Journal reaches out to all talent, not just to a select group

Alex Madison Evergreen Community reporter

The creativity of WSU students is reflected through the pages of the university’s sole literary and arts journal, LandEscapes.

“All artists have a kind of raw energy waiting to express what they’re passionate about, and having this journal rewards students for having that energy,” said Katherine Naulty, a senior at WSU and non-fiction editor at LandEscapes.

For over 13 years, LandEscapes has fostered this raw energy of artistic undergraduate students at WSU. The annual publication accepts literary and art submissions from undergraduate students across all disciplines who want their creative voices heard.

“We are the creative mouth box of WSU,” said Ana Schmidt, editor-in-chief for the journal. “We want the incredible work WSU students are able to offer.”

Despite popular opinion, LandEscapes accepts submissions of any and all art forms, including photography, music, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays, screenplays, short films, graphic novels and mixed-genre pieces.

“If it’s awesome, we want it,” said Schmidt. “The philosophy we try to live by when looking at submissions is freshness, newness, uniqueness and something that evokes emotion, whether it’s good or bad.”

It was the originality of WSU alumna Emily Weeks’ animated music video “On My Way” that caught the attention of the digital multimedia editors at LandEscapes.

Inspired by Pre-Raphaelite paintings, gothic literature and German expressionist film, “On My Way” expresses the motif of environmental destruction through vivid animation created by watercolor and colored pencil, Weeks said.

She said having her work published in a nationally recognized publication like LandEscapes has allowed her to further her career as a freelance animation artist.

“LandEscapes has opened up a lot of opportunities for me,” said Weeks. “The more people who are able to see my work, the more I am able to continue doing what I love to do.”

Like Weeks, many students know the struggle of trying to break into the intimidating world of publishing. Schmidt said journals like LandEscapes give students the opportunity to have their work published in a professional, critically acclaimed journal before they even graduate.

“It’s something that gets your foot in the publishing world, which is something very hard to do,” she said.

Although the harshness of the publishing world can be discouraging, it should never stop a student from submitting their work, said Schmidt.

“The first step to success in this industry is rejection,” she said.

For Schmidt and the rest of the 17 editors at LandEscapes, their dedication to the art community encourages each step of the publication process from marketing and layouts to reviewing submissions.

“I get to work with the most creative and passionate writers on campus,” Naulty said.

For web designer Mara Almanzor, being able to bring the art community closer together is something she prides her work on.

“I’ve been able to see that people do care about the arts on campus, and we are showing everyone else that,” said Almanzor.

Schmidt said because WSU is a research-concentrated university, LandEscapes is vital to keeping art alive.

“WSU is not known for the arts, so it’s important that we keep an artistic outlet at such an analytical school,” she said. “It really brings something to the WSU community.”

Next year’s issue of LandEscapes will print in the spring and all submissions are due Dec. 18 for undergraduate students. Copies of LandEscapes can be found throughout campus and are free for everyone.