If you’re looking for some Holiday adventures this month, two luminous and art-influenced spots to visit are Glow: A Winter Lights Event at Santa Fe’s Botanical Garden, running Dec. 4-Jan. 3 on Thursdays-Saturdays 5-8 p.m. and Saturdays 5-9 p.m., and the twinkle-lit open house events at Madrid, an artist’s destination on Turquoise Trail National Scenic Highway. On opening night, Dec. 4, Public Relations Director Fran Cole admires that along with the hundreds of holiday light fixtures illuminating Santa Fe’s Botanical Garden, the nearly full moon adds its own ambiance. “Did we order that or what!?” she says. For the month of December, Cole shares that the 1,350-acres of Ortiz Mountains are host to the lighting designs of Joe Dean, whose company Lumenscapes spent over two months planning and installed hexagonal domes and dazzling light projections along paths and courtyards of the gardens. “I came out and did my own aerial photography,” Dean says, “and I worked on a layout to figure out how to make this place glow.” Dean’s first dome, upon entering the site, is most important for it is reserved for Santa Clause himself, who sits among gifts and a Christmas tree, with kids already on his lap. Next stop, the hot chocolate dome. Buy one and get free refills for the rest of the night! Once Santa and the hot cocoa is taken care of, the garden’s circular trails welcome families to warm up by courtyard fires, sit on benches while listening to Christmas or reggae music, or walk through the many moving light fixtures that end by the beautiful red bridge overlook. Along with Glow installations, the garden is also hosting the site specific sculpture show “Morphic Nature,” created by SFUAD’s own students as well as students from the Institute of American Indian Arts. The site pieces, interspersed among the garden’s circular art trail, range from carved logs to shaped branches and were made entirely from the garden’s recovered plant material. Director Cole explains that because the sites are “clearing out for the next phase of Botanical Garden,” she was glad that the extra twigs, branches, leaves, etc. were used in a creative capacity. Cole adds that students from SFUAD will be free to the site during regular business hours, Thursday- Sunday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., otherwise tickets for Glow nights are $8. 28 miles from Santa Fe’s Botanical Garden, the town of Madrid is also glowing beneath the full moon with its spectacular twinkle lights and shop lights. From the sky, the town might look like a gathering of fireflies in the middle of a dark desert. The story of Madrid is reputably unique. First a mining town from the 1920s to the 1940s, it became a ghost town in the 50s when it shut down. According to Lori Lindsey, owner of Madrid’s famous Mine Shaft Tavern, the town was maintained by a single family until is was revived in the 70s. The “History of Madrid New Mexico” brochure records that the town was sold to “individuals who brought in artists, businesses, tourists, and summer festivals” while retaining the “historic character of the town.” “Nobody’s really from Madrid,” Lindsey says, but “we believe in what we’re doing here.” The business owner addss that instead of being a residential town, Madrid thrives off its commercial reputation, housing artists from all over the world who open shops and galleries for locals and visitors alike. “Here you find a unique gift you won’t find in Santa Fe,” Lindsey says, sitting in Cowgirl Red, an art vintage store she co-manages on Madrid’s two-lane main street. The shop includes shelves of cowboy boots and spurs while a few doors down, Linda Dunnill’s Heaven Boutique evokes a victorian era vibe, the complete opposite of Lindey’s Western motif. And at the end of the street, you can visit “Maggie’s Diner,” a movie set left by the crew of Wild Hogs in 2007. In the spirit of Christmas, the unique townspeople of Madrid revive the traditions of the old mining town by hanging up strings...

We went around campus and asked some students and faculty what they were looking forward to for the Holidays. Jackalope Magazine: What do you look forward to for the Holidays? Derek Morales: I’ll be heading back home to Connecticut to be with the family. I’ll be working some seasonal part time for some money. I might even work on some of designs over the break. Jehad N Khateeb: I won’t be doing anything special. I will go to San Francisco with Sandra [Schoenstein] maybe in January.  I am Muslim so I don’t celebrate Christmas. Sandra Schoenstein: I’m very happy that this is my first Christmas away from family. I am not very fond of Christmas so it’s nice to finally spend it alone. I’ll go to San Francisco with Jehad [N Khateeb] too which will be nice. They call me the Grinch at home. Kevin J Smith: I will spend the holidays with my dogs, in my house, alone. I’ll probably play some video games, maybe make some food for myself, but yeah, just gonna be home. Federico Ochoa: I will go see my family in Mexico and hopefully have a nice Christmas with them all. Cristian Marquez: I’ll be spending my holidays with my family to eat and celebrate Christmas with my brothers and sisters. It will be a great break and I am looking forward to Daniela LaRrea: I will be going to Cabo to see my family, eat some good food and relax before next semester of classes. Charlie Miu: I missed Thanksgiving dinner with my family so I look forward to these holidays to have our own remix of the two. Ambrose Taylor: I’ll be heading home to see family and friends. I’m ready to see everyone at home and get some much needed rest from this...

At the end of the semester, few people want to be starting on new projects. But this is when the members of Underwear Society, SFUAD’s student-run sketch comedy group, come together to write and put on their show. For 13 years, Underwear Society has amused College of Santa Fe and now SFUAD students with its antics, putting on one show per semester during finals. Shows usually are held in the Weckesser Studio Theatre in the Greer Garson Theater, but this semester, due to changes within the theater department, the show will go on in Alumni Hall. The show consists of sketches written individually by members or collectively as a group, using pop culture, campus life, awkward situations, and over-the-top characters for inspiration. Between scenes, each member has a scene to showcase their “Indulgence.” “It’s three to five minutes of a solo performer performing solo!” laughs Jacey Ellis when asked to define what an “Indulgence” is. In essence, it’s a moment for a performer to perform whatever they want so the audience can “familiarize themselves with the performer.” Gathering in the acting lab in the Greer Garson Theatre on Dec. 8, members swap scripts and pitch ideas for scenes. Although the group routinely dissolves into giggles, everyone quickly refocuses their attention on the huge task of compiling and rehearsing a show in only a week. “It feels amazing to be a part of something you’ve wanted to do for so long,” enthuses new member Elizabeth Anderson, a performing arts senior who has been auditioning for acceptance into the group since her sophomore year. In addition to Anderson, senior members Jacey Ellis, Joey Beth Gilbert, and Michael Pepp welcomed new members Marjorie Solo, Hamilton Turner, RJ Henkel and Darrell Luther to the team this semester. When asked what attracted them to sketch comedy, each member had unique answers that spoke to the versatility of the art form. “It’s the fleeting nature of the form,” says Marjorie Solo, a creative writing and literature major. “A sketch, like a poem, is only with you for a short period of time. The temporary nature is very appealing.” Michael Pepp, a theater major who has been with the group for four years, agrees. “It’s about being able to have the freedom of movement, of worlds, and the togetherness of laughter.” All agreed that virtues such as respect and open-mindedness were essential qualities for members of a comedy group to have in order to work well together, with RJ Henkel commenting that such qualities gives the group “more freedom to be completely outrageous.” Another interesting discussion point was the difference of opinion over how important being a good writer was to being a good comedian. “I don’t think you can be a good comedian without being a good writer,” says Henkel, who joined the group in the hopes of improving his writing skills, whereas Solo contends that “the writing comes second to the comedic brain and comedic timing; being able to see the world and take comedic material from it.” Hamilton Turner, who has assisted with previous Underwear shows but is enjoying his first show as an official member, preferred to walk the line by agreeing that “it’s definitely important,” but also pointing out that many professional comedians now have writers working for them to help better craft their material. In the end, though, everyone is dedicated to working together to put on the best show possible. Free performances take place this Friday Dec. 12 at midnight and Saturday Dec. 13 at 11 p.m. in Alumni...

Jackalope sits down with musical group The Maya Spectra to discuss the release of the band’s debut CD, The Music Box, in this audio visual interview.

Getting a tattoo is a mighty decision, as is choosing a place that fits you best. Ultimately, it begs the question: what should I look for?

As a community of artists, we often create connections in the spaces where—and the people with whom—we work. Since Manhattan started filming last March, the painters and artists have been moved from their old work space in the Barracks to primarily use as their main painting facility the second story of Alexis Hall, which is predominantly the graphic design building. Jackalope spoke with a few of the artists about their experiences in the new space. Dylan Tenorio, a junior Studio Arts major, considered the new facility a crowded space with low ceilings. “The space can be a bit crowded, and there are a lot of us here sometimes.” Another concern he brought up is that supplies can go missing, which he says was less common in the old facility. He does, however, enjoy having the digital lab downstairs. “Sometimes I go down there and do some digital work; it’s really convenient.” Omar Lazri, also a junior Studio Arts major, really enjoys the facility’s aesthetic. “It has a very eastern New York look with the bricks and the length,” he notes. But he also really misses the Barrack’s higher ceilings, which allowed him to work with taller pieces. He also thinks that the new facility can get too hot when everyone is there working or doing class. Phat Le, a junior Fine Arts major, really misses his old painting space. “I had grown very attached to the old space,” he says. “I worked there all the time.” Le also thinks that the space is very small for his style, but he is learning to work with it for the time being. “I am used to making big artwork and the older space in Tishman was perfect for me.” Ryan Roberson, a Junior Studio Arts major, thinks that the new space has bad lighting and is much more cramped compared to the old facility. She also spoke about not feeling too comfortable leaving her materials out. “I personally don’t like this new space. The other building was much bigger and had much better lighting.” Kevin Bouton-Scott, a first semester Studio Arts major, never knew the other facility. He is a very reclusive artist who enjoys his privacy—and he really enjoys the space in Alexis Hall. “I can stay here all night to work, often I do.” He would simply advocate for the card readers to work after hours so that he can come work more conveniently. He would also like more lockers to contain materials and...

Leticia Gonzales hasn’t always known her niche. “The first thing I wanted to do was dance,” she said. “Then sing. Then I wanted to join a Mariachi group and wanted to play trumpet, but I couldn’t play trumpet. Then I wanted to play bass, but I couldn’t play bass. So it was guitar or violin, and guitar is fucking stupid.” Tonight at 7 p.m., Gonzales will be performing her senior show featuring nine musical selections from various nations ranging from America to Macedonia, Ireland to Guinea. She will showcase her talents on vocals, violin and three African drums (Dununba, Sangban and Kenkeni). But organizing the event, and performing in front of a crowd was the last thing she wanted to do. Gonzales grew up listening to American Folk music, and when she enrolled at University of New Mexico, music seemed to be the natural choice. But its program was too confined for her musical curiosity. Faith renewed when she transferred to SFUAD and discovered its Balkan and African drum ensembles. “The only way I can talk about why [I like Balkan and African music] is that I heard it and it spoke to me,” she said and that seems to be a running theme. Along with being a music major, Gonzales is also working toward a minor in writing, something she considers her true passion. “Writing would be the vessel,” she said. “ And inside of that is music, textiles, philosophy, language and everything else that makes me excited about living.” Caitlin Brothers, Gonzales’ friend and musical partner, sees her experience as a writer seeping into her senior show in the arrangement of music, and spoken word selections. “I feel like she’s organized the show almost how one would arrange a poem,” she said. “It feels like being a part of a nine point poem.” Brothers and Gonzales perform with each other often, including as part of their band Storming The Beaches With Logos In Hand. They also share the connection of both being women in a predominantly male department. “Having a conversation without being listened to, is bearable sometimes,” said Brothers. “Trying to play music with someone who isn’t listening to you—you can’t fucking do anything, We found each other as people who can listen to one another. She knows I’ll listen to her, and I know she’ll listen to me.” In part to Gonzales’ distaste for singing publicly, and the duo’s musical compatibility, Gonzales acknowledges that her show would be lost without Brothers’ contribution on percussions and vocals. “When I was considering African rhythms and singing the tunes that I’m singing, the only way that I thought that would come to fruition was if I imagined Caitlin doing them with me,” said Gonzales. She is self-deprecating, nervous about applying make-up for the camera, but it is clear with her attention to detail in writing, and dedication in learning new music, that Gonzales knows what she is doing. “I’m hoping that in presenting things in a methodic and tight woven way, there will be an hour where everybody in the same room is connecting in the same way, on a winter night,” she said. Along with Gonzales and Brothers, the show also features collaborative composition between Gonzales and Sam Armstrong Zickefoose, as well as Bailey Schaumburg reading a selection from Italo Calvino’s “Invisible Cities.” Gonzales requests that there be no cell phones or photography, and that you hold all applause until the end. Leticia Gonzales Senior Show O’Shaughnessy Performance Space 7 p.m. Free...