Page 9 - TheBridge_Vol16
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A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS






        There is a tendency to find life even in the most unwelcoming places, to find creativity among the
        natural world even when it feels as if it’s slipping away.

        Throughout the creation of Volume 16 of The Bridge, we worked to try to find the intersection
        between the abstract and the concrete—to pair together the comforting messiness of the natural
        world, with oceans, and dirt, and forest, and a minimalistic kind of cleanliness, with stark lines,
        geometry, peace in order. We struggled with these two concepts in both design as well as in
        content. How could we dedicate a journal to order, without also including the reality of mess?

        What lies before you is an answer to that question—the realization that life and art can be both:
        earthy and comforting, while also having a dedication to order and the contemporary design
        influences and values of geometry. The cover of this journal was inspired by the convergence
        between these two places; straight dark lines look almost like telephone wires, piercing through
        soft clouds or mountains. Perhaps they are a bridge that crosses between two worlds, to create a
        reality where even the most drastic differences can agree.


        While we  tried  to  determine where  abstraction and order worked  together  in our own  little
        bubble, the world around us seemed to have already figured it out. We discussed color palettes,
        unable to decide what best suited our content and vision. Eventually we found it: The Pantone
        Color of the Year, Living Coral, the bright pink you see on the cover. Living Coral drew together
        the themes emerging in the art and literature we received: it’s striking but soft, almost unnatural,
        yet its origins trace back to a part of the natural world where we find comfort and humanity.
        Living Coral complements the natural blues, browns, oranges, and greens, spinning the harsh
        white pages into a gently tangled mess of color. Continuous lines run throughout the entire
        journal, connecting, breaking apart, changing color but always continuing forward.


        We would  like to  thank Bridgewater  State  University’s students  and alumni for having the
        courage to submit their work to our journal for publication; we are glad to have the privilege of
        presenting your creativity in these pages. We would like to personally thank our faculty advisor
        Evan Dardano for his dedication, wise experience, and kind guidance during our often far too
        adventurous endeavors. We would also like to thank our graduate assistant Jill Boger for her
        editorial advice, eye for unique design, and grammatical expertise in helping us accurately fulfil
        our vision, and our design consultant Cady Parker for her patience in teaching us all things art
        and the precision of her advice.


        Lastly, we would like to thank you, the reader, for being a part of this experience. For choosing
        to open this journal and engage with the creative works that our students have offered. We hope
        this journal accurately and diversely represents Bridgewater State’s students and alumni while
        also challenging the expectations of what art and literature is or should be.
                                                                                                   Sincerely,
                                                                                  The Editors of Volume 16
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