Christopher Anderson, junior communications major, writes down his thoughts about one of Ashton Ludden’s, senior fine arts major, prints at her opening art reception MEAT in Gilson Gallery on Friday. JONATHAN ELLIOT/THE BULLETIN

Ashton Ludden, senior fine arts major, held the opening reception for her show, MEAT, in Gilson Gallery on Friday. The show will continue to run until Sept 18.

The reception ended with a silent auction outside the gallery. One engraving piece, named “Food Stamps,” was completed by Ludden in 2008 and sold to the last bidder for $200.50.

Ludden’s art works displayed in her Senior Thesis Exhibition are mostly engraving and printmaking pieces.

The inspiration of making “MEAT” came from a conversation which Ludden had with a worker in a slaughterhouse the summer before, listening to his experience working on food processing.

“Before that morning, I never heard about how my food is processed and what goes behind it,” she said. “It really interested me that I knew so little about food, you know, such a vital thing for us to live.”

Since then, Ludden realized that the more she thought about food, the less she felt she knew about it. Thus, Ludden decided to start researching what goes into food processing in order to acknowledge the food processes, as well as gaining insights for her art.

Ludden studied food processesing through numerous readings and speaking with people in the meat industry.

“I have had a lot of interesting experience running into people in a town like Emporia, where there are a lot of local ranchers and farmers,” Ludden said.

For Ludden, MEAT was supposed to make people think about and acknowledge the food processing industry.

“The concept is really cool,” said Kiwamu Otsuka, physics major, after viewing the gallery.  “I didn’t think about meat, animals, creatures and stuff like that before. It makes me feel like I should know more about animals.”

Ludden initially came to Emporia State planning to study art therapy. She discovered that she was more interested in creating art and gradually found her gift in engraving and later her passion for printmaking.

After graduating from ESU in December, Ludden will accept an invitation from master engraver Martin Strolz in Höhere Technische Lehranstalten (HTL, also known as Higher Technical Institute) Metal Design School in Steyr, Austria.

She also plans to continue her studies in graduate school after studying abroad, pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking.

The proceeds of the auction will be split in two. One portion will go to The Humane Society, which is a national non-profit organization that celebrates animals and confronts animal cruelty. It protects all animals, through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, science, advocacy and fieldwork, according to their Web site.

The other portion will benefit The Kansas Rural Center, which supports the rural land and its people through research, education, and advocacy, according to KRC’s official Web site.

“MEAT” will still be available in Gilson Gallery located on the first floor of King Hall until next Friday.

Xinyi Chen/The Bulletin

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A worker for Tember Carpet installs carpet in a newly remodeled office in William Allen White Library Tuesday afternoon. GIRI NAM/THE BULLETIN

Some students may remember the extreme temperatures in the William Allen White library – the extremely hot 120ºF decks and the freezing temperatures inside the library.

Don’t be scared away by the library’s temperature any more. A completely new heating and air-conditioning system and a functional electrical system have been installed in the library, said Joyce Davis, dean of university libraries and archives.

“Hopefully, we will be able to maintain a fairly even temperature, so that you are comfortable in the library,” Davis said.

The functioning heating and air-conditioning system will be adjusted automatically, as a reaction to the change of outside temperature.

“It takes a while to get (the heating and air-conditioning system) adjusted correctly,” Davis said. “They are still working on that, but that should go away pretty soon.”

The heating and air-conditioning system has cost approximately $1,291,071 said Dennis Mohling, director of administration and facilities maintenance.

“The funding is the money which had been set aside for improvements on university campuses, from Board of Regents,” said Steve Hanschu, head of information and instructional services.

“Besides,” Davis said, “the remodeling for the administration office and the technical services office have cost around $55,000 so far, with funding coming from the library’s operating budgets.”

In addition, remodeling construction is happening to the administration office and the technical services office of the library. These offices were moved down to the second floor two weeks ago, bringing them much closer to the public.

Many of the archives have been shifted to a new area, to protect them from construction. All of them are going to be back where they belong in a month or two Hanschu said.

This is the library’s first remodeling since it was built in 1951. All the original walls were taken out and replaced by brand new ones.

Inside the office area, there is a new room, which will soon be available for faculty and students.

“It provides us extra space for classes or instructions when the other one is busy,” Hanschu said.

The library construction started last November. Hanschu and his committee, which is made up of Betty Norton, Candy Johnson and Art Gutierrez, and the university architect Bobbi Pearson, contributed to the construction project along with student workers.

“We really depend on our student workers,” Hanschu said. “They worked very hard, moving the materials around, setting up shelves, dismantling, dusting and things like that. They did a super job.”

Lynn Pratt, junior English major, is one of the student workers who was involved in the construction project. She has worked in the library for two years. During the remodeling, Pratt and other student workers had to help move the archives.

“It has been a lot of just running around and moving a lot of stuff,” she said with a laugh. “Right before school started, there was a mad rush to get everything put back before the students came in this semester. It took us about a week, probably less to get everything sort of straightened out. Everyone should come check it out. Just explore the library. There is, you know, a lot of cool stuff here. There’s even more to come.”

Xinyi Chen/The Bulletin

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COURTESY PHOTO DAVID OAKLEAF

In its first post-summer show, The Granada Theatre will host David Oakleaf and Jared “Pete” Gile at 8 p.m. Saturday.

“They will play music as a combination of vintage country and modern rock,” said Jessica Buchholz, the new executive director of the Emporia Granada Theatre.

Buchholz, an Emporia State graduate, took over The Granada in May after being chosen from a group of 27 candidates, according to the Granada website.

“Both David Oakleaf and (Jared) ‘Pete’ Gile are originally from Kansas,” Buchholz said. “They are both performers that have traveled all around the United States.”

Oakleaf, who moved to Nashville, Tenn. three years ago, was born in Howard, Kan. As described in his Country Music Television profile, Oakleaf picked up playing guitar and singing as a hobby along with roping horses in Howard. At the age of 11, Oakleaf had his first performance in the local Opry House in his hometown.

Oakleaf and Jared Johnson won the fifth place in the first season of the show “Can you Duet” last year, which is produced by FremantleMedia, the same company that is in charge of the production of “American Idol.”

The performer plays an array of instruments including the guitar, harmonica, trumpet and drums and is influenced musically by the likes of George Strait, Keith Urban and Led Zeppelin, according to CMT.

After his Granada performance, Oakleaf will travel to several other cities in Kansas, including Caney, Axtell and Howard, later in September.

The featuring artist Jared “Pete” Gile and Oakleaf met each other when they spent their academic years in Manhattan at the same time. They both played music in a pub, which was full of musicians.

Jared “Pete” Gile, is from Scandia, a small town located in North Central Kansas.

“It is kind of funny,” Gile said in a telephone interview. “Pete is just a nickname. That’s why it is in quotes. I kinda go by Jared ‘Pete’ Gile, but everybody who knows me just calls me ‘Pete’.”

Gile received a degree in biology from Kansas State University. Recently, he started a new business with his father.

“Well, I never actually formally did music,” he said. “It is just always a hobby of mine. As soon as I graduated from college, I went ahead and was trying to make a living from my hobby. So I kinda have been doing that ever since.”

Gile has independently released two albums of his original music, “Modern Day Mountain Man” in 2003 and “More of Me” in 2007. Last week, Gile spent his time in Austin, Texas, recording his new single, which will be released in early October.

Gile will play music in a folk and country style. Oakleaf’s band will play more modern rock. Gile also plans to reveal the stories behind the music to the audience.

“I heard (The Granada Theatre) is very nice,” Gile said. “I’m looking forward to performing there”.

Tickets are available at the Granada Coffee Company, Sweet Granada, or by calling the box office for $15. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m.

The Granada will also host movies and other concerts throughout September.

Xinyi Chen/The Bulletin

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