Senior Megan Weidenbach is an artist and wrestler on campus. She plans to further her education at the University of Oklahoma.
Megan Weidenbach
Wingspan: What got you interested in art?
Weidenbach: “I really liked the idea of expressing thoughts and emotions without words. Color and line are some of the easiest ways for me to communicate feelings.”
Wingspan: What’s your favorite medium? Why ?
Weidebach: “My favorite medium is probably pen and ink. It’s really easy to get the super intricate details and you can make some really unique patterns and textures with it that you wouldn’t be able to execute with other mediums.”
Wingspan: How has it benefited your life overall ?
Weidenbach: “There’s always something new you can learn about art, and the world of art is so historic and expansive that you can dive so deep into it and never run out of lessons to take from it. It’s been a way for me to put my energy into something and always be able to learn and grow from the experience, regardless of the outcome.”
Wingspan: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced ?
Weidenbach: “The biggest challenges I’ve faced are probably taking on super big projects and getting way in over my head. I started a clay piece this year that was super complicated and just refused to stay together. I think I put it back together maybe six or seven times, and I definitely cried because it was so frustrating.”
Wingspan: What are your goals with art ?
Weidenbach: “My goal for my art is to continue it throughout my life and to grow with it as I have been. I’m not going to school for it, but it’s still a huge part of my life that I want to see where it takes me.”
Wingspan: Do you have future plans with art ?
Weidenbach: “I would love to have my own studio or space someday where I can create freely on my own time without any restrictions!”
Wingspan: What would you say to beginning artists?
Wiedenbach: “If I had to give some advice to anyone starting out, I would tell them to never be discouraged if their work doesn’t turn out exactly how they pictured it at first. Going through some of my old sketchbooks from when I first started honestly made me cringe, and that’s totally okay! Each piece is just reps in building your skills and before you know it you’ll be able convey things exactly how you imagine them. It just takes time!”
Butternut squash soup
Butternut squash soup, the perfect meal for the cooler weather. Not only is this soup healing to eat, but it is also packed with aromatics and herbs like ginger, garlic, and rosemary.
As the weather gets cooler, a bowl of butternut squash soup is the perfect comforting meal. Packed with aromatics and herbs like ginger, garlic, and rosemary, this soup is both flavorful and healing.
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 medium-sized white onion
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- ½ tsp crushed black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- Fresh minced rosemary – 1 tsp
- 1 box of Pacifica foods vegetable broth (you can add more if the soup feels too thick)
- ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tbsp of oil (I use coconut oil) + plus oil for drizzling the squash with
- Drizzle of non-dairy creamer
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the butternut squash into halves and take out the seeds.
- Grease the butternut squash’s outer layer and poke holes into both halves.
- Place the butternut squash halves face down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until tender and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onions, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger.
- Place a pot on medium heat and add 1 tbsp oil to the pot.
- Once the oil is hot, toss in the onions, garlic, and ginger and stir for a few minutes until golden-brown and translucent.
- Add in the broth, salt, black pepper, and red chili flakes to the pot.
- Once your butternut squash is ready, scoop the inner flesh using a spoon and put the flesh into your pot.
- Stir to combine the ingredients in the pot and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes (the longer the better). Before you blend, add in the maple syrup.
- After that, blend the ingredients into a creamy soup using an immersion blender (in order to prevent soup from sputtering out, make sure the immersion blender is touching the bottom of the pot when you are blending).
- Garnish with rosemary and drizzle with optional non-dairy cream. Enjoy!