Members of the Marywood community gathered in the Archives Area of the Learning Commons on Monday, Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. for the second annual Bayleaf Live art exhibit and literature reading.

Marywood’s art and literature publication, “The Bayleaf,” features student artwork and literature pieces each fall and spring semester.

The walls outside of the Archives Area displayed artwork while students read their written pieces aloud for the audience.

Some selections included “The Fall” by Amanda Duncklee, which won the Literary Award in the Fall 2016 issue and “The Man in Scary Make-Up,” by Daniel Piazza. Piazza said his piece centered around a musician he admires who passed away last year.

Alicia Belch, a senior writing major, presented her piece from the Fall 2016 issue entitled “War Paint.”

She told the audience that “War Paint” is a personal poem written for anyone struggling with body image.

“I hope they find peace with themselves,” she said before reading the poem.

“I feel like everyone has that struggle, both men and women,” she said. “I want people to feel better about themselves and love the parts that they see as bad, like stretch marks.”

During the event, Information Literacy Coordinator Annette Fisher presented the winners of the Barbara Hoffman English 160 Award. Fisher said the English department named the award after Barbara Hoffman, a Marywood English professor who died in 2007.

Three students won the award and received cash prizes for their written works. The subjects ranged from topics like the effect of violent video games on children to pesticide effects on the bee population.

The first 20 attendees of Bayleaf Live received a coupon for $1 at the Learning Commons’ upcoming book sale. Fisher announced upcoming events like Story Slam on Feb. 27 as well as the Learning Commons joining Pacers for Justice and Peace in sending out origami “peace cranes.”

Kelsey Van Horn, a senior graphic design major and senior executive editor of The Bayleaf, believed the exhibition had a successful turnout.

She also sees Bayleaf Live as a good opportunity for students involved in art and literature at Marywood.

“Publishing them is a really great opportunity and then having this to show the community that isn’t exactly reading “The Bayleaf” is really helpful and really eye-opening,” she said. “It kind of gets the art world and the literary world out into the campus community.”

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