Students publish literary journal

This is the creativity of everyday life -- the folklore of IU students. Feelings about life, love and pain are espoused for everyone to read.\nThis is the new edition of Canvas, IU's creative arts magazine that was unveiled Wednesday evening at the Indiana Memorial Union's State Room East.\nThe free magazine, which features the poetry, prose and artwork of 27 different IU students, hit the stands Thursday in designated bins around the IMU.\nDuring Wednesday's premiere party, different poets and artists presented their work from the magazine as the audience listened attentively while munching on popcorn and candy.\nSenior Jessica Williams-Gibson, director of the new Union Board Fine Arts committee, said Canvas allows students to share their work with other students and could be a possible stepping stone to opportunities in the future.\n"This publication is the perfect outlet for students who like to write and would like to be published for others to see," Williams-Gibson said. "It's kind of like a stepping stone for them because if they take their work to a magazine or publishing company, they can show them their published work."\nGibson also stressed the importance of the IU community reading the work and how it can paint a more accurate portrait of students on this campus.\n"(The magazine) gives students who read it an opportunity for them to understand others on campus," Gibson said. "So many times people view IU students as these beautiful, rich, wonderful people and when they actually read the poems, they get a real sense of what students here go through."\nOne of the magazine's featured poets, senior Erin Cory, wrote a poem entitled "La Primavera," which translates to spring in English, about her year in Spain studying abroad.\n"I submitted my poem because it forces me to have people read my stuff and get criticism or praise in return," she said. \nCory believes the Canvas publication adds an important dimension to IU students that is often overlooked by the partying image.\n"IU isn't just about sports and partying, it's also about observations people have made about this place," Cory said. "The work in (Canvas) says a lot about our generation and it shows that people care about the beauty around them."\nPoetry and artwork featured in this semester's edition were chosen by a selection committee who read and evaluated each work anonymously. The 27 entries were narrowed from approximately 50 to 80 submissions to the UB Fine Arts Committee.\nDuring the second half of the program, an open mic opportunity allowed aspiring artists to show their stuff in front of the audience. \nSome were reflections and experiences from the past, others written about college life, but each work seethed with emotion, inflection and creativity.\n"This opportunity tonight and the magazine itself is really beneficial to this campus," said junior Ryan O'Connell, who had a photograph in the publication. "This school is so big and we have so many creative and talented people here whose talents are overlooked, and this publication is the perfect way for these talents to be displayed"