and Duncan Crary ’00
plan Salvage
As a Union student, Roger Noyes '00 was the editor of a short-lived alternative newspaper. He recently began collaborating with classmate
Duncan Crary '00 and five other friends on a publishing venture, Salvage Magazine, a literary and art publication in New York's Capital Region.
Noyes, an English major, began work
as a reporter for The Spotlight Newspapers in Delmar, N.Y., shortly after graduation while his wife,
Kim Noyes '00, attended Albany Medical School. It was there that he got together with the five masterminds of
Salvage.”Many of us had had the idea of a literary arts magazine in the back of our heads, but we just needed to get together,” says Noyes.
“No one can really claim the idea for the magazine; it just kind of happened.”
The group began meeting weekly in August of 2001, discussing business and bouncing ideas off each other. “There's a lot of great art out there, and we wanted to tie it together in one place,” Noyes says.
One of the most challenging decisions was finding an appropriate name for the magazine. “We had thrown a number of names around before we came to
Salvage,” Noyes says. The word-and magazine-represent a “salvage yard” showcasing of local talent, and also invokes a sense of reclaiming artistic and literary heritage. “Salvage has a noble purpose, but it is also
a humble,” Noyes says. “It may be a little ragged around the edges.”
The result is a free quarterly black-and-white magazine with an artistic edge unlike any other in the Capital Region. The first and second issues were a success. “We publish
literature of all genres, fiction, poetry, photography, creative nonfiction,” Noyes says.
Salvage accepts submissions from any talent in the Capital Region and beyond.
In the second issue, Salvage received sixty writing submissions alone. The group discusses and votes on each submission at the weekly meetings, and artists appear based on talent, not professional expertise.
Union English Professor Ed Pavlic was the featured artist in the first issue, which published three of his previously unpublished poems. The first issue's cover displays a photograph by
Calvert Crary '00, and the second issue featured a short story by Gary Dryfoos '74.
“There has been an overwhelming response,” Noyes says. “It's certainly going to last with the support of the community.” The board prints approximately 3,000 copies and distributes them around the Capital Region.
Salvage depends on fundraising and donations to support the $800 publication cost for each issue. All proceeds go toward publication expenses.
Salvage can also be found on the web at
www.salvagemagazine.com.
Noyes finished graduate school for English
in May at the University of Albany and plans to move ahead in his career, although he would like to continue to be involved with
Salvage in some way. He recognizes, as do all the editors, that longevity ultimately depends on the enthusiasm of future volunteers.