It was 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 16, and writers—mostly freshmen—were trickling into Benildus 101 for the Student Writers Association(SWA). Junior Adriel Contreras, current co-head of SWA, was drawing the SWA logo on the white board. Senior Katie Johnson, also co-head, was organizing her materials together. It was about five minutes past their starting time when everyone was settled. Johnson apologized to Contreras, and erased his logo in order to write the opening exercise. It’s been four months into Johnson and Contreras’s first year running SWA—a task that not many writers were excited to tackle. “What I didn’t realize was how much work SWA is,” said Contreras. “I’m an RA, I’ve been working in the mail room. It’s been challenging juggling everything.” Johnson asked the group to toss some words at her and the collection of writers were only happy to oblige. Pineapple, golden, obscene, ragamuffin, clout, juggernaut, panarama, and ostracices were some of the choice words among them. After compiling a list of 20 or so words, Johnson instructed the group to write a poem or flash fiction for the next 20 minutes using all or as many of the words that they could. “SWA is good for creative writing students to just be seen on campus. It’s very easy for writers to stay locked up in their room and not be appreciated for their work,” said Johnson in explaining SWA’s unofficial mission statement. “It’s wonderful to use SWA for writers to have an on campus prescence.” Contreras shared that sentiment and continued on the importance of collaboration. “It’s important to have a community of writers to really establish itself,” said Contreras. “When you write, it’s so singular, it’s your own process. It’s important to get other people’s perspectives.” Next, Contreras and Johnson...
Ozymandias Raises the Bar
posted by Nick Martinez
Spoiler Alert: Don’t read if you are not caught up on Breaking Bad. Also: catch up on Breaking Bad. Now. Hold off on the article and watch them all. You’re only about 58 behind. About a year ago Breaking Bad was wrapping up the first half of its final season. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) was officially done with the meth business and resigned to a quiet life at the car wash and $80 million in a storage unit. Then Hank (Dean Norris) took what may be the most cinematic and shocking dumps in the history of storytelling. The second half of the final season aired a little over a month ago. Since then viewers have not been given a chance to breathe. The inevitable confrontation between Walt and Hank took place in the very opening episode, with it’s climax airing Sept. 15, in the brilliant episode “Ozymandias.” As much as fans were cheering for Hank to come out on top, Breaking Bad is Breaking Bad for a reason. This show isn’t about Hank’s victory. It’s about Walt’s descent into darkness. And what better way to complete that than by destroying the only tether to morality Walt held left: family. Hank is dead, Walt Jr. is told the truth about his father, Skyler took a stand. So much happened last episode. For starters, The cold open flashback to the very first episode was a bit jarring, but in a good way. Having spent six years with these characters and seeing the show grow progressively darker with each passing episode made the opening scene all the more fascinating. The character dynamic between Walt and Jesse (Aaron Paul) was so light hearted compared to the very next scene. What may be the most distressing development is for poor punching bag Jesse Pinkman. As soon as Hank is buried, Walt loses his sobs and turns full on Heisenberg. He tells his Aryan partners where he’s hidden and orders his death. Having watched the show since the beginning, and experienced every single trauma right alongside Jesse, left me reluctantly hoping that they would just put the character out of his misery. So when creepy Todd (Jesse Plemmons) postpones his death to be tortured and turned into a meth cooking slave, I buried my face in my hands. Why Vince Gilligan? Why do you do this to us? But the real kicker of the episode was the long awaited reveal of Walt’s culpability in Jane’s death. Since it happened in the second to last episode of season two, fans have been speculating on just how it would be revealed. Would it be the final straw between Jesse and Walt? Would it be revealed at all? No. Just as Jesse’s being taken to his Todd induced hell, Walt stops them and tells Jesse everything with sickening delight. Jesse’s screams turn into light sobs and he’s dragged to his fate. “Ozymandias” was directed by Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick) who also directed my favorite episode of Breaking Bad, “Fly.” Under his direction, the desert has never looked as simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. The long wide shots of Walt rolling his barrel of cash alone deserves an Emmy. However, by far the most gripping shots were during Walt and Skyler’s fight for the knife. The way the camera moved and focused on the knife left millions of viewers at home waiting for someone to die. Since the beginning of the series, the popular line has been taking Walt “from Mr. Chips to Scarface.” The evolution of Walt’s character has fit that mission statement. But, the one thing people seem to forget is that Scarface dies in the...
Alumni Profile
posted by admin
Photographer, teacher and alumni Mike Webb talks about his experiences making art and in the...
A Woody Nook
posted by Tim Kassiotis
By Tim Kassiotis Fall semester 2013 is already underway at SFUAD. But chin up, buttercup! Don’t miss out on the best part about Fall semesters here at SFUAD: Fall! As Monsoon season here in Santa Fe blows out, it can only mean one thing. That’s right: Autumn is coming! Sure, you may grumble at the thought of colder weather, but just remember all the fun quirky fall events. It’s that time of year when farmers markets are filled with fresh harvest. The time of year when you should really start planning out that epic Halloween costume and perfect that bacon-wrapped Thanksgiving turkey recipe. And the time of year when all the cool air creeps in and turns all the aspen trees gold. What kind of fall would it be with out the changing of the leaves? If you’re new to SFUAD and do not come from an area with deciduous fall tress, then get on this. Santa Fe National Forest is home to 1,558,452 acres of beautiful wilderness full of the perfect fall tree: aspens. Approximately 30 minutes up the road on the Santa Fe Ski basin is Aspen Vista campgrounds. This is your main access point to catch many trails that intertwine throughout one of the largest aspen groves on earth. Hiking here is a year round favorite. The 12-mile trail has many charming gullies and ravines full of aspens that inspire the iphone Ansel Adams in all of us. However, during peak tourist season, Aspen Vista saturates quickly with people. On any given weekend there can be rows of cars, tripled parked into the road. So where can you get your full fall leaf changing experience with out all that crowd? Right after you pass Big Tesuque, but before you hit Aspen...
Back in the Chair
posted by Nick Martinez
By Nick Martinez An interview with Matt Donovan, co-chair for the Creative Writing Department with Dana Levin, in which Donovan discusses his return to chairing duties for the Fall 2013 semester....
Art Infusion
posted by Brandon Ghigliotty
The Fall 2013 semester is bustling with events and the art department is no different. Three events draw near: faculty member Tom Miller’s exhibition at Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, Enrique Martinez Celaya’s lecture in Tipton Hall and hARvesT, the 2nd annual juried exhibition. Tom Miller’s exhibition, Walling: Containing Architecture, looks to challenge the role of barriers in society. Miller’s concern lead him to a body of work that navigates the notions of transition and perspective. The show features an installed wall centerpiece measuring 24 feet in length. Its front—a stark, neutral white—contrasts sharply with the worn back, which reveals supports reminiscent of tank traps. Miller was worried about being limited to painting when he entered graduate school. “With sculpture I could do anything,” said Miller. On Oct. 1, Enrique Martinez Celaya comes to campus for a lecture in Tipton Hall. Martinez Celaya, a Cuban American artist, is responsible for shaping nearly 12,000 feet of gallery space at SITE Santa Fe. According to Martinez Celaya’s biography, he was pursuing his doctorate in quantum physics before shifting his focus to the art he practiced in his spare time. Given the gestures of reclamation within Martinez Celaya SITE Santa Fe exhibition, it would be a great opportunity to ask questions such as, “I read something in your biography about laser patents. What the hell, man?” The lecture is a collaborative effort between SITE Santa Fe and Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Linda Swanson, chair of the art department, discussed the relationship between SITE Santa Fe and the university. Such as the opportunities afforded by internships and the benefit of having Joanne Lefrak, director of education and outreach, engaging with the students in the classroom. “I think of them as one of the institutions that expands...
Alumni Spotlight
posted by Shayla Blatchford
Cliff Shapiro graduated from the College of Santa Fe, now known as the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, in 2010 with a BFA in Photography. He is a New York native but has recently planted some rivaling roots in Santa Fe. Like the rest of us, the land has enchanted him beyond his expectations and he has been living and working in Santa Fe for the past five years. Working like a true photographer, he has enrolled in classes at the Community College to grasp a better understanding of his newest photographic subject… food. Not only has he enrolled in culinary classes to broaden his understanding of food but to fine tune his existing skills in the kitchen. He has hopes of someday combining his two passions of food and photography by finding his way into what I imagine would be a fine art/fine dining...
Enrollment Snapshot
posted by Arianna Sullivan
By Arianna Sullivan The 2013-‘14 school year began with rumors that the Santa Fe University of Art and Design had suddenly increased its student numbers by the hundreds. There were students momentarily camped out in King Lounge because the dorms had been over-booked, and students received an email from student life before the first day of classes reiterating that each meal time consists of a two-hour block in an attempt to cut down on the long lines already forming in the cafeteria. It was clear from the get-go that student numbers were up, but by exactly how much remained to be seen—even by enrollment staff—until the add-drop period ended on Aug. 30. The magic number of new students: 430. The incoming students are divided into domestic (262), international (19) and network (149). The total number of new students has increased from 18 in 2010, when the school officially became SFUAD, so clearly progress is being made. How exactly are these numbers increasing? Christine Guevara, SFUAD’s executive director of student operations, explains the ins and outs of the enrollment process that yields these numbers. While SFUAD is a Laureate International University network school, its enrollment process happens internally. The university has six field reps, or representatives of the school, who visit high schools to attend college fairs and talk to college counselors and students. These representatives are located in Northern California, Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. The target states are concentrated in the west and southwest because studies by higher education consultants such as Noel-Levitz show that students are becoming less and less likely to travel further distances for undergraduate education. SFUAD also enlists its department chairs to travel around the country to hold workshops and introduce the school to high school...
Coming Attractions
posted by Charlotte Martinez
The Screen Presents: Sept. 13-20 Presenting to Theater Majors: Beckett on Film Beckett on Film is a celebrated five-part series of Samuel Beckett’s 19 plays, filmed by some of the world’s most talented directors, and featuring actors like Julianne Moore, Jeremy Irons and John Hurt. Beckett was awarded ‘Best TV Drama’ at the Sixth South Bank Show Awards Ceremony in 2002 and is called a celebration of artistic achievement. FREE ADMISSION every Sunday of September at 11am. Doors will open at 10:30. This Sunday, Sept. 15 watch Come and Go, directed by John Crowley and Waiting For Godot, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Visual Artists and Mona Lisa Lovers, Resist the Mystery of The Missing Piece: Mona Lisa, Her Thief, The True Story Joe Medeiros’ documentary investigates the secret motives behind Mona Lisa’s 1911 theft from the Louvre. Creatively assembled and comically informative, Medeiros’ sources come straight from the lion’s mouth, the descendants of Mona Lisa’sthief, Vincenzo Peruggia. Opens this Friday, Sept. 13. Special Skype Q/A with filmmakers 1:30 pm, Sunday, Sept. 15. Tickets on sale at thescreensf.com This Is Martin Bonner, Come Meet Him! Chad Hartigan’s live-action narrative between two estranged family men is, according to critic Andrew Lapic (The Dissolve),“beyond the hoary parable of most faith-based films.” It is an “understated drama with small words and big ideas.” Made in the US, this candid character sketch brings out the realism in film-based storytelling. Opens this Friday, Sept.13. Visit thescreensf.com for movie times 505.473.6494 1600 St. Michael’s Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505 https://www.facebook.com/thescreen, https://twitter.com/thescreensf...
Gotta Dance
posted by Charlotte Martinez
By Charlotte Martinez/ Photos by Amanda Tyler Seven pairs of parallel feet marching in sync is the perfect metaphor for the emerging dance department at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design—fuzzy socks and all! With Senior Maria Weckesser in lead, moving like the chug chugs of a locomotive, the six remaining “train cars” represent the entire population of the newly named Greer Garson Dance Company. Introducing freshmen Marielle Garcia, Brittany Kriechbaumer, Marisa Melito, Stephanie Martinez, returning sophomore Alex Chavez and transfer junior Mikyla Hutwohl. In their first rehearsal, this small but mighty group of young women already share an excitement for the coming year. Events span from site-specific installations to the annual Winter and Spring Recital in Greer Garson Theater. “It’s great because we get to help build everything,” freshman Melito says. Like her dance teacher Shannon Elliot, Melito grew up a military brat, moving from place to place. Beside her, Stephanie Martinez, previous resident of Portland, Ore., nods her head and adds that because the department “doesn’t have their ways set” it becomes more open to them. When as a group they’re asked what they hope to gain in the future, one shouts, “maybe some boys!” At the front of Garson dance studio, Shannon Elliot conducts rehearsal with charismatic poise, giving notes and welcoming ideas. She mimics the stance of a train. The movement is comedically rigid. “It should look like a racket wrench,” Elliot says. Luckily for the seven dance majors, their director Shannon Elliot, also the assistant chair of the Performing Arts Department, comes from a long career of professional dance and performance administration. With Hubbard Street, Canadian Dance Assembly, National Dance Institute of New Mexico and Moving People Dance Santa Fe under her belt, Elliot’s administrative career now includes five years as part time and full time staff at SFAUD. Today, the vibrant Elliot enters Greer Garson with dozens of ideas for her 2013-2014 school year. Working her black leggings, patterned skirt, pink shirt and wicked jazz shoes, Elliot demonstrates the shapes and sounds of her upcoming dance, the first official project of the department. The dance, Elliot explains, is meant for Santa Fe’s upcoming 3rd Annual AHA Festival of Progressive Arts, which she pitched as a perfect location for her students to move within “structures that currently exist.” The dancer’s stage? The inactive train tracks! The Festival, a community-sponsored event featuring local artists, takes place in and around the Railyard this year on Sept. 15. The event is one of many that Elliot, with her co-workers Layla Amis, Jonathan Guise, and John Kloss, hope to utilize in their pursuits of a dance curriculum. Along with scheduled rehearsals, classes this year include ballet three times a week, modern twice a week, and a tap taught by returning rhythm tapper John Kloss. “We’re a small entity now,” Elliot says, reflecting her seven brave majors. “But as we grow I think it will be a really interesting addition to the [artistic] mix.” She adds that because these students are pursuing dance as a career, the level of professionalism is “going to have a very positive impact, not just within the Performing Arts Department but all over campus.” John Weckesser, chair of the Performing Arts Department, says that the opportunity to create the major was “natural” because dance belongs with the performing arts. In the future he hopes to include additional dance space on campus so the program can become “as elevated as the Theater Department.” The staff has additionally booked two guest artists to choreograph for the future Winter and Spring recitals. Choreographer and ballet teacher Kelsey Paschich will set a contemporary dance to classical music and Jamie Duggan will workshop an Afro House Fusion piece, a mix of old school hip hop and African dance. Other events include a performance installation at SFUAD’s Outdoor Vision Fest and a Summer Collaboration Intensive...
Matt Eldridge talks Acting
posted by Christopher Stahelin
By Christopher Stahelin I sat down with Matt Eldridge to talk to him about his feelings about acting, being a senior at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and getting a lead roll of Middle Town. It was nice to talk to him about these subjects and learn more about the insight of an actor. We also talked about his excitement to leave Santa Fe, when the time comes for graduation. He has a wonderful personality, a positive outlook on life, and was a good choice for Middle Town....
Meet the Feminist Collective
posted by Maria Costasnovo
By Maria Costasnovo/Photos by Sandra Schonenstein Julia Griffin, the leader of the feminist collective, first decided to lead SFUAD’s Feminist Collective two years ago. The initiative hasn’t always been easy. Since the collective kicked off, Griffin and the members say they’ve struggled a bit with some negative connotations that seems to follow the word “feminism.” Now their goal is is to gain more recognition on campus and dispel any myths that their group is solely made up of women talking negatively about men. Indeed, the Feminist Collective had its first meeting of this semester in Alexis, and from the beginning of this meeting, that general idea was torn up. The meeting started with the presentation of every member of this group discussing their interest in the group. For example, Ana Stina Rimal said “I wanted to join to a feminist collective for the first time during my puberty, when I was not understood by people around me, and I was insulted by them just because I had sex.” Diana Padilla says she felt attracted by the feminist collective “when I saw that there were people my same age that had such retrograde ideas about life and women.” On the other hand, there’s Adam Wall, who’s interested in discussing homosexual and transgender rights. After each member of the collective presented him or herself, it was time to think what kind of events were necessary in the school. Griffin says the collective is very open to ideas for events for the fall semester. Certainly one point of the collective is to join together to discuss issues ranging from members’ own issues to international conflict. Griffin also has contemplating a zine to inform the campus about the collective’s meetings and projects. The collective plans to meet weekly; more information and updates are available on its Facebook page. Ultimately, Griffin says, she began the collective “as a safe place for anyone,”which means anyone who is interested can join. “This is a space for people to be who they really...
Q/A with Emma Baker
posted by Nick Martinez
By Nick Martinez/ Photos by Chris Stahelin In the first of a series of Q&A sessions with SFUAD students, Jackalope Magazine speaks with freshman Performing Arts Department student Emma Baker. Baker muses on SFUAD, coloring books, and the new Jesus Christ. Jackalope Magazine: How does it feel to be in college? Emma Baker: It’s been really fun so far. Been real crazy. I’ve met lots of people, which is awesome. I love meeting people. It’s one of my favorite things, besides performing. Overwhelming for sure. We’ve already had auditions for the first show. That was really exciting and fun. It’s like a new audition process. Much different than high school, and I got two call backs, and one of them was for the part I really wanted, which is awesome. JM: Why theater? EB: That’s sort of a hard question. I’ve always loved to perform, and acting is my favorite kind. I started in dance. My mom is a dance teacher. She owned a studio all throughout my childhood and that’s kind of how the whole performance thing started. When I got older I started getting into musical theatre and acting, because it’s all those things: dancing, singing, acting. Now it’s just what I do and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. JM: What actor or actress do you admire, or try to emulate? EB: Sutton Foster. Do you know who Sutton Foster is? JM: No, I don’t. Tell us about Sutton Foster. EB: She is like this generation’s Broadway Jesus Christ. Everyone loves Sutton Foster. She was the original Millie, in Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway. She was the original Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical. God she’s been in everything. She was on a television show–I think on...
Spraypaint + Vision
posted by Amanda Tyler
By Amanda Tyler Kyleigh Carter sits in the morning sun, contemplating the blank sheet of paper before her as she draws inspiration for her current piece of artwork. “The scene where Elizabeth almost jumps overboard to save her father,” she thinks aloud, referring to a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean in which a full moon glows somberly in the night...
SFUAD at Zozobra
posted by admin
Writers and photographers from Jackalope joined 25,000 other Santa Feans at the Sept. 5 Zozobra celebration at Fort Marcy park to check out the annual ritual burning of Old Man Gloom, and talk to officials and attendees about the ritual. Check out their stories: Arianna Sullivan investigates the security at the event. Brandon Ghigliotty considers the meaning of gloom. Maria Costasnovo and Sandra Schonenstein talk to attendees about Zozobra’s meaning. Charlotte Martinez looks at the way the event has changed. Nick Martinez and Christopher Stahelin delve into Fiesta food. Amanda Tyler documents the Historical/Hysterical Parade. Shayla Blatchford captures the spirit of Fiesta in words and...
Jackalope Magazine is the student magazine of Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Building on the interdisciplinary nature of our education, we aim to showcase the talent of our university and character of our city.