"Aperture" opens eyes

Aperture. The word, in this case, means a scope of some of the most imaginative pieces Blair students have to offer. This year, the literary magazine includes one hundred and four pages of poetry, prose, and even sheet music, paired with artwork and photography to make for a truly inspired and cohesive work of creativity.

Following a lovely introduction from the magazine's editor-in-chief, Wilma Bainbridge, "Aperture" kicks off with its literary elements, smartly joined with photographs and illustrations that correspond appropriately. Window quotes from short stories and plays linger artistically throughout the magazine, emphasizing the poignant aspects of each piece.

The artwork has a similar effect, repeating throughout the parallel poetry or prose. Danny Scheer's eerie "A Saran-Wrapped Ode" sits almost comically next to a skeleton sketch, surrounded by copies of the cropped skull. At times the Silver Quill staff lays out their own designs to accompany artwork and photographs. Chris Consolino's photographs "Chess" and "Shifting Surf" are surrounded by a constellation of blue spots which frame the photographs nicely and serve as a continuation of Barun Aryal's brief poem, "The Duel."

The range of artwork is vast; black and white photographs lead to paintings and drawings in blue and gray scales and eventually digital art, charcoals and photographed wire sculptures. The blue and grey theme is consistent, though used in an assortment of ways to keep things interesting throughout the magazine.

While the blues and grays are a nice touch to the publication, the color limitations can detract from artistic pieces. This is most noticeable in Nicole Poor's photograph, "Tangerine Dream," which would ordinarily parallel perfectly with Kathy Wang's poem, "Orange Means We Grow Tonight," if the color orange were present in the photograph.

The writers and artists that Silver Quill represents are overall quite diverse. With the exception of repeated entries from a handful of students, the editors chose pieces by myriad students, ranging from all grade levels, ethnicities and programs at Blair.

The colophon thoroughly describes the acceptance procedure of artwork and literary pieces, as well as the formatting used throughout this year's magazine. Acknowledgements, a staff list, a note from the editor, and a table of contents serve to answer any questions anyone could possibly have about the history, layout, or purpose of the publication.

All in all, the Silver Quill staff really stepped up to the plate with the completion of the 56th edition of Blair's award winning literary magazine. "Aperture" is arranged in a both logical and creative way, binding all of the creative pieces together appropriately and making for a truly memorable publication.