The ambient lighting ushers a sparse crowd into the Panthers Den, inviting them to find a seat as the first coffee house of the season gets underway.

The solemn sound of a warm welcome rings through the air as smiling faces greet the guests, as Scout Lynch smiles and welcomes attendees to the event.

People walk by the refreshment table, their eyes light up with excitement as they see cookies and coffee.

The smell is warm and sugary like a bakery that has fresh-baked cookies. Tempted, they take some to fill up on and enjoy the evening’s entertainment.

Lynch makes introductions to the small crowd and starts off with some-lighted heart poetry.

As the night continues, Emily Bass, senior, approaches the stage to read her prose of “Sparkler”.

She speaks of the warm crackle and the light of the sparkler. She relates it to her heart and the way it makes her feel like she is crackling with excitement and joy.

The whole time she read her prose, her voice climbed with excitement.

“I’ve always loved writing, and my parents encouraged me to start writing about my feelings and emotions in a journal. This really helped processes my emotions,” Bass says.

She also submitted her pieces to the Chrysalis, and she spoke of her art work.

“Drawing helps me, too. I can put all my feelings down and feel better about life and sometimes the stresses of life,” Bass says.

Lynch walks towards the stage and asks for an audience member to help her with the next act.

Tj Jala, senior, shouts out and bodly announces he will undertake the challenge.  He struts to the stage and sits in the chair that Lynch lays out.

He kind of slouches as he sits down and gets comfortable. He has no idea what is about to happen but he is already on stage.

“I am going to sing and paint to show how much I put on my plate sometimes, and I need to finish this portrait before I get done with the song,” Lynch says.

Lynch methodically swishes the paint across the canvas, feeling the music. The interaction between the two was a comedic one that enthralled the audience.

The song is done, and so is Lynch, who hands the piece to Jala.

“Beautiful,” he exclaims.

Once the act is over, he sits back into his seat and revels at the piece.

“The painting shows a different side of me and allowed me to look inwardly on myself,“ Jala says.

Lynch grabs everyone’s attention one last time and thanks everyone for attending the opening Coffee House of the semester, ending the night.