Hatton Tong ’21
As American writer Harriet Ann Jacobs once said, “The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” In the spring of 2021, art is also being revived, with several Mercersburg Academy seniors producing pieces for exhibition in the Burgin Center for Arts. Among these students are Mason Reed, Gordy Simon, and Virginia Jones, whom we have had the privilege to interview with regard to their pieces.
For his Commarts Springboard project, Mason Reed produced an album titled DAMN II. “The purpose behind it was to learn more about the process of creating and producing beats and songs,” Mason said. “I’ve always enjoyed making music so I used this as an opportunity to get better at it.” The album features Gordon Lee, Sam Nobile, Max Bratter, and several other talented individuals. In their verses, the artists gave expression to their backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The album is available on Soundcloud for all members of the Mercersburg Community and already has gained over 300 listens.
Another example of featured talent comes from Gordy Simon who produced video edits for his Commarts project. “I’ve always had an interest in video editing,” Gordy explained. “It was my way of capturing moments in my life and sharing them with the people around me.” The music, pictures, and visuals of Gordy’s project all synthesize to share a story. Check out more of Gordy’s edits on his artistic instagram page @bygordy.