares, she found herself in hopeless scenarios which involved either drowning, falling or suffocating. She was also surrounded by the inescapable and terrifying sounds of gasping for air, a sound that she became uncomfortably familiar with as she took care of her parents in their last days at the mercy of a respiratory disease.

“It sounds like someone drowning” she said.

It’s no coincidence that the series is comprised of works with titles such as Falling and Stuck, while the spectral Drowning features a hand breaking through the ground against a grainy fog of grey and black. She says the hand represents the strength of her father “holding on till the very last moment.” Lyme disease put him in a wheelchair but he managed to take care of his dying wife despite his own failing health. Moreschini says watching such a strong man be rendered so helpless by disease was one of the hardest parts of the entire ordeal.

“He was her rock while she was his and they supported each other through the loss of her mother,” Edward Doyle, fellow CSU-Pueblo art student, said.

The scars that a death leaves on a family is incalculable and Moreschini has still not had time to process her grief. She went from taking care of her sick mother to taking care of her sick father and now she is taking care of her maternal grandmother. While she claims she is no expert, she does have some insight into the telltale signs of a person nearing the end and that her grandmother’s time is drawing near.

“She looks like my mother and that makes it very hard,” she said.

In the most haunting photo of her collection, Pain Cutting to the Bone depicts a screaming side-profile of a face whose mouth is being stretched backwards through her neck. She says it represents the reoccurring theme of choking that she experiences in her nightmares.

“Death has always been familiar to me in my life so this is ultimately a self-portrait of how I felt and how I was dealing with everything,” she said, “because of the way it cut through me.”

The series includes 5 pieces depicting the uplifting aspects of her dreams. In many of those, her parents make an appearance and allow her a little bit of closure.

“They visit me and I welcome that,” she said.

In a field of gold, a woman disappears from left to right in her picture titled Stuck. It’s about her mother suddenly fading away. It took three months for her mother to disappear completely while Moreschini watched helplessly, but she believes that there is a place of beauty and peace where loved ones go and this photo is a representation of that idea.

“She’s trying to show how terrible things can be, but there is always some hope, there’s always a way through it.” Doyle said.

It has been a year since Morschini lost her father and she is coping with a new life on her own. She is slated to graduate in the fall, despite all her setbacks. Her parents left her a farm with 100 cows for which she is now responsible but she worries that she is too attached to the cows to properly run a beef farm. Moreschini plans on selling the farm and turning her space into an art studio for her to practice art therapy.

By Maggie Geolat

If you are looking for a group of people to show unconditional support, enthusiasm, and drive, look no further than to our CSU-Pueblo dance team. Our dance team constantly spends their time choreographing and practicing new routines, no matter if it is football, basketball, or at one of the many other events they show support for. This support led them all the way to the national spotlight this past week, and allowed them to place third among the heavy competition.

The dance team has an undeniable drive when it comes to each performance. They show commitment to their trade, and get the audience excited for each game they are in attendance at. This energy is what led senior Tori Rushing to try out for the team.

“I found out about the dance team because I used to work at Starbucks and my coach came through (there all) of the time,” Rushing said. “We got to talking one day about it and she gave me a try out.”

Rushing has been dancing for 17 years and realized how great of a fit the team would be for her. The passion for the dance team that she has is contagious, and she has since then become the captain of the team.

The dance team has been competing at the national level for three years. In the past, the team has competed in the open category of competition and has placed sixth and eighth, consecutively.

The third place win that the team took home this year was through competing in the hip-hop category. Rushing says “For nationals this year we choreographed our own routine in only a month and placed third against some of the top hip hop teams in the nation. Teams typically hire a choreographer and practice the whole year so we were proud of what we brought.”

For sophomore Hope Guerrero, there is excitement and opportunity behind the third place finish. “We are all so excited about placing and we hope the success will get the dance team more recognition and credit,” Guerrero said. “We worked really hard and are glad that the hard work and dedication didn’t go unnoticed.”

The team this year was the biggest that the program has ever seen. The hope is that this national recognition will continue to build a stronger team every year.

Some of the changes that have taken place have been in the style of dance that the team has aligned with. Rushing noted “When I tried out as a freshman the team was completely jazz. I felt the crowd would enjoy the performances more if we incorporated hip hop.”

The incorporation of hip-hop, unique choreography and a strong team base have led our CSU-Pueblo dance team to succeed and be competitive at the national level. Next time you are at a sporting event, make sure you show support for the hard work of our dance team.

If you are interested in learning more about the CSU-Pueblo dance team, contact Coach Vonnie Taibi, at (719) 549-2711.

By Wade Walker

The Fine Arts Gallery at Colorado State University-Pueblo currently showcases work from the senior art students. titled Senior Show, the exhibits include a wide range of media from the art department’s most promising young talent. Throughout April, their works are on display during normal gallery hours with a semester wrap party taking place on May 5^th, from 5-7 p.m. The event is free to the public and food and refreshments will be served.

“It’s an opportunity to celebrate the students and for the community, their family and the rest of campus to see what they do and see all the work that they spent so much time on through the last few semesters.” Caroline Peters, CSU-Pueblo assistant professor of art, said.

Diversity is a key focus of the art program and the students are using the Senior Show as an opportunity to present the wide range of their talent. Paintings, photography, sculpture and pottery are just some of the media used in the show and it represents how multifaceted these artists are.

Many great artists have a fascination with nature and Edward Doyle is no different. Featuring works ranging from a sea turtle tea set to neon dragonflies in skulls, his passion for biology crosses paths with philosophy. In his painting titled Altered Life, a death’s head moth stands in contrast to a beautiful purple butterfly that represents “a balance between good and evil.” He says that moths, the death’s head in particular, fall victim to an ill-deserved stigma and that the insect once enjoyed an almost deity-like status among ancient cultures. In contrast, he claims a butterfly represents death but in a pretty package.

“The death’s head moth is a beautiful moth that has a lot more to it than just death.” He said.

Some students find that the program brings out the artist within them. Joyce Pretzer’s diverse collection includes mandalas, rustic photography and. Her more eclectic works include a lamp made of florite and a clay ball formed into ocean currents. She also specializes in Raku, a form of Japanese pottery traditionally used for drinking bowls. Her work represents a student exploring dynamic art to find her style. With such a diverse range of media, assumptions could be made that Pretzer has been an artist her whole life. Nothing could be further from the truth as she claims that she never considered art as a career.

“I’ve never thought of myself as an artist but it turns out, I am.” she said.

The process has been one of discovery for Pretzer. As a non-traditional student, she has wisdom on her side and it has allowed her to develop her craft into a very sophisticated style. She says it has been a journey and that the Senior Show comprises the culmination of her education. She says of her sculpture titled Flowing, a tree with symmetrical, silver beads hanging in rows like a cascading gate to Eden, “it’s the first piece that turned out like I planned.”

Some artists find inspiration from tragedy. Molly Moreschini found a way to channel the loss of her parents into a collection of photos that are both provocative and inspiring. In a series of harrowing images, she channeled the nightmares she has suffered from since the loss of her parents into a stimulating and sometimes terrifying chronicle of a woman struggling through crippling grief.

“My art is my therapy, I would write down my nightmares, a lot of them were about drowning or being stuck and this was my way of dealing with them.” she said.

Diversity is key to the Senior Show and Morescheni follows that tradition. In one of her pictures from the Toxic Series, she depicts a mother and daughter in gasmasks, holding each other on a train track, pointing towards the distance. The powerful work suggests a not too distant future which provokes feelings of dread at the prospect of unsustainability.

“It’s about the future, what the children are going to have to live in, what they are going to have to live through, are we as providers setting them up for a good life.” she said.

By Victoria Ruiz

On Friday, the Southern Colorado Reading Series partnered with the Pueblo Progressive Poetry Project to present readings by three published poets. The event, which took place off-campus at Songbird Cellars, was in celebration of National Poetry Month and featured CU-Boulder instructor Raza Ali Hasan, “Islanders” author Teow Lim Goh and Dorset Prize winner Lauren Camp.

CSU-Pueblo associate professor of English and creative writing director, Juan Morales said audience members could expect “another exciting edition” to the series.

The event was hosted at Songbird Cellars, a small performance hall located in the Historic Mesa Junction. Songbird Cellars is surrounded by local businesses including Taffy’s candy shop, Shuster’s Bakery and The Pantry.

The venue sported instruments as wall décor and a small stage at the front of the room. Anahi Najar, a sophomore nursing student, said Songbird Cellars had a “poetry reading vibe” to it. She said, “The atmosphere was very calming.”

The event, which was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., was slow to start. In fact, audience members were still trickling in approximately an hour later. The door to the venue was kept open until the first poet took to the stage.

Morales introduced Hasan as a long-time friend, stating that they have known each other for approximately 8 years. “(Everyone is) in for a really special treat,” said Morales after thanking the owners of Songbird Cellars and allowing Hasan to begin his reading.

Hasan is originally from Pakistan, according to Morales he moved to the U.S. in 1991. He currently teaches in the CU- Boulder English department. The poems that Hasan read had a distinct theme surrounding mathematics and featured topics such as exoplanets or formulas. The crowd reacted with laughs and murmurs after various readings.

Lim Goh read next. Morales said after reading some of her pieces he “absolutely fell in love with them.” Lim Goh works with Black Orchid Press and currently lives in Denver. For this reading, she assured the audience there would be no “math poems this time.”

Her poetry centered on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Her performance had a  somber tone and left the audience silent. Lim Goh said, “In the first part of my book, I imagined what the women (held at Angel Island) would have said.”

The final poet, according to Morales, is from Northern New Mexico. Morales said, “(Camp) wins the award for driving the longest to get here.” Pueblo was Camp’s first stop on her Colorado mini-tour where she performs from her book “One Hundred Hungers.”

Camp’s readings weaved through her young-adulthood and her father’s childhood in Bagdad. She described her understanding of her father’s “duality” of values. Camp said she tried to capture her father’s “inability to be just one (culture) and not the other.”

For more information on the SOCO Reading Series or for current updates, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSoCoReadingSeries.

By Thomas Thortvedt

Colorado State University-Pueblo hosted the track and field open Sunday, April 2 at the Neta & Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl.

This past weekend the Pack congratulated two big winners, junior, Tatianna Clanton and junior, Derrick Williams. Clanton was able to win three events for the Thunderwolves, taking the 100m dash with a time of 12.18 and the long jump with a measurement of 5.88m. Clanton also participated in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay team’s victory.

In the relays, Clanton was the anchor for the 4x100m team made of senior, Andrea Tuck, freshman, Lauren Fairchild and freshman, Taliah Burney. The 4x400m team was able to post a winning time of 3:49:83, with Clanton lead the relay and was followed by Burney, Tuck, then Sydni Riley.

Riley, in the 800m run, finished second but had a time of 2:10.86 which added to the Pack’s five provisional marks. The time ranks 14^th nationally. Burney also competed in an individual race and earned a victory with a top time of 57.04 in the 400m dash. Fairchild in the 200m dash, placed second with a time of 26.04.

Williams stood out in the 3000m steeplechase Sunday, posting an NCAA provisional mark and it also added to the Pack’s nine victories and five total NCAA provisional times. Sophomore, Miriam Roberts, finished second in her 3000m steeplechase which was good enough for her to post a national provisional mark that ranks 19^th in NCAA Division II.

The men’s 4x400m relay came towards the end of Sunday’s event and the team made up of sophomore, Shawn Horne, sophomore, Zach Retzlaff, freshman, Thomas Staines and junior, Dueth Vassell. The team placed third in the race with a time of 3:20.93.

Head Track and Field coach, Matthew Morris said that yesterday’s performance was great to see. “It’s always good to see the hard work our team puts in daily get put on display during meets.” Morris said. “It’s a great way to start the spring season.” he said.

The next scheduled meet for the Thunderwolves is the Colorado Invitational, April 7-8 at the Balch Fieldhouse in Boulder, Colorado.

By Wade Walker

The Fine Arts Gallery at Colorado State University-Pueblo, as part of a monthly showcase, features the art of filmmaker Adam Sekuler for its March exhibit. A special screening of his film “Tomorrow Never Knows” will be held in the library immediately followed by a reception in the gallery, including food and beverages followed by a Q and A with the artist. The film will be shown on March 31^st, at 5:00 p.m, in the library in room 109.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community and the university to come together.” Caroline Peters, CSU-Pueblo assistant professor of art, said.

The gallery, titled Sacrament and Service: The Rituals of Adam Sekuler, features the works of the prolific filmmaker from Boulder, CO. A three-part exhibit comprised of photographs, videos and instillation art, Sekuler’s work is a diverse array of multimedia.

“His work centers around the place of ritual and contemporary life.” Peters said.

In a collection of photos titled the “Weatherman Daily Series,” Sekuler took a picture of the sky every day for four years. He selected 17 of them as a series to show not only the passing of time but also the interconnectedness of his art with himself.

“My interest is to explore light and the way it is intersecting with me on a daily basis.” he said.

Anyone interested in following his work beyond the scope of the exhibit can connect with him on Instagram where they will find many more photos from the Weatherman series. His website is also full of samples of his art. www.maidezfilms.com

“It’s like a diary in a sense, it shows how it is about the life of the artist as well.” Peters said.

Alzheimer’s has impacted countless lives, Sekuler’s added. He watched helplessly as his friend deteriorated from the disease and it had a big impact on him. It inspired him to make a film that explored “the thin line between life and death.”

A harrowing look into dementia and deterioration, the film is called “Tomorrow Never Knows” in which he follows a Buhddist man with Alzheimer’s and documents the struggle of his last days in which he starved himself to death. It is his third film about death. He says with relief that he is done making films about death and dying. The gallery features a video instillation called “Held Breath” where a preview of his film can be viewed.

A second video instillation entitled “Mimic,” offers something completely different. 25 participants were asked to mimic cricket sound while Sekuler recorded them. He buried a video monitor in a wood pile instillation where the recording plays on a 110-minute loop.

“It’s fascinating because those are the materials we use in our daily life, we always have our phones on hand, so to me this exhibit will relate to a lot of people but it will use those mediums with depth.” Peters said.

Sekuler has a bachelor’s in film studies from University of Minnesota and he is currently finishing his master’s of fine art at University of Colorado in Boulder. He has worked in film for over 15 years and curated programs throughout the world.

By David Buck

Colorado State University-Pueblo is hosting a research and scholarly works Symposium on April 7, 2017. All current students and graduate students are invited to submit their research or creative work for presentation at the Symposium.

Per Susan Belport, the professor in charge of the symposium, senior projects are accepted and should have an accompanying abstract. An abstract, defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is a summary of the contents of the work.  Projects will be presented as either an oral podium presentation or poster presentation.

Projects such as art or music have a place at the symposium as well. According to Belport, the symposium is dedicated student research and creative work done as part of their education.

Per the official web page, “The Symposium invites oral, poster and other creative presentations of scholarly works from all CSU-Pueblo students.”

Students will also need approval from a professor or mentor to be considered. If a student’s work requires Institutional Review Board approval, a letter must be supplied by the IRB, according to Belport.

The page contains links to an entry application and instructions on how to complete a successful abstract for submission. According to the event notice, participation in the symposium can lead to the possibility of a student’s work being included in the CSU-Pueblo library.

The deadline for submission was March 3, at midnight. Most students who applied will be accepted to present, if all criteria are met, Belport said.

One of the requirements for submission is to develop an abstract about the student’s project. Belport provided some advice for students aspiring to submit their work: use the abstract format typically used in the profession and to involve an instructor or mentor as soon as possible.

The abstract, type of presentation and general content of the presentation will need to be approved by the mentor/instructor as part of the application.

The symposium is free to attend for anyone interested. For more information, contact Susan Belport at 719-549-2459 or visit https://www.csupueblo.edu/research-and-sponsored-programs/student-symposium.html.

by Hannah Plummer

On March 1 the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership hosted a lip sync battle in the psychology building, where students were able to lip sync to their favorite songs.

Due to this being held in a lecture hall, there was a thirty-minute delay due to an exam in the next room. There were 50 students who attended the event in total.

There were five student entries, competing for the prizes in the top three spots. The top three entries won Thunderbucks ranging from $200 to $50. Every entry performed two songs each, on a stage in the middle of the lecture hall. There were multicolored lights everywhere, and a spot light on the stage.

Participants included, Dashon King, Tyrone Parks, A group of three called Hannah Montana and her crew, Aaron Griffin, Antonio Huerta, Tiffany Underwood and Johnny Lancaster.

Each entry was announced before heading on stage. During every entry, the audience was very interactive and very enthusiastic. Groups ranged from one person to three people, each one doing a different performance than the last.

“I just love seeing performances and how everyone has a customized version of each song.” Rogelio Arreguin-Mancera said.

Some performances surprised the audience by doing an unexpected song.

“This event was fun to participate in, and a good opportunity to get out and do something different.” Said Tiffany Underwood, after her and her boyfriend, Johnny Lancaster, performed a heavy metal cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space.”

When all of the entries had done their two songs, the judges went out in the hallway to converse with each other to decide who would win. While they were making a decision, the hostess, Tashara, did her own performance to the song “I’m A Barbie Girl” by Aqua. There were even some volunteers that gave the audience a performance.

The judges decided that the first place prize should go to Dashon King who lip sang to the songs “Hey Mickey” by Toni Basil and “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay.

“I did it last year and I figured it would be a lot of fun to do it again,” King said. “I didn’t think I was going to win, but I was hoping I would.”

Once the event was over, the top three winners were asked to stay after, so that they were able to receive their respected amount of Thunderbucks.

by Tiffany Underwood

The Greek Olympics was held on the recreation field at Colorado State University-Pueblo from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The Greek Olympics is a competition that was open to all CSU-Pueblo students. Teams of four students competed against other teams in five events. The events the students competed in were football throw, tug of war, obstacle course, jousting and water bottle flip relay race.

Noelle San Souci, the advisor for the Greek council, put on this event. The Greek Olympics is part of Greek week. Greek week is a tradition that the Greek organization is trying to bring back, because it is a week of events that are planned as a way for each Greek organization to come together with one another. This year the Fraternity and Sorority Life Council, made up of representatives from each of our five Greek organizations on campus, decided to try to revive Greek Week for the Spring 2017 Semester. Angie Perez said, “The Greek council is trying to build a stronger unity among the Greek organizations and promote Greek life on campus.”

At the competition, there were about 23 teams participating both Greek and non-Greek members.  There were also 20 Greek members who were volunteering to help run and set up the event. CSU-Pueblo school radio, The Rev, provided music for the competition. Alex Smith, junior at CSU-Pueblo, said, “I liked that the radio station provided music for the competition, it made it more fun while we were waiting for our turn to compete.

“For years Fraternity and Sorority Life on campus held an annual Greek Week during the spring semester. Unfortunately, the last couple of years the Greek organizations on campus were unable to hold the event.” Souci said.

Each event had its own elimination bracket and then the overall winner was chosen from these brackets. The top three winners of the competition were announced at the end of the event. The first place winners received $200 in Thunderbucks, the second place winners received $100 and the third place winners received $50. They also received a ribbon and a gold olive branch crown.

Glenn Robertson, junior at CSU-Pueblo, said, “My team took second place in the Greek Olympic competition, although I wish we would have won first place I am still impressed by my team and had a great time competing against other students.”

by Victoria Ruiz

Music majors at Colorado State University-Pueblo and Fort Collins know how to collaborate. On March 8, students in the Jazz Ensemble 1 of each university performed in a Combined Jazz Concert in Hoag Recital Hall.

Although the concert started at 7:30, many people could be seen joining the audience throughout the performance. The audience was casual and respectful of the performers. They showed support for the students by a short applause after each solo.

The performance was divided into two sections by a short intermission. CSU-Pueblo’s Jazz Ensemble 1 opened up the concert. Destiny Mauro, a freshman music education major described CSU-Pueblo’s music style as, “modern, phat band.” While Mauro described CSU-Fort Collins as 50’s band and swing.

According to the concert program, CSU-Pueblo played songs composed by Grammy winner Gordon Goodwin and composer Sammy Nestico. They featured the vocals of Ryan Walters, a junior music education major with a double instrument major in vocals and saxophone during their performance of “Caught a Touch of Your Love” which, according to the program is by James Best, Craig Bickhardt and Jack Keller.

CSU-Ft. Collins took a different approach to their performance by featuring Gary Smulyan who is a professional baritone saxophone player, according to the program. Smulyan was featured in four of the six songs CSU-Ft. Collins performed. He joined the ensemble during the performance of “Just You, Just Me” by Jesse Greer and arranged by Paul McKee.

For the final performance, the sister schools shared the stage. The universities demonstrated friendly competition by choosing a song that featured solos for multiple instruments and dividing them seemingly equally between the two ensembles.

Makenna Green, a sophomore music performance major said, “It was a super cool experience.” As a member of CSU-Pueblo’s Jazz Ensemble 1 who performed that night, Green said it seemed that the students were mostly laughing with each other on stage and “having lots of fun.”

Both ensembles together took up the entire stage. In fact, Green described the experience as “massive.” Peter Sommer, the director of the CSU-Ft. Collins Jazz Ensemble joked that the size of the group made them “almost the most jazz thing” the audience would see that night.

The next event hosted by the CSU-Pueblo music department is Shai Funk’s Jr. Flute Recital March 16 at 7 p.m. in Hoag Hall, according to the program. For more information about the CSU-Pueblo music department visit www.csupueblo.edu/music.