‘Whetstone’: Giving a voice to the community

By Debra Minor Wilson
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT April 23, 2008 11:38 pm

— Got something creative to say?
Fairmont State has a publication just for you.
“Whetstone: A Tool for Honing Edges,” the student art and literary journal, will be released at a reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Wallman Hall Tower.
It is completely student-selected, edited and designed, said advisor Dr. Donna Long, and is part of the student publications program, along with The Columns newspaper and Mound yearbook.
“Whetstone” has evolved from a mimeographed, stapled booklet of 15 years ago into the “lovely, perfect bound publication we have today,” Long said.
“Anyone can contribute to the journal,” she said, “although the majority of the work is by Fairmont State students. This year’s 35 contributors include Fairmont state students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as community members.”
The journal includes works by featured artist Morgan Martinson, featured writer Gail Adams and writer-in-residence Kathryn Schwille.
The student staff chooses the selections for the journal.
“I’m always amazed by the work that they choose,” Long said. “They are very much about quality. Anybody accepted in the journal can be very proud. It’s not open to just anybody. Anybody can submit, but to be accepted is competitive.”
Art work from the journal will be displayed at the May 1 reception. Authors may read from their published works, and an open mic will be held.
Working separately, the five-member art and eight-member literature staffs go through the submissions, which are either accepted or rejected, or in the case of poetry and prose, returned for revision, said managing editor Donnie Tucker.
The staff works fervently on the publication from August, when submissions are accepted and considered, to March, when it’s designed and sent to the printer.
“There’s a lot of talent here you never knew about,” he said. “Most of the language and literature classes are about reading other people’s writing. There are not many writing classes.
“Whetstone gives a voice to the people and their creativity.”
That’s what Tucker likes best about the publication, the criminal justice major said.
“We allow a voice for the college community. It draws in people from all around campus. It’s important to have people who are creative and give them an outlet for their creativity.”
You don’t have to be a literature or art major to be included, he added.
“Just because someone’s not in language or art doesn’t mean you don’t have artistic talent. There is a wide variety of talents, usually hidden talents, that go far beyond their school of primary major.”
Visual artists also need a chance to have their voices heard, said Scott Scharnhorst, “Whetstone” design editor and contributing photographer.
“In previous years, it’s pretty much been pottery and art work. Occasionally, we’d have photographers submit, but that was rare. This year, we branched out and used photography to showcase theatrical designs of the (Fairmont State) theater department.”
Scharnhorst has been taking photographs for about three years and is in a photography internship at Fairmont State.
“I like the control it gives me to capture what I think is most important or what I think is very beautiful. There are certain times that a picture is worth a thousand words, and you want to make sure you capture the moment so you can see it years down the road and say, ‘I remember that picture.’”
One of his two photographs in the journal, entitled “Legal Thieves,” was taken in February 2007.
“We’d had a big snowstorm. I was out driving between Jane Lew and Lost Creek on a back road, and off to the side, sitting among the snow, was this bright red barn.”
Someone had painted the message: “Consolidated Gas. Legal Thieves. A Rockefeller Corp.”
“I thought that was interesting and would make a good picture,” he said.
Taking out his 35mm film camera, he made the shot.
For more information about “Whetstone,” call Dr. Donna Long at 367-4180.
E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.

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