Editorial Statement from Visual Arts Editor Jessica Mele

There is much to say about art in its different forms. Photography elicits connections on levels of emotion that many people take for granted. It also takes skill and expertise to stand out and be different. The winner, “Cream and Sugar” by Kara Bachert, does exactly this. The composition coupled with the lighting, framing, and colors makes the piece stand out. Photography also depicts the world as we know it. “Leopard” by Yen-Chih Lin does this remarkably well. Seeing the leopard as clear and close as it is lets us, the observers, see the life of an animal that we otherwise would never see that close. The world around us is constantly changing and is its own canvas. “Winter at Penn State Harrisburg” by Yanghong Zhang does just this by showing how beautiful the winter months can be. The snow against the warm, vivid colors elicits a reaction of awe. All of these pieces demonstrate the skill and dedication of the pieces within the magazine and come to serve as depictions of life. Whether it be someone’s coffee being made in the morning to start off their day, to the wild animals we read about, and, finally, to the way the seasons change, one thing is certain: life encapsulates these pieces every step of the way.