On Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, John Brown University’s Humanities wing hosted the annual Southwest Conference on Christianity and Literature. The theme for this year’s conference drew inspiration from artist Mary Cassatt’s paintings of girls and mothers with books, inviting conversations about women writers as well as how women are portrayed creatively, especially in religious paintings, films and literature. Other genres of creative pieces were welcome as well. There were several panels to attend, all free for the public. Among several academic scholars from different universities, the University featured five student presenters as well as one alumnus and two faculty members.