Music and the arts have always been a huge part of Marina Polonsky’s life. She was was born to a family of singers in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. Polonsky's brother is a singer and composer and her parents are singers who used to travel all over the USSR on live tours before they opened their own restaurant business. The family’s artistic influence led Polonsky to be passionate about stories, hoping that one day she would be able to inspire others with her creative talents. This week Polonsky will graduate in Media Arts from the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. Though it’s been hard living so far from family with the current tension going on between the Russian and Ukrainian government, she has enjoyed her time here at BYU and has appreciated the change she has seen in herself. BYU News’ Holly Kendall spoke with this artistic grad to get her story. Q: What was it like coming to BYU? Did anything surprise you? Marina Polonsky: Coming to BYU (BYU-Idaho actually, I transferred after a year) was one of the most positive life-changing events for me. First of all, it was my first time out of the country, first time on an airplane, and I definitely never thought I'd have to study in a different language. By the time I arrived in the states, I could understand around 70 percent of what the people were saying, but I had to take some time before responding since I had to translate my thoughts and try to put them into grammatically correct sentences. At first, the main struggle was seeing the differences in how people view their life; seeing how much people have. I feel like a lot of people here don't realize how much they have, most people don't take advantage of all these opportunities. I am able to do so many things here that I would never be able to afford on my own in Ukraine no matter how hard I would work. Q: How did you come to the decision to major in Media Arts? MP: Growing up I've always been into arts, at first I wanted to become a writer, then a painter, but my father always told me I'd be poor and unhappy if I did those things. I was always focusing on finding something else that I was talented in, that would bring me money and something I would enjoy. Eventually, I started studying 3-D modeling and animation, and that's how I came to BYU. Everything started while I was at BYU-Idaho though, when I got an email from BYU-Idaho Broadcasting and their supervisor told me that I'm the only person on campus that they know of who can do 3-D animation. So they invited me in for an interview. I was hired on the spot, but after doing it for money, I quickly realized that it was last thing I wanted to do. And so did my boss. He saw that, to put it lightly, I wasn't motivated. And to my big surprise, instead of letting me go, he put me on one of the cameras for the upcoming show. I have never operated a camera before but it has always been one of my dreams. When I was behind the camera for that BYU-Idaho show, I realized that it felt more right than anything I did before that. I felt like I belonged, and that was the moment when I realized that I could study that and do it for living. Nothing made me happier career-thinking wise. I knew BYU had a good film program, so after transferring, instead of applying for 3D animation program, I applied for Media Arts. It's been my second home since then. Q: Why were cameras of such interest to you? MP: To be honest, since I was little, the world of cinema was one of the most mysterious and magical things to me. I never even thought one day I could be running one of those incredible machines called cameras. I mean, think about it, you can capture a moment and then 50-60 years later you can watch it! How neat is that? The career of a filmmaker has always been something I could never even consider seriously. I thought of other filmmakers as some chosen people in a secret society. Q: What is your main focus in Media Arts? MP: My main official focus is narrative directing, but I've been studying and practicing everything from writing to post-production and about all the main areas of the craft. I don't want to be limited in my ability to create art that affects people's lives. Q: What led you to have a love for the arts? MP: The reason I love arts, especially film, so much is because I love stories. Storytelling is incredible. It's so powerful. Movies and all kinds of arts have always been inspiring to humanity. A film can let you observe and see something for yourself from a new perspective. It can teach you something, make you think, inform you, make you laugh, cry, etc. Movies impact who we become. So that's what I want to do, I want to help people all over the world to become better people, to become more connected, understanding, inspired, more aware and informed. We have a saying in Ukraine 'informed means armed.' I think the world would be a much better place if more people would be simply aware of more things about each other. Q: How would you describe your journey in achieving your degree? MP: I would describe it as a journey of finding myself and as a re-realization of everything I knew before. Every day, I learn or re-learn something about the craft and the human nature. Everything is interconnected. It's amazing. There has also been a lot of pain and struggle in my journey, which is exactly what brought all the great realizations and happy moments. I can definitely say I'm a very different person now compared to the person who came to the United States, daring greatly to try her luck and see what comes out of it. Q: What are some of your fondest memories from the time you’ve been at BYU? MP: The best memories were the moments of mutual vulnerability. In other words, the best memories were when I was understood in my hardest moments, instead of being judged by people who barely knew anything about me and my struggles. The moments when people really did care and showed it. The moments when people truly wanted to hear me out with an open heart. The moments when I would get support unexpectedly from some of my teachers. I can't thank them enough for their caring, their kindness, and their wisdom. Q: What do you want to do after graduation? MP: I want to make movies, whether fiction or non-fiction, that will drive people to tears of happiness and many realizations. I hope to shift someone's paradigm. I hope that when people walk out of my movies (whether I write them, direct them, or edit them) they call their old friend, their parents, someone they haven't talked to in a while and tell them that they love them. I want them to be willing to be more vulnerable, to be willing to get uncomfortable sometimes, to be willing to say sorry first, to reach out first. I hope I can convince them that life is beautiful and worth it. The world just needs more kindness and I feel like if the sky were the limit, I would like to reach out to as many as possible worldwide. But even if I succeed in changing one person’s life for the better - it would be just as meaningful. Source: BYU News

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is scheduled to be the speaker during Brigham Young University’s Commencement Exercises in the Marriott Center on August 13 at 4:00 p.m. President Russell M. Nelson, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will preside and give remarks. BYU President Kevin J Worthen will conduct the exercises. On Friday, August 14 graduates and faculty from the College of Fine Arts and Communications will gather together with friends and family in the de Jong Concert Hall at the Harris Fine Arts Center for a convocation to celebrate an ending, as well as a beginning, for those graduating in the 140th Summer Commencement Exercises. The convocation program will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a welcome from the new Dean, Ed Adams, and proceed with discourses from graduates Caitlyn Louise Costley, Hannah Elizabeth Richardson, Aubry Dalley, Laura Lee Dearden and Amber Nicole Lauritzen. The speeches will focus on themes such as choosing your own adventure, using imagination, nourishing the world through art and continuing education. Between talks there will be a musical number, Solo de Concert No. 4, op. 77 with Kelsey Jon Ripplinger Edmondson on the oboe and Amalie Simper on the piano.

Like her fellow BYU journalism majors, Jane Clayson Johnson brought to her career not only her strong natural abilities, but also the values of BYU. She says she always considered herself a representative of BYU and the Church.

By Sarah Ostler Hill From an early age, Art Rascon recalls having an intense curiosity about the world around him. In the evenings, the family would gather around the television set to watch the news while he held the rabbit ear antennas.

Claudine Bigelow, BYU professor of viola, the associate director of the school of music and the graduate coordinator, will deliver the devotional address this Tuesday, August 4, at the de Jong Concert Hall. In her address Bigelow will explore the topic of creativity and the spiritual connection it can help us have with our Heavenly Father. While it's an attribute we often associate with the arts, it's an important tool for finding our inner artist for every discipline at BYU. The scriptures teach us Heavenly Father is a deeply creative being, and He has made us to be that way too. Creativity helps us bring light to the world, our relationships, and find deep and satisfying joy. Bigelow has taken her gifts in music all over the world, performing in Europe and New Zealand, and furthering her study. She has also played with National and Utah Symphonies, national Chamber Orchestra and at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. She began playing the viola at age 14 but has been around music her whole life. When she was a baby her father played guitar every night. She then picked up the piano in third grade and played for her church as a teenager on a regular basis. At the age of 14 she was given the opportunity to attend a music summer camp with some of the greatest musical instructors of the day including Dr. Shinchi Suzuki, if she learned the viola. Since then Bigelow has dedicated her life to music and improving her talents through research and practice. “Music isn’t for showing that you’re talented or the best at something, because someone will always be better,” Bigelow says. “Music is for communicating love. Music can be one of the highest forms of spiritual communication.” READ MORE ABOUT CLAUDINE: Devotional info link: https://home.byu.edu/home/calendar/28717 Claudine and Guest artist perform http://music.byu.edu/2013/09/05/claudine-bigelow-guest-artist-to-perform-bartok-during-sept-7-recital/ Wiki: http://history.cfac.byu.edu/index.php/Claudine_Bigelow

PHOTO: BYU Young Ambassadors perform at the Covey Center on Provo Center Street. by Cassidee Hobbs The triple threat of singing, dancing and acting may not be enough anymore, as more and more musicals require the fourth skill of playing a musical instrument as well.

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Photo credit: Robert Aroujo Dubbed as “a love story that isn’t spoiled by the trailer,” the new musical Single Wide has attracted national attention, awards and the opportunity to be performed Off-Broadway in the 2015 New York Music Theatre Festival (NYMF). What started as a joint project between Brigham Young University’s George D. Nelson, the head of the playwriting program in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts, and Jordan Kamalu, a commercial music major in the School of Music, is now exploding into a star-studded venture. Read the recent review! http://bit.ly/1LFZcbH

See two of our TMA alumni with their family in this heartwarming YouTube video made for the Mormon Channel. For Ian and Melissa Puente, family time is always a busy time, thanks to their two sets of twin boys. Julian and Caleb are 7 years old, and Jack and Christian are 5 years old. All together, they make one happy family. Melissa graduated from BYU in 1999 with a degree in Film. In May 2006, she received a national Emmy for single-camera editing for the syndicated TV show 'Starting Over.' You can read more about Melissa's professional work at IMDB. Ian is a filmmaker, attorney, and vice-president of business development at Samuel Goldwyn Films in Los Angeles. Puente’s interest in film began when he was a child. He graduated from BYU in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in film. You can read more about Ian at the HFAC anniversary site.

Who wore it best? BYU professor is the expert on Bible and Book of Mormon clothing Resident clothing history expert at BYU, theatre and media arts professor Rory Scanlon, has spent more than 15 years pouring through archeological and anthropological records to discover what people dressed like during Bible and Book of Mormon times. He’s used the help of more than 21 research assistants to compile nearly 1000 works into easy-to-use clothing guides. The guides give a clothing history of ancient people. They also contain timelines of the cultures mentioned in the Bible and Book of Mormon and compare them to archeological records. “The common Bible and Book of Mormon representations we see are typically inaccurate,” Scanlon said. “I was disappointed when I found out, so I started doing my own research. That research evolved over 15 years to be the expansive project it is today.” The works in the guides include references to books, articles and videos by both anthropologists and archeologists. The compilation is an effective tool for artists as they research clothing for specific time periods. The guides are broken into two sections, one on the Bible area in Mesopotamia and the other on the Book of Mormon area of Mesoamerica. Since there are many opinions about ancient culture and clothing, Scanlon’s guides direct artists to their own interpretations of how ancient people clothed themselves. There is no definitive way to determine how ancient people dressed, but the guides give artists a good idea of the type of clothing worn by correlating research done by hundreds of experts. Scanlon’s research was used over the course of six years to redesign the clothing and characters in the Hill Cumorah Pageant in New York from 2001 to 2007. Specifically, his work was used to re-do the clothing of all the major characters in the production including Joseph Smith, Moroni and Lehi. “My work on this project was one of the most personal growing experiences of my life,” Scanlon said, “All my professional training would lead me to believe that such a task was impossible. What was produced, however, was a testimony of the power of the Spirit in guiding and directing key projects for the Church.” On Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in the North Visitor’s Center is a tribute to both ancient and modern prophets called the Hall of the Prophets. Scanlon’s research was used to redesign some of the most well known prophets such as Moses and Peter. Because there is such a broad application for Scanlon’s research, visual artists who use the guides range in field and medium from clothing designers to traditional oil paint artists to modern animators. “Rory is a fountain of knowledge, and has given me invaluable guidance on several difficult projects,” said Joshua Cotton, a BYU animation student, “One I remember in particular was the costume I completed for the Captain Moroni: the Art of Liberty exhibit. I’m one of many who have benefitted from his work.” Many BYU productions have also profited from Scanlon’s work. In 2003, the Opera Abinidi, in 2006 the play Aida and in 2009 both the play Children of Eden and Macbeth, set in Central America benefited from the expansive research by Scanlon. “My research in the Bible and Book of Mormon has influenced my approach to most productions,” Scanlon said, “I now think more about the historical context of clothing overall.” Currently, Scanlon’s guides are available on request, but his goal is to print them in order to make his work available for artists working on Bible and Book of Mormon projects around the world. Source: BYU News

The 3rd floor of the MOA will be closing on Monday July 27 for a two-week period until Saturday, August 8. This includes the Shaping America exhibition and the religious wing. The front desk, MOA Café and 2nd floor galleries will remain open during the regular hours of the MOA. The MOA store will have irregular hours during this time also.

Photo by Nathalie Van Empel Rory R. Scanlon, professor of theatre and media arts, has been appointed to serve a second term as associate dean in the College of Fine Arts and Communications. Ed Adams, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications, made the announcement last week and stated that Scanlon’s responsibilities will include Arts Production and Performing Arts Council. “Rory offers a unique opportunity in this college,” commented Adams. “I’ve got strength in Rory to test ideas of design so we don’t waste our time frittering away on impossible dreams–that we can make things happen and come at the issue in a way where we can actually see that something is deliverable. Scanlon received his MFA in costume design at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1984 and has been a member of the BYU faculty for 31 years. His area of focus is design technology. He is the past president of the Rocky Mountain Theatre Association, was the Utah representative to RMTA for four years, sat on the Provo City Arts Council for three years and is a regularly invited presenter for the Utah Theatre Association. His design work in costumes, sets and lights includes work with Disney, Hasbro and university/professional productions throughout the United States. Scanlon was professionally involved in a redesign of the 1500 costumes for the Hill Cumorah Pageant for six summers and has worked with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on several other historical costume recreation projects in Salt Lake City, Mesa and Far West. His first book with Costume Fashion Press in New York, “Costume Design Graphics,” was released in 2001. He has previously served as associate dean of Fine Arts and Communications from 2004-2010, as an associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of the BYU Honors Program from 2010-2012, executive producer in the college and associate chair in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. “What I am excited about in this new position,” said Scanlon, “is that I will be doing what I am already doing!” Scanlon replaces outgoing associate dean Randy Boothe who will continue his responsibilities as an associate professor in the Music, Dance, and Theatre program. Boothe is also the artistic director for the world-renowned Young Ambassadors. Many of his former students are now on Broadway and performing with national touring companies, at Disney World, and on various cruise lines.