The Bellwether Review A Student-Led Literary and Arts Journal Spring 2023 art poetry fiction Nonfiction Thank you for visiting our website. The Bellwether Review is a literary journal that hopes to promote and inspire creativity amongst those not only at PCC Rock Creek, but throughout the community. We hope you take the time to review these great pieces that were sent in to us and selected for publication by our editorial team. Visit our Submissions page if you are interested in having your work considered for publication. Email us at bellwetherreview@gmail.com with any questions. Letter from the Editors Dear Reader, This edition of The Bellwether Review is special in two ways from previous editions. It is the first print edition to be published after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, and will be the first edition to be published alongside its online companion at bellwetherreview.com . Our editing team is honored and privileged to have witnessed the amazing levels of beauty, creativity, bravery, thought, and emotion infused by the Contributors into all of their submissions. Each piece was reviewed, discussed, and carefully selected by us with you, and a profound respect for the act of artistic creation, in mind. The Bellwether Review is created by the students of Portland Community College for the purpose of being enjoyed by all it can reach, and the editorial team would like to thank you for exploring and enjoying the contributions of our fellow students contained within these pages. With gratitude, The 2023 Editorial Team MEET THE 2023 EDITORS Copyright © 2023 Portland Community College Portland Community College reserves all rights to the material contained herein for the contributors’ protection. On publication, all rights revert to the respective authors and artists.

Art ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES Wrapping Freedom Mehdi Gassi Oil on canvas 16 x 12 in cover on print edition* Growing Out of Bounds Dean Wilson Photograph A Tasty Thank You Shane Allison Décollage 14 x 11 in 5 Off Your Order Shane Allison Décollage 14 x 11 in Abandoned Homestead Dean Wilson Photograph Amanita Kelley Wezner Watercolor on paper 4.5 x 6 in Astoria at Blue Hour Dean Wilson Photograph Bok Choy Kelley Wezner Watercolor on paper 12 x 9 in Death and Life Bailey Moore Diptych in charcoal on paper 24 x 36 in Drawing of Jessie Ed Vassilenko Chalk pastels on paper 24 x 18 in Duality Ed Vassilenko Chalk pastels on paper 24 x 18 in El Alcatraz Jacky Sanchez Lozoya Linocut on bristol 17 x 14 in First Impression Mehdi Gassi Digitalized drawing Farm House Laila Sheikh Oil on canvas 36 x 29 in Ice and Rocks Dean Wilson Photograph Mad Scientist Kelley Wezner Watercolor on paper 4.5 x 6 in Misty Voyage Laila Sheikh Oil on canvas 36 x 29 in Orange is the Loneliest Color Xiomara Mueller Self Portrait of Self Discomfort Ed Vassilenko Mixed media on cardboard 24 x 18in Sentinel Kelley Wezner Watercolor on paper 4.5 x 6 in The Thinking Mehdi Gassi Screen print and gold leaf on paper 12 x 12 in Untitled Mehdi Gassi Oil on canvas 16 x 12 in

The Bellwether Review 2020 Art Poetry Fiction Groundswell Archive Best Essay Winner

The Bellwether Review promotes original art and writing cultivated by authors and artists attending PCC. We value showcasing work that expresses a diversity of voice and thought. We encourage a passion for meaningful creation, and provide a platform for students to appreciate art. ART POETRY FICTION NONFICTION Thank you for visiting our website. The Bellwether Review is a literary journal that hopes to promote and inspire creativity amongst those not only at Portland Community College Rock Creek but also throughout the broader global community of writers and artists. We hope you take the time to review these great pieces that were sent in to us and selected for publication by our editorial team. Visit our Submissions page if you are interested in having your work considered for publication in a future issue. Email us at bellwetherreview@gmail.com with any questions. LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Reader, First and foremost, thank you for reading this year’s edition of The Bellwether Review . Students who submit their works for publication, as well as those who create the review, spend hundreds of hours working their craft, and we here on the editorial team truly appreciate the efforts that have gone into developing the outstanding works that appear in this year’s journal. One hundred and six works were submitted this year, and each one was reviewed and discussed by the editorial team, as we sought out what makes each piece special—what makes them beautiful—and ultimately selected those that stood out as exemplary to share with you, the readers of the 2024 edition. We here at The Bellwether Review team thank you for taking the time to appreciate the work of these contributing writers and artists, and we especially want to thank all those who contributed works to this edition. And with that, we hope to see you next year. Until then, take care. — The 2024 Editorial Team Copyright © 2024 Portland Community College Portland Community College reserves all rights to the material contained herein for the contributors’ protection. On publication, all rights revert to the respective authors and artists.

2022 Theme Meet the 2022 Editors Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Scripts Art Bellwether Review 2022 A Search for Meaning This year, we discovered that many of our submissions related to a search for meaning throughout year two of the pandemic. This search manifested in a cycle of experiences, as shown below. Experiencing Loss and Injustice Finding Strength and Surviving Discovering and Creating Finding Strength and Surviving A Cycle Feeling Trapped and Imprisoned Finding Strength and Surviving Finding Strength and Surviving Finding Strength and Surviving Works Browse our wide array of stories, poetry, and art. View all

BELLWETHER REVIEW Poetry Check out our prestigiously chosen works from the students of PCC. Here you'll find some of our beautifully written short stories Our Flash Non-Fiction pieces are sure to capture your attention. Our Spring Collection Fiction Nonfiction Art See our new pieces of photography and art that were phenomenally crafted. About Welcome Editors 2021 Contributors 2021 A Literary Magazine like no other. Cover Art by: Jessica Graber