Black River Review 2025
Jefferson Community College
State University of New York
Watertown, New York
Volume XXXV
Spring 2025
EDITORS & JUDGES
Christine Pristash and Michael Avery, Co-Editors-in-Chief
Erin Kuhn, Art Editor
Roy Romano and April Schmidt, Literary Editors
COVER ART
Jade Ramirez
Outstanding Artwork Contributor for
Punk
(mixed media)
Opinions expressed by the authors and artists do not necessarily reflect those of
the editors or of Jefferson Community College.
Introduction
Michael Avery
Welcome to our 35th edition of the Black River Review. This is a true collaboration
of all its participants: from the students, faculty, staff, and alumni who contribute
to its contents to the members of the campus community who bring it to life in the
form you see before you. We celebrate as another winter has passed and we offer this
work as a gift of spring and summer to come.
This year’s iteration deals with some perennial themes: rural and urban scenes, nature,
relationships, life, and death. But it also features the fantastic. Kirsten Pratt’s
“The Girl in Blue” presents a haunted mansion with a mysterious and evil inhabitant.
Aurora Siegrist’s “Facing Your Fears” is a drawing depicting a heavenly warrior against
a cartoonish monster. Two photographs by Rose Slate show high-contrast portraits that
refuse to be ignored. Another story by Dallas Parker is about a strange “Hidden Grove”
that the protagonist finds himself in after what apparent abuse and disconnection.
Perhaps it is the fantastic that always keeps us turning the pages. But all the work—the
poems, essays, stories, drawings, and photographs—give us a glimpse into our wonderful
Jefferson community.
I am particularly drawn to this year’s cover, entitled “Punk,” by Jade Ramirez. It
reminds me, along with her drawing “Say Cheese!,” of a particular definition of punk
by Kurt Cobain: “…liking and accepting anything that you like…whatever you want…as
long as it’s good and it has passion1.”To me, Ramirez’s cover and drawing are punk.
In fact, everything in this year’s issue is punk.
Dig in and dig the issue. Discover the passion inside the work. Happy reading!
Black River Review Contributors, 2025
* Indicates Outstanding Literary or Art Contributor
Poetry
- Elena Dickinson, "Bullet Holes in the Signs"
- Kenyon Wells, "A Pail of Water"
- Alesa Bernat, "Song of the Stars"
- Dalton Hall, "10/27/2024"
- Eiffel Vitug, "Presence"
- *Alesa Bernat, "Shadow Loss" - Outstanding Creative Writing Contributor
- Elena Dickinson, "Hand-In-Bare-Hand"
- Dalton Hall, "Another Poem about Deer"
- Kenyon Wells, "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall"
- Joshua Dickinson, "Diotima Diorama"
- *Alesa Bernat, "My Anger is a Triangle" - Outstanding Creative Writing Contributor
- Eiffel Vitug, "I Write Because"
- Lucinda Barbour, "Woman in a Wave"
Fiction
- Kirsten Pratt, "The Girl in Blue"
- *Dallas Parker, "The Trap of His Mind" - Outstanding Creative Writing Contributor
Nonfiction
- James Shaw, "Lines of Enclosure"
- Chris Fuller, "Layman's Guide for Adventures on the Felts Mills Creek" (nonfiction)
Artwork
- *Jade Ramirez, "Say Cheese" - (graphite) - Outstanding Artwork Contributor
- *Lilian Kilionski, "She's Just Hungry" (photograph) - Outstanding Artwork Contributor
- Ruby Stump, "Bunker Daughter" (graphite, colored pencil, marker)
- Pamela Dixon, "Lunch for One" (photograph)
- Eric Carden, "Under London's Gaze 1" & "Under London's Gaze 2" (photograph)
- James McFaul, "Two Medicine Lake" (photograph)
- Aurora Siegrist, "Facing Your Fears" (graphite and ink)
- Rose Slate, "The Abyss Within" (photograph)
- Pamela Dixon, "Web of Lies? Truth? Neither?" (photograph)
- Amanda Chamberlain, "Untamed" (painting)
- Chantell Beach, "Endless Possibilities" (graphite and pastel)
- Jasmyn Marrero, "Simple Pleasures" (graphite)
- Madison Sheperd, "The Forbidden Fruit" (graphite)
- Rose Slate, "Jester's Veil"
- Christopher Bolton, "The Threshold is Band in a Sea of Monsters" (graphite)
- Eiffel Vitug, "Melancholy" (graphite)
- *Lillian Kilionski, "Iguana with a Tick Problem" (photograph) - Outstanding Artwork Contributor
Contributor's Notes
served as Art Professor at JCC for 28 years, where she enjoyed encouraging her students’
artistic development. She recently taught an art workshop for UK veterans and hopes
to
continue this gratifying work.
a current JCC student, says that "When I create something, I want it to be able to trigger emotions. My grandfather was the one who always supported my art and that is the reason why I continue to draw."
is a 22-year-old student at JCC. He hopes to become an attorney in the next 8 years. He is passionate about the creative arts, primarily writing and music.
has been a part of the JCC Enrollment Services team for over a year and a half, assisting students apply and get accepted in the Northern New York and NYC areas. Eric moved to the Watertown area over 5 years ago and grew to love the area from taking pictures of beautiful nature to enjoying time with friends.
was born and raised in Upstate, NY. She is currently attending JCC full-time for Human Services and plans to transfer after graduation. Amanda wants to pursue a career in Mental Health Counseling/Art Therapy.
an Anne of Green Gables enthusiast, is studying Biomedical Sciences at St. Lawrence University in hopes of one day becoming a Pediatric Cardiologist. Like Anne, Elena indulges her curiosity, while remaining determined that the best lies around the bend.
studied at Jefferson and currently teaches writing and literature here. He enjoys reading banned books and participating in the National Novel Writing Month contest each November.
holds an associate degree from Jefferson Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Franklin University. Her work has been featured in past issues of the Black River Review and this year, she earned first place in the North Country Arts Council Fall 2024 show, photography category. Her dream as a photographer is to cross paths with a moose, camera in hand, or to spot a fox in her garden, camera ready.
was born and raised in Felts Mills, NY. Chris graduated from Jefferson Community College in 2022.
is a JCC alum from Brownville, a father of three, a journeyman in the pipe trades, the drummer for Small Town Dreamers, and the songwriter behind Consanguine.
is a JCC graduate who enjoys traveling and photographing people, animals, and nature.
is a current JCC student born in Hyannis, Massachusetts. This was her first time drawing after a three-year hiatus and this art class has reignited her passion for art.
has over 33 years’ experience in adult and community education including administrative positions with Western Wyoming College, Indiana University- Kokomo, Western Michigan University and Vincennes University. James retired in 2020.
is a current student at JCC studying creative writing. She plans on pursuing journalism but is currently undecided about what school she wants to attend. Dallas likes to explore the complexities of the mind, weaving emotions and reality through her writing.
is a psychology major, writer, and a mother. She is passionate about storytelling, raising awareness of mental health challenges in society, and someday hopes to publish a novel.
is a 21-year-old queer artist and JCC student who focuses on expressive portraiture and surrealism.
is eighteen years old and currently enrolled at JCC in the Creative Writing program. Despite her writing major, she’s been drawing for almost 9 years and hopes to continue to draw and improve for many more.
is a local JCC alum and a veteran NY national guardsman. He enjoys writing and is currently working on his first science fiction novel.
balances her studies in education with her passion for photography, capturing the raw essence of human emotion in her New York-based art and exploring themes of identity.
is an 18-year-old student at JCC. Ruby likes drawing what they want and when they want––which usually means they’re drawing made up characters all the time. If you're reading this: “Hi Mom!!"
a current JCC student, has used writing for the last 7 years as an outlet to express emotions, struggles, and interests without needing to find the right words. Eiffel is able to explore her own complexities and create a piece that won’t limit her voice.
is a retired member of the Melvil Dewey Library All-Star staff. He writes poetry and takes photos down South these days.
SUBMISSIONS
The editors seek original submissions for the Black River Review in the following categories:
Poetry: Up to 5 poems, not to exceed 50 lines each
Fiction: Up to 2 short stories, not to exceed 1500 words each
Non-Fiction: Up to 2 essays, not to exceed 1500 words each
Plays: Up to 2 one-act plays, not to exceed 1500 words each
Artwork: Up to 4 works in the original medium, such as black ink or charcoal drawing, computer graphics,
b/w photographs, even if printed from color film
Music: Up to 2 compositions 16 or more measures in length
Only submissions from Jefferson Community College students (full or part-time), faculty, staff, and alumni will be considered. Cash awards for outstanding work will be awarded.
Submitting and presenting work:
For Black River Review submissions, include name, address, phone number, and status (i.e., staff, faculty,
student, alumni with grad class year) on each submitted work as well as a biographical
note of thirty words or fewer when submitting. All submissions become the property
of the Black River Review; submitted works will not be returned. However, after first publication, all rights
revert back to authors/ artists.
Award recipients are encouraged to participate in the reading of works and presentation of awards during the Black River Review unveiling in Spring 2025.
Deadline for Volume XXXVI: February 13, 2026
APPRECIATION
Publication of the Black River Review is made possible by support from the School of Arts & Humanities. Outstanding Contributor award funds for artwork and writing are provided by the Campus Life committee’s Social-Cultural grant.
CREDITS
Typing and layout for this volume of the Black River Review is done using Microsoft Word. Prize notification and event coordination by Heather Natali. Original logo design by Dave Bowhall. Cover art digitizing by Keri Chubb (Class of 2010) and Gillian Maitland (Class of 1993). Website content production by Andrew Lackey and Erin Kuhn. Printing by Speedway Press.
Copyright © 2025 Black River Review
(After first publication, all rights revert to authors, artists, and composers.)