Letter from the Editors

Spring is a time of beginnings, and, although this is now the second issue of Vermilion, we are still just beginning in our journey as a magazine. Vermilion desires to be a home for artists in the Catholic University community, a home where they can joyfully share the things which they create–the things that live quietly in notebooks, hard-drives, sketchbooks, and film reels. In recognition of the diverse crafts practiced by gifted and devoted artists in our community, this spring issue introduces the Dramatic Arts category to our magazine. We are overjoyed to be able to share an entirely new genre of creative work with our audience.

We invite our audience to view this spring issue through the lens of our cover image, captured by sophomore, Benedict Gorman. It depicts a winter scene: the landscape is covered in snow, and a single street-lamp illuminates the field. The street-lamp does not shed any light upon the house in the background, but, from the viewer’s perspective, the house is caught up within the cone of light shining down from the lamp. Setting it in contrast to the dark landscape surrounding it, the lamp draws attention to the home, while adding nothing to the brightness of the house itself. A literary magazine is much like this lamp–helping others to witness the beautiful work of artists while refraining from altering the art itself. Beauty stands on its own, and it is our goal at Vermilion to help people see it.

This spring, we are stepping out from winter’s darkness and into the light of our next chapter, our next new beginning: Issue 2 | Spring 2022. We hope that this issue brings you joy in this Easter season.

Matthew Sawtelle & Jessica Wyeth 

Co-Editors-in-Chief