Last Thursday evening, the Courtyard Cafe consisted of student artists, writers, and poets hard at work, all preparing to submit pieces of art and writing to the celebrated Firethorne, Gustavus’ annual literary magazine.

Planned and hosted by this year’s Firethorne staff — made up entirely of students in Professor Baker Lawley’s Editing and Publishing class — the event was held from 7 to 8:30 pm and offered those interested a chance to work on possible submission pieces in a mellow environment.

“Creative Works Night is a small get together in the Courtyard Café which encourages writers and artists to produce works in what could be a very busy and overwhelming time in the school year,” explained junior Lily Winter, who is a part of the Firethorne staff.

“Allotting time to produce literary or artistic works not only gives Gusties a reason to connect with their creative side, but it is also a fun way to relax and let loose.”

With light chatter in the air and quiet music playing in the background, the Firethorne staff did a great job creating the ideal atmosphere for artistic expression, and they added to the night by giving prospective contributors the opportunity to look at and read several past editions of the journal.

Those who submitted work also had the opportunity to enter themselves into a drawing for a $25 River Rock Coffee gift card.

“The purpose of Creative Works Night was to provide a space that encouraged students to come together to work on literary and visual art together. We were pushing for students who attended to work on prose, poetry, and artwork that they would want to submit to the Firethorne literary magazine,” explained Junior Firethorne staff member Kristi Manning. “Some of the editors of Firethorne were present so students could ask any questions they had about submitting their work to Firethorne.”

Despite the fact that the event was a fairly mellow affair with only a small number of people showing up to work on submissions, the night still proved successful in terms of celebrating and promoting the Firethorne, according to Manning.

“Although the attendance was low, the event provided awareness for Firethorne. We not only wanted people to come and work together on their writing and art, but we also wanted to get the word out about submitting work to Firethorne. In getting the word out, I felt that the event was successful in putting Firethorne on people’s radar, or in the back of their minds.”

The annual journal, which comes out every spring and consists of selected student artwork, prose, fiction, poetry, and photography, is indeed a valuable opportunity for students here at Gustavus.

“The Firethorne is composed of work all created by Gustavus students. Most other literary magazines are made of works from authors from different places around the world, of different backgrounds.” explained Manning.

“Because Firethorne only accepts work done by Gustavus students, it is a literary magazine by students, for students. Allowing students to have their work published in the Firethorne gives the opportunity for students to see their work showcased in a real, paperback-printed literary magazine.”

Alongside this taste of real-world publication, the magazine also gives students the chance to say what they need to say, explore their deepest feelings, and share with the world their artistic visions.

“The Firethorne is important because not only does it allow Gustavus students to express themselves creatively, but it also gives a voice to writers and artists who may not otherwise be heard,” said Winter.

“Looking at past editions, there are many vulnerable entries focused on sexuality, mental health problems, and family history. While students can choose to remain anonymous or submit with a pseudonym, most Gustavus students do not, showing what a safe space our campus really is when students feel free to share personal narratives.”

Manning agreed, emphasizing the importance of the journal as a creative outlet.

“A lot of students use writing and visual art as an outlet for expressing themselves,” said Manning.

“It is a really special thing to be able to share that with a community, especially a community that values art like Gustavus. This is why Firethorne is unique and special to Gustavus.”

Submissions for this year’s edition of the Firethorne were due on March 12th, and the magazine staff is full of hopes that the journal will turn out to be not only well-organized and professional, but also unique.

“The Firethorne is always evolving as new Gusties cycle through Gustavus, meaning we are always receiving new narratives that represent our student body,” said Winter.

“I think every Firethorne wishes to capture student experiences and showcase the talent that our school has, which is not necessarily specific to this edition, but is a mindset that stretches across all of our published works.”

According to Manning, it is the Firethorne staff’s goal to showcase this very mindset.

“We hope to have a variety of prose, poetry, photography, and artwork to consider for publication. Although we have not decided on what we want Firethorne to include in terms of content and design, we hope that no matter what, the quality is high and the students who are published feel honored, and that Firethorne is enjoyable for the entire Gustavus community.”