For almost two decades now, Baily’s Beads has been a hub for talented artists, writers, and photographers alike. From those in the Bradford community to those in another country – the catalogue of work is one of great diversity.
After everything that occurred during the first few years of the decade, the need for escapism is at an all-time high. And what better form of escapism is there than horrible scenarios you could never possibly experience? Ones where you’ll be thinking in the back of your mind how you’d do things differently than the characters on page or screen? That’s what we at Baily’s Beads thought, and so the theme for our 2024 edition is none other than horror. Thematically, horror is wide and ever expanding, and our writers made sure to show that. From graphic narratives about becoming Mothman, a face-eating monster supermodel, or a creepy worm girl (all from the incredible mind of Maddie Cincala), to fiction pieces about sleep paralysis and gingerbread men (written by the talented Ambria Richardson), the horror feature of this edition will have something for you to sink your teeth into.
Not a fan of horror? Fighting off visions of a sleep paralysis demon after your read through? That’s fine – this edition of Baily’s Beads has a special Creature Feature to heal your mind! Cute, cuddly felines to bright colored amphibians, the staff was blessed this year to see all the pets we could ask for from the Bradford community and farther. Paired with pet poems, the pet feature contains everything you’d need to get your mind off horror. Though, if pets aren’t your speed, you can look at our nature photography section instead. Settled in between mountains and surrounded by woods, Pitt-Bradford is in-stitched with nature – captured beautifully by our photographers. Even outside of photography, Baily’s Beads is host to many nature poems that expertly put the images you see walking outside into words.
Creating this edition of Baily’s Beads has been filled with laughter, joy, frustration, and a lot of hard work. Overall, it was an overwhelmingly rewarding experience that could not have been completed without the help of many. Thank you to our Baily’s Beads staff, our art advisor, Professor Sunyoung Lee, Communication and the Arts Division Chair Jeff Guterman, Writing Center Assistant Director Catherine Kula, Communication and the Arts Division Administrative Assistant Shelley Whitman, Gina Prosch and Lohman Hills Creative, LLC, and last but not least, our advisors Professors Karen Bell and Nancy McCabe. Dr. McCabe had been the advisor to Baily’s Beads for many years before Karen took over while she was on sabbatical. Since then, Karen has worked to ensure that all information was communicated between our class and the faculty. This edition would not have been possible without her hard work and determination. And to Dr. McCabe, who has always ensured that our publication remains successful, thank you for another year of diligent work.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that was granted to me in becoming the editor-in-chief of this edition of Baily’s Beads. I truly hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed having a hand in creating it.
