Cardinal Perspectives
Presenting the creative work of Gadsden State students, employees, and community members.
GSCC Instructor-Student Creative Collaboration
These pieces are a collaboration from the following individuals:
Aubrey Abernathy, Charles Akes, Jackson Allred, Jocelyn Anderson, Nathan Barber, Austin Beard, Levi Benefield, Lane Brasher, Kenzi Cobb, Adrian Diego-Mateo, Gabby Dixon, Zenay Haley, Benjamin Hirsh, Chole Kiser, Kayla Lasseter, Hailey Otten, Albertoni Serreno, Autum Sides, Zeke Voytek, Rachel Waldrup, Aiden Watts, Owen Westman, Aubrey Wilkie, and Amie Yarbrough.
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Hope
"Recently, some friends and I lingered around a table after a good meal. One friend asked us where we see hope in the world today. This prompted a long conversation and some months of pondering. Here’s what I’ve decided. I see hope in many places—a kind word, a flower growing in a crack of concrete, my faith. I also see hope every day in the students I work with. I see hope in their drive to succeed, their bravery at facing challenges, their optimism in the future, and in their kindness to one another. This semester, my students and I spent an hour making collages and writing about hope. Here is what we created."
-Rachel Houghton, GSCC English Instructor
Original Painting by GSCC student Jillian Wadsworth
FALL 2025 CAJ Creatives Watercolor Workshop
Original photography by GSCC's Vanessa Cochran
Original Poetry by GSCC Student evelise martinez-elrod
The Cross That Stood Still
Up the hill, the sky grew dim, the world was heavy, stained with sin. The nails were driven, the curtain torn, a crown of thorns where love was worn.
He took the blame we could not bear, each bitter weight was fastened there. The spotless Lamb, the perfect one, was crushed beneath a darkened sun.
The crowd cried out, yet mercy stayed, for even then, his love was prayed: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
He bowed his head, the end seemed near, yet love broke death, removed all fear. The grave was empty, the stone rolled wide, for hope arose, and death had died.
So still today, this truth remains: His blood had washed away our chains.
Then even now, the truth is clear, his sacrifice has freed us here. The cross, a sign of grace untold, a Savior’s love, more pure than gold.
And yet he showed a brighter view, a boundless love for me, and for you.
Original Photography by GSCC Student Christopher Montgomery
Original Poetry by GSCC Student Ziggy Connell
Guardian Angel Mine
Dear Guardian Angel are you there?
In this brisk November air?
Do you see these hands clutched,
In a form of silent prayer?
Do you see this head bowed,
In exception that the world is truly not fair?
Do you see these young eyes.
Worn out in their prime?
Do you see these weary shoulders,
Of one tired of searching for a sign?
Do you hear this heartbeat song,
Sounding for the final time?
Will you watch this last sunrise,
Oh Guardian Angel mine?
And when all is said and done,
Will you take me into your arms of thine?
Cradle me like a babe and whispering your words so kind;
To pearly gates of Heaven’s grace to be with the divine.
Creative Community
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CAJ's K12 Outreach
The Cardinal Arts Journal partners with local K12 schools throughout the year to provide creative workshops for students of all ages. The most recent collab was with Southside Elementary School's 4th grade classes this past spring, who showed off their creative writing skills as they learned about narrative poetry and crafted their own original poems.
Mother and Daughter Creatives
Original Photography (above & Below) by Hilary Backwood
Colors
People think white is bland
but it's not
cause it's every color.
Original Poem by 4th Grader Stella Blackwood
Original Poetry by GSCC Student Ta'shanuna Barton
Click click click
The candle is lit
Whoosh
You blew it out you told me that you like the dark better
I probably should’ve took that as a sign
I said it’s okay it won’t hurt you
Click click click
The candles lit again shinning light to your demons within
I’m advertising a safe home it’s not a fairy tale it’s something that genuine and last long
Whoosh
It happens again but I say don’t you frighten I understand it’s sometimes hard to trust light when ppl sale it but intentions aren’t pure inside
Again click click click
Whoosh
Out the candle goes again
Click click click
whoosh whoosh whoosh
over and over until I falter to light it again
My mind has experience this pattern
and struggles with seeing the truth that you don’t want to be save
your comfortable in your cage
because the people around you love who you are and never force you to change
to look in the mirror and heal that inner child
making yourself feel safe
So I eventually I stopped lighting the candle for you
kept it for myself
started reminiscing on old times even if you didn’t respect me
it was the attachment I had felt
Next it was your turn
click
click
click
you tried to light the candle but the light had left
I was gone
Choosing me and the cards I were dealt
Not That Kind of Grown
Original Photography by GSCC Instructor Tabitha Bozeman
Copyright © 2025 Cardinal Arts Journal - All Rights Reserved.
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