LandEscapes launches 2014 publication

Once again students can take a break from studying and escape into the poetry, art and literature created by their peers.

The 2014 edition of LandEscapes, the literary arts journal at WSU, will be available for students and staff at the journal’s release party at 7 p.m. May 1 in the library atrium.

The journal is more than just a venue for students to publish literary work. It includes visual artwork and digital media, such as music and videos, said Peter Chilson, English professor and adviser to the journal.

“My idea from the very beginning was to make it a journal of the arts in general,” Chilson said, even though the journal started out of a demand for a venue for creative writing.

The journal tries to encompass as many different disciplines as possible, including work from the humanities, sciences, and arts. However, the majority of the work included in the publication is literary pieces, he said.

This year, the journal didn’t receive any submissions geared toward different disciplines, but not all the submissions were from English majors, said Ana Schmidt, a junior/senior literary studies major and editor-in-chief of LandEscapes.

“We get really interesting stuff from people in the sciences,” Schmidt said.

The visual arts section of the journal receives submissions in different media including photography, paintings, sculptures, and drawings.

“LandEscapes does everything,” said Amber Larks, a sophomore business major and art editor. “Anything original and creative, we’ll take a look at.”

The journal received a lot of photography submissions this year, Larks said. But she said the editors tried to include a variety of visual art in the journal and chose 12 pieces to publish.

In total, the journal published 30 of the 160 submissions, including one digital piece, Schmidt said.

This year the staff decided not to include a CD version of the digital components like last year, and instead the digital material will be presented online, Schmidt said.

The journal now is in the process of refining the website to make a more savvy design, Chilson said.

“We are trying to make our digital presence more of a presence,” Schmidt said. The staff plans on working to revamp the website during the summer, she said.

LandEscapes is one of the last university journals still published in a print version, Schmidt said.

“I think it’s really important to have tangible print edition that people can take home,” Schmidt said.

This year the staff chose the same size as the journal last year, which is the size of a small paperback, Schmidt said. “It’s not the type of journal that will get crumpled in your backpack,” Schmidt said.

Due to a decline in funding, Chilson said the journal has been pressured to do more with less.

This year, the staff decided to have 500 copies printed compared to past years when closer to 1,000 copies were printed, Chilson said.

The release party is an important event, Schmidt said. “It’s also a great endorsement for next year,” she said.

The release party will include an open mic, free Ferdinand’s ice cream, an art showcase, as well as copies of the 2014 journal.

“Last year I was amazed,” Chilson said. “I went to the release party, and I just couldn’t believe a couple hundred people were there.” ​