About Me
Emily Lolli
I am a Community Health major and Spanish minor at the University of Maryland, College Park. As a result of courses I've taken including health classes, women's studies classes, and Spanish courses, I have developed an interest in health and how that is affected by the intersection of gender and communication.
Artist's Statement
Question/Issue
I am seeking to learn about and combat feelings of isolation, frustrations, and insecurities often felt by young female college students while also empowering and uniting this community.
History & Distinction
Paper making has been around for thousands of years with the original intent of use being more directed toward administrative and practical purposes. In my project I wanted to recognize these old traditions and processes by making my own paper and binding my own journals. The journals are more of a traditional, rustic feel, that I contrasted with handmade paper that is nontraditional in style and the way that it was used. Two studies had a big impact on my project as well. One study detailed the power of externalizing problems through art forms, including journaling, in the healing process (Keeling and Bermudez) and another showed the power of blogging in uniting and empowering communities of women (Stavrositu and Sundar). I combined these ideas and methods through my work in order to reach my goals.
Approach
In order to gather relevant information I started my project off with an in-depth literature review. I learned about the history of paper making as well as the physical paper making and journal-binding processes. I then created 150 sheets of handmade, recycled paper. This lengthy process is described in greater detail in image gallery 1 on this site. Then, I hand-bound 5 journals using this recycled paper where I utilized a long stitch to bind them to faux leather. In order to learn about challenges faced by female college students and unite the community, I wrote 5 prompts, one in each of my five journals, related to being a woman. I also uploaded them onto a forum on this site to gather more responses amidst the current pandemic. To gather responses I reached out to friends who then reached out to their friends, etc., using a snowballing method.
Audience & Impact
The main audience I'm addressing with my capstone is female college students. I chose this audience because it is a community that I identify with. In addition, I face and hear challenges regarding this community every single day. While all communities face difficulties, I wanted to learn more about and help empower and unite one that I am a part of. I hope to show the struggles women face and these intersections with being a college student, showing them that they're not alone in their struggles. I also hope to celebrate women and empower and unite this wonderful community. This project has given me a deeper understanding and true appreciation of my peers, and I will strive to be more understanding and supportive in the future while serving as an advocate for these young women.
References
Keeling, Margaret L., and Maria Bermudez. “Externalizing Problems Through Art and Writing: Experience of Process and Helpfulness.” Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, vol. 32, no. 4, 2006, pp. 405–19. Wiley Online Library, doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2006.tb01617.x.
Stavrositu, Carmen, and S. Shyam Sundar. “Does Blogging Empower Women? Exploring the Role of Agency and Community.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 17, no. 4, Oxford Academic, July 2012, pp. 369–86. academic.oup.com, doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01587.x.
Acknowledgements
I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone who participated in my capstone by answering my prompts. My project, quite literally, could not have existed without your input. I would also like to take a moment to give a big thank you to Heather, my advisor, for helping me develop my project and staying focused in the craziest of times and Harold for always inspiring and believing in all of us arts scholars!