Hello! My name is Mark LaBorde, and I will be the web designer for this semester of Klio! I am a student at Penn State studying English and minoring in IST. I grew up here in State College, and my hobbies and interests include reading, writing, art, and all sorts of video games. When I have time, I like to dabble in a little bit of game development. I have a specific fondness for all things fantasy.
Now, let’s take a little look at my staff picks. I intentionally decided to gravitate towards pieces that I normally would not have taken the time to check out. The first one I want to take a look at is “Flower/Mood” by Sara Neilds.
The first thing I notice about the first half of the submission, “Flower,” is that I love the colors. Purple/pink and green is a great combination, and it feels calming yet exciting at the same time. The subject is looking straight ahead, yet one eye is covered. This gives me a feeling of openness, yet there is still something about the subject that is obscured.
The second half, “Mood,” is a little more somber. While “Flower” has very upbeat colors, “Mood” is a bit more somber. The subject is looking away, with fewer and cooler colors used.
Another medium I perhaps don’t have quite as broad horizons: music. I also enjoyed “Intermission Improv.” It consists of three tracks: “A Funky One,” “Mc: Bm Jam,” and “Castalia.” The first, as its title suggests, is delightfully funky. The second takes a little more of a classic rock direction (Or something along those lines, I’m not particularly good at identifying genres.) Castalia slows things down a bit, which is a nice way to end the collection. Overall, these tracks all feel unified yet unique at the same time!
Thank you for taking the time to read through my thoughts on some of our past published submissions. I’m looking forward to working as the web designer for Klio this semester. I’ve already learned a lot, and I hope that you all will broaden your horizons a little bit along with me.