Treasuring the Art World: An Inspired No Judgement Zone

By Deidra Wheeler

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

               SMYRNA - On March 10, 2018, I drove to downtown Nashville to visit the Frist Center. I conducted some research before going through the entrance of the museum to see what kind of exhibitions they had that were open to the public.

               Knowing me, I picked the exhibit that had the most colors, the exhibit "Nick Cave: FEAT." I was hoping to visit that exhibit first, because it had more color, and I would be more engaged.

               For more information about the exhibit, visit http://fristartmuseum.org/calendar/detail/nick-cave.

               Nick Cave, the artist not the singer, is very popular for the construction of his fullbody soundsuits. These suits were one of the first things that I saw as soon as I walked into Cave’s exhibit. It was very odd seeing all these items attached to the materials on the mannequins, but it was very interesting.

               There were eight soundsuits total, and they were all different. I say this, because they were made out of different items, colors, materials and even textures. I noticed one that had a lot of fur wigs hanging from the top of the mannequin. I wanted to feel some of the fur, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I knew had to be at least three or more feet away from the artwork. Besides, there was a security guard already keeping an eye on me, because I had a large purse with me.

               If you want to find out more information about Cave, click here: http://www.jackshainman.com/artists/nick-cave/.

               I looked at Cave’s artwork and wondered why he came up with this type of thing. The reasoning behind why Cave makes these soundsuits has an in depth meaning.  These suits open up a new perspective in a collective, universal experience by hiding visible signs of race, class and gender. Originally, they were made from layers of metal, plastic, fabric, hair, found objects, and other things that rub together to make noise. That is where they got the name, “soundsuits.”

               Here’s a link more information about the soundsuits: http://artisticthings.com/nick-cave/.

               In a way, I thought I could relate to Cave’s soundsuits. I love to create my own clothes, specifically making my own tie-dye. Ever since I was little, I was in love with all of the designs and colors. They were just so vibrant and intriguing, I couldn’t keep my eyes off them. Each pattern I make never matches the ones that I have done before.

               For an example, if you and I were to make a t-shirt with a spiral pattern design, mine would be different from yours, because of the way we wrap or band the shirt before dying it. Also, we might have decided to use different colors. We would have to be machines to make a perfectly dyed shirt.

               I don’t personally have a name for the clothes that I make, and I don’t have my own company or business. I like to keep my creations personal. They mean a lot to me, because of all the time, effort and money that I put into them. I can’t imagine the time Cave spent to make these soundsuits. Cave sewed and attached everything by hand. As a visual arts designer, I can definitely see the process of attaching or placing something then removing it, because the placement doesn’t seem to look right. It is the exact same thing with tie-dye.

               As I am prepping my piece of work (tying the fabric), I place and remove the different sections of rubber bands or string to make sure the designs appear perfectly after applying the dye. After that, I carefully apply the dyed solution to the sections. If I pour some dye into a section that wasn’t supposed to have that color, I just keep going with the flow.

               Even though I may not like something that I did before, there is always a chance that I may like it after. The process becomes difficult, because I am dealing with permanent substances. I can imagine that Cave felt the same way. He had to pick a style, sort what items he wanted to use, and create designs that he wanted to portray. It doesn’t get easy, but I learned that your own practice makes your own kind of perfect. I don’t ever get frustrated during the whole tie-dying process, because I know that I’ve made this piece of work, and I know that I’m going to be the one wearing this piece of work.

               Aside from designing my own clothes, no matter who is wearing the soundsuits, a viewer can’t depict their identity. Therefore, that leaves the viewer to create no judgement about the person wearing the suit. The only thing that a viewer would notice is the size of the person wearing the suits. Cave designed them to fit his body structure.

               I feel a similar way of why I create my tie-dye. Personally, when I wear my tie-dye, I feel no judgement from others. I am comfortable in my own art. It is a weird way of putting it like that, but I just feel calmer in colors. I know I have my days where I don’t have anything colorful on at all, but sometimes a girl has to do laundry.

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Celebrating Art

     SMYRNA -- Members of Motlow Smyrna's History, Diversity and SEAM clubs tour the Carolyn Ford Art Exhibit on March 16 at Eoff Hall Gallery on the Moore County campus. "Storyteller" featured more than 50 ceramic carvings depicting legendary scenes from all over the world. Club members met for lunch afterwards in Tullahoma. (Photo by Tamara Jones)

We Heard It Through The Grapevine That...

         Motlow State Community College had the highest graduation rate of any community college in Tennessee over the past three years. Motlow also had the second-highest retention rate for freshmen who enrolled in the fall semester 2016.

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         Incoming Motlow President Dr. Michael L. Torrence has been selected from more than 230 nominees to serve a three-year term on the board of directors for Online Learning Consortium, a non-profit organization headquartered in Newbury, Massachusetts.

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         The Smyrna Center will host Celebration 2018 from 10 a.m.-noon on April 13 (Friday) in the Lobby of the MaryLou Apple Building. Outstanding students will be recognized and faculty and staff awards will be given. Please join us to support those who have gone above and beyond in the 2017-2018 academic year.

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         Associate Professor of Biology Kevin Fitch will lead an Earth Day Hike to Savage Gulf on April 21. Hold harmless forms are due no later than April 13. For more information, write Kevin at kfitch@mscc.edu.

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         The Tennessee Association of Student Success & Retention will hold a "Supporting Adult Learners" event from 9:30 a.m.-noon on April 20 (Friday) in Room 221 of the MaryLou Apple Building. RSVP by April 11 to Penny.Tucker@volstate.edu.

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 (We want your news! Buzz us at cwhiting@mscc.edu or rshelton@mscc.edu.)

Mechatronics Gold!

         SMYRNA -- Congratulations to Motlow Smyrna Mechatronics students Ben Steakley and Alex Cooper, who recently won Gold Medals in the Skills USA state competition for Robotics and Automation in Chattanooga. They will compete in the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky, in mid-June. 

         "Winning a Gold Medal in only the second year of Skills USA participation is amazing," said Wayne Ellington, maintenance supervisor for Trim Chassis Maintenance & Engineering at Nissan Group of North America.

 

Student Life Stories: My Time In Foster Care

By Zachary Sartin

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

(Editor's Note: Zachary Sartin is a Motlow Smyrna student who is pursuing a career in social work.)

         SMYRNA -- According to www.childrensrights.org, “on any given day, there are nearly 428,000 children in foster care in the United States.”

         I will never forget the day that I went into the foster care system. I was 5 years old when I was taken away from my mom. My brother was 3 years old when he was taken away. Some foster parents were nice to us and treated us as if we were their own kids. We went back to our mom two years later. I went to different schools, and it was hard to make new friends. When we went back to our mom, we moved to a different house because we had a little sister on the way. 

Motlow Smyrna student Zachary Sartin

         In this article, I will talk about how my environment changed, the different parents that I had in foster care, my emotions, and how I felt during this time.

         When I went into foster care, I moved from one foster home to another. I also had a hard time making friends because I went from one school to another school. The foster homes that I lived in had different rules and values. I was also bullied in school and outside of school because I was born with a cleft-lip palate. My life was not stable because of the different schools and the different homes.

         I was born in New Albany, Mississippi, and I moved to Eugene, Oregon, two years later. This was the first time that I went into the foster care system. I went to a different school in Eugene. I moved back to Mississippi to stay with family. Five months later, I moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and went back into the foster care system in October. I stayed in a foster home in Tennessee for five months, and then I moved back to Tupelo, Mississippi, to stay with my aunt. I went to four different schools, and I was falling behind in my classes.

         Trying to make new friends was also hard because I went from one school to another school. I did not live a stable life because I was moving all over the state and going to different schools. The home setting was constantly changing, and the setting in schools was always different. Foster parents had different rules and values, and the school setting was different because the teachers were different.

Some foster parents were nicer than others, and changing schools was hard on me. The parents had different values in each home I lived in. I did not know what to expect or know how to act. It made me lay awake at night wondering what I did wrong. Living in foster care was not all bad. I certainly did a lot of thinking about my life. I stayed with each foster parent for five months. Some of the foster parents I stayed with were in a group home, and I did not like them. The rules changed when I got to the group home to stay for three years and five months. Some group homes will only take kids between the ages 11 to 21. Some of the foster parents would hit me and lock me in my room. I did not like them because of how they treated me.

         I felt like people did not care about me. I went through several emotions during this time. I did not know whom to trust. I felt like my own family let me down. I would cry every day and night because I did not have anyone to love me. I also felt like I was alone in this world and felt like I was not good at anything. I felt anger and hatred towards my family. When I was with different parents, I felt that I could not trust them or listen to them.

         Being in the foster care system, it made me think about what I could do with my life and how to give back to the community and help kids. I struggled to have long-lasting friendships because I was going to different foster homes or group homes. The foster care system in Tennessee is different from Mississippi and Oregon. The whole time I was in the foster care system, I was thinking about how I could help others and how I could talk to kids that are in the foster care system today.

         When I met my grandparents, I felt good because I knew that the Department of Children Services found my grandparents for me that I had never known about. I have been with them for three years now. My grandparents saw that I was behind in school, so they helped me with my schoolwork. I would never be in college if it were not for my grandparents helping me with my schoolwork. I love my grandparents so much for getting me out of the foster care system. I am going to college to be a social worker so I can help kids to find a temporary home.

         Overall, because of the hand I was dealt, I believe that I became a better person. I do not hold any grudges or hatred towards anyone. I do believe that there is a reason that all of this happened. I have finally been placed in a home with my grandparents who love me unconditionally. The experience did affect me a lot because of how often I had to change environments. I think that good things come from being in the foster care system because my mom was having a hard time taking care of me. I think there should be changes to the foster care system when a kid goes in. The foster care system should look for family members of the kid.

         I learned a lot about being in the foster care system, especially how to help parents and kids. If kids do not live in a good home, the foster care system can help those who need a temporary home. Some reasons that children go into foster care is their parents could be on drugs and they are not ready to be parents. Also, children sometimes go into foster care because of physical abuse.

         One way that we can stop children from going into the foster care system is to offer parents drug rehab resources and help people go to parenting classes. Also, having sex education in high school and in college can help them to be ready when they have kids.

         When I get out of college, I will become a social worker because I was in the foster care system for a long time and I know how it works. With my experience, I hope in the future I can help others who have been in foster care.

The Music Beat: Exploring the Underground Music Scene in Nashville

By Logan Langlois

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

(Editor's note: Logan Langlois is a Communication major and musician on the Smyrna campus of Motlow State Community College.)

         NASHVILLE -- The underground music scene in Nashville is exploding in countless, unexpected ways. Unfortunately, when each of us finally realizes how amazing the local music is, we can run into a awkward situation or two. So many of us have showed up to a venue to find the music sucks or that the venue has closed. Worst yet, we all have that one humiliating time we showed up to a show, only to find we are not old enough to enter, and we were forced to leave feeling like we were still training diapers. Well kids, me and my many years spectating and playing as a part of the Nashville underground scene are here to help. Here are a few of the many great places live music can bless your ears.

Phat Bites

         Phat Bites is an amazing, all-ages venue that hosts all shows counter culture. The legendary Nordista Freeze books nothing but talented bands for electric audience (unless it’s an acoustic set, in which case it’s an easy place to just grab a bite and hang out).

Address: 2730 Lebanon Pike B, Nashville, TN 37214

Website: www.phatbites.com

 

Two Boots

         This place is amazing for all things ‘70s weird. The workers all look like they belong in Led Zeppelin or The Beatles (in a good way). The pizza is great, the staff is very friendly, and the music includes everything from indie-rock to punk rock. Check it out if you wanna have some fun.

Address: 1925 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

Website: www.twoboots.com/location/nashville/

 

The East Room

         The East Room is truly a place for freaks and weirdos, and I love it. It’s 18-plus, which shouldn’t be a problem for anyone reading this unless you're a kid genius and you graduated high school early. But for everyone out there that are technically adults, this place has great music and stand-up comedy. So no matter what, it’s fun.

Address: 2412 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206

Website: www.facebook.com/TheEastRoom/

 

The Exit/In

         This would be the most popular venue on the list, but unlike Rocket Town, it doesn’t take away from the overall quality. This place is 18-plus as well, and they won’t let you back in if you go outside. So smoke your cigarette before the show. A lot of great indie bands play here, as well as a lot of surf punks.

Address: 2208 Elliston Pl, Nashville, TN 37203

Website: www.exitin.com/

 

The End

         Right across from the Exit/In is this hidden gem of absolute insanity. Yes they have indie acts but the best shows. The reason this venue has my highest recommendation are the punk, metal and hardcore shows. Imagine a five-hour event of people stage diving, crowd surfing, and moshing to the most fast-paced, heavy music Nashville has to offer. Seriously, if you want to see something you never have before in a venue, go to this place.

Address: 2219 Elliston Pl, Nashville, TN 37203

Website: www.endnashville.com/

 

Motlow Family Celebrates Groundbreaking for Third Smyrna Building

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Student News Editor

         SMYRNA, Tenn. – The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building at the Motlow State Community College Smyrna campus was held on March 23, 2018.

         The new 80,000-square-foot building is expected to house new labs for medical and mechatronic students, new classrooms, new offices for faculty and staff, a new library, a new book store, and more. The building is expected to be ready for classes by the fall semester in 2019.

         Many speakers were present at the ceremony, each with their own message for the people who were able to bring the project to fruition, as well as for the community. 

The Motlow Smyrna team celebrates the start of construction for their third building. (Photo by Anthony Czelusniak)

         The first speaker was Motlow Interim President Hilda Tunstill, who said, “Today we gather for the sole purpose to break ground, and to celebrate those who worked tirelessly to make this a reality.”

         Tunstill also said this project will help to change the lives of residents across the area, and that the greatest gift Motlow can provide is access to higher education.

         Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Flora Tydings was a speaker at the ceremony as well. “Motlow is the envy of colleges across the state and country,” she said.

         Smyrna Vice Mayor Marc Adkins also spoke on Friday, expressing his admiration for what the college has been able to accomplish within Smyrna and beyond. He also spoke on behalf of Smyrna Mayor Esther Reed, who wished to be able to attend but congratulated everyone for their hard work.

         A student of Motlow was selected to speak at the event. Cameron Droddy, a non-traditional student, said this in regard to Tennessee Promise, “I will never forget the people who put me on this path” and that “more Motlow is always great.”

Cameron Droddy speaks during the Motlow Smyrna Building Three Groundbreaking. (Photo by Anthony Czelusniak)

         Rutherford County Industrial Development Board Member Ed Davenport discussed how the IDB gave a $500,000 commitment to the college to help bring the project to life. He believes that a better Motlow helps to “bring better jobs to our community.”

         County Commissioner Rhonda Allen also mentioned that all 21 commissioners unanimously voted to donate $405,000 to help pay for the new building. This more than doubled the contribution made by the commissioners to the Mary Lou Apple building’s construction.

        

         Other notable community leaders who spoke included Tennessee State Senator Bill Ketron, Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce President Paul Latture, and Motlow College Foundation Chair Lori North.

         In attendance were former presidents of Motlow Arthur Jay Walker and MaryLou Apple, Tennessee State Rep. Mike Sparks, and many Motlow students, faculty, administrators and staff.

         Tunstill ended the presentation with a remark on what everyone at Motlow is able to accomplish. “Together we are making so many dreams come true.”

        

Second Round of Talent Show Auditions to Occur April 10

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Student News Editor

 

 

        SMYRNA, Tenn. – The Smyrna Entertainment, Arts and Media Club (SEAM) is continuing its search for talented performers and artists to take the stage for the Motlow Talent Show on April 26.

 

        The talent show, hosted by SEAM, will take place in late April but will be holding its second round of auditions on April 10 (Tuesday) in Room 201 of the Marylou Apple Building starting at 3:30 p.m. SEAM asks that those who wish to audition RSVP Mass Communications Instructor Charles Whiting via email at cwhiting@mscc.edu . The auditions are open to everyone. The show lineup will be announced in mid-April.

 

 

        If it is not possible to audition in person, the club would like for students, faculty, administrators and staff to upload a clip of them performing their talent to YouTube and send the video link to Whiting.

 

        The types of talent that the club would like to see include singing, musical performances, songwriting, dance, poetry reading, storytelling, comedy and acting. The talent show will also include an art exhibition for those who would like to display their original artwork. Painting, sketches, woodworking, multi-media, knitting and other original works are welcome. To reserve a spot in the art exhibition, send Whiting a jpeg image with the details about the piece, such as type, size and other relevant information.

 

        SEAM is the club on Motlow’s Smyrna campus that is dedicated to discussing, exploring and consuming various types of entertainment, arts and media.

 

Motlow Smyrna Spotlight: Lisa Hardie

Interview by Ramona Shelton

Motlow Buzz Faculty Managing Editor

      For this issue of The Buzz, we spotlight Lisa Hardie, the PTK secretary, a peer tutor for the Writing Center, and an Honors student.

Lisa Hardie

 

Question: Tell us a bit about you.

Answer: "My name is Lisa Hardie. I was homeschooled. I love writing. I wanted to be an author and still want to be an author. Right now I am a Psychology major, and when I transfer to MTSU, I will add minors in Neuroscience and Writing."
 

Question: Why did you choose Motlow? What is your major/what do you want to be when you grow up?

Answer: "Tennessee Promise played a bit part in it. I am planning to transfer to MTSU. I’m glad I decided to come here because of the Honors college, the Writing Center, and all the other opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Even though I “chose” it because of the Tennessee Promise, I wouldn’t have had those opportunities if I hadn’t come here."

Question: "What is your favorite thing about Motlow Smyrna?

Answer: "I love how small it is. You really get to know people and become friends with them. I’ve had great interactions with teachers. The small classes let us have more interactions. It’s like a small community."

Question: What is PTK? Can anyone join?

Answer: "PTK is Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society here at Motlow. A lot of people think it’s a sorority, but it is not a sorority. Anybody can come to the meetings as guests, but you have to be invited to join. You have to have a certain GPA and meet other qualifications. Please come to the meetings if you want to connect with us, and if you think your GPA is high enough, check with me and I’ll connect you with our campus advisor. If you get invited, maybe you can become an officer. All our officers are graduating this year, so this is the time to shoot for that if you get in. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be an invited member to participate in our meetings and events. Anyone can get involved. It’s a great way to connect with people."

Question: We see you at the Writing Center all the time. What do you do there?

Answer: "I tutor, so if someone comes in with a paper or any sort of writing, I can sit down and go over it with them. I am really passionate about writing. People have a tendency to think they aren’t good at writing, and all they really need is someone to boost them. I love being able to give them the confidence they need. Keep this in mind, there is no shame in getting help. I am a peer tutor, and I still gave my scholarship application to another peer tutor look over. And this applies to everybody. Professor Caviezel, the Writing Center Coordinator, told us not long ago that our academic dean, Elizabeth Fitch, got her to look over something she had written. It never hurts to have an extra set of eyes look over stuff!"

Question: Give us your number one writing tip.

Answer: "Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Leave yourself plenty of time to work on the assignment. Do not procrastinate. We have the Procrastination Monster in the Writing Center. Don’t let the Procrastination Monster get you!"

Question: What is your favorite part of being in the Honors program?

Answer: "Honors classes have a tendency to be even smaller than the rest of our classes, so it allows us to get closer to not just the students but also the teachers. We get to do things like have trips, and I’ve made some really good friends."

Question: What piece of advice would you give to a first-time, incoming freshman (i.e. What do you wish you had known on your first day here?)

Answer: "When you come in, it can be overwhelming and you might feel alone. Don’t rush to find friends because they may not be the ones you’ll have forever. Take the time to get your bearings and find out how things work. But get involved once you do get settled into your classes. Do what will help you in the future, so find a club or a group that interests you and will help you figure out what matters to you. Even if you don’t know what you want to do when you graduate, you can help figure it out by getting involved in clubs. If you don’t see something right off that interests you, don’t worry because the right one will find you. The Writing Center found me. If you are interested in writing and tutoring, come see us in the Writing Center. We are looking for peer tutors for the fall."