Giving from the Heart

The Friends of the Library Joins the
SECOND ANNUAL
SANTA FE ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET
WHICH OFFERS OPTIONS THAT KEEP ON GIVING
Friday- Sunday,
December 16-18
De Vargas Center

Shoppers will enjoy free Java Joes coffee, hot cider and holiday-baked goods while choosing gifts that benefit those in need at the second annual Santa Fe Alternative Gift Market. The Market begins with a grand opening celebration Friday, December 16, at 5:00 p.m., chaired by Ali MacGraw. The Market will be open Saturday & Sunday, December 17 and 18, at the DeVargas Center in Santa Fe. Weekend hours are Saturday, December 17, 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 18, Noon-5:00 p.m.

Participants can select tax-deductible gifts that provide urgently needed assistance to local and international organizations providing medical help, books for libraries, shelter and food, working to reduce illiteracy, and assisting homeless veterans, among other things.

Santa Fe non-profits taking part include the Friends of the Library, InterFaith Community Center, La Familia Medical Center and Esperanza Shelter for Battered Women and New Mexico Veterans Helping Homeless Veterans.

Gift-givers can choose from more than 60 different items. The choice is enormous. Gifts range from providing flu shots to Santa Fe children from La Familia Medical Center, books for the Santa Fe Public Library, to legal representation for a girl rescued from sexual slavery in Asia; from sending a bicycle to rural health workers in Zambia, to underwriting one night’s stay in Santa Fe’s Interfaith Shelter, or providing entrepreneurial training to one Egyptian trying to start a business.

Highlights this year will be story times for children, as librarians and volunteers from the Santa Fe Public Library take turns reading holiday favorites, plus musical performances by local musicians.

Alternative Gifts International is a non-profit organization that inspires support for humanitarian and environmental causes. It offers donors the option to designate charitable gifts through carefully selected agencies in the name of their relatives, friends and associates.

by PCH @Main

Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair

Saturday, December 3
9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Mary Esther Gonzales Senior Center
1121 Alto St.

Call 955-4715 for more information.

Recycle Holiday Lights

As you and your family decorate your home this year, you may need to get rid of broken or unwanted holiday lights. Now, you can recycle these lights for free! Rather than tossing them in the trash, these lights can be stripped for their valuable metals and recycled, keeping them out of the landfill.

All types of string lights are accepted, including icicles and LEDs. The bulbs can be left on the string. Drop them off for no charge at any of the following locations:

Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT) – 2600 Buckman Road, Santa Fe

Capital Scrap Metal Inc – 1162 Cooks Lane, Santa Fe. Capital Scrap will pay $0.80 per pound.

City of Santa Fe, Environmental Services Division – 1142 Siler Road, Santa Fe

County Transfer Stations – All transfer stations are accepting lights.

For more information on what can be recycled and where to take it, please visit http://www.santaferecycling.org/

Santa Claus and the Annual Toy Drive

Friday and Saturday,
November 25 & 26
10 am to 4 pm

The Santa Fe Fire Department will be kicking off its Annual Charity Holiday Toy Drive with photo opportunities of Santa on the Plaza. Stay for the annual tree lighting on Friday which begins with songs by the Girl Scouts at 3:30 pm. The tree will be lighted at 6 pm. There will be refreshments and entertainment throughout the event.

Parents can bring cameras and take a picture of their children (or themselves) with Santa on the SFPD 1934 La France Fire Engine. There is no cost to take the picture—but a donation to the toy drive is encouraged.

New unwrapped toys can be donated to:
Fire Station 5 at 1130 Siler Road
Pak Mail at 369 Montezuma Street
Queen’s Ransom in De Vargas Mall (Anyone who donates a toy at Queen’s Ransom will receive 15% off their purchase)

All toys and donations will be given to Esperanza Women’s Shelter, Villa Therese Catholic Clinic and Team Builders. Monetary donations will be used to buy gift cards in $10 increments to give to the older kids who are a bit too old for toys.

Last year, through fundraising and contributions, $2000 was collected and approximately 500 toys were given away.

Thank you, Santa Fe, for your generosity!

Santa Claus icon not the actual Santa Claus, and is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

El Día de Los Muertos Procession

Giant Puppets! Music! Fun! Costumed Characters! Outdoor Community Altar dedicated to Air, Water, Food and Energy! Bring Families and Friends!

Create something artful and political (in the spirit of the season) to carry in the Procession, dealing with the Serious Issues of Air, Water, Food and Energy: (like) The Tar Sands (and Pipeline)! Fracking! Nuclear Power! Genetic Engineering! Coal! Corporate Control of Air, Water, Food, Energy and Everything! You Know What The Issues Are! Think in images or poetry. Come in costume — wear your best calavera (skeleton) gear.

Can't think of anything to make? Don't want to wear a costume? No problem! Just come on out and join the procession!

Bring a candle to carry (protected in some way from wind, etc) and water from your home to place on the altar (label it with where it is from). You may also bring offerings : food that a loved one who has passed on was fond of, a poem, an image — please do not bring anything valuable, as this altar will be outdoors.

The Procession will start at the old Borders parking lot at Sanbusco (look for the big puppets). Please arrive by 5:45PM. The Procession starts at 6PM.

We will wind through the Railyard and end up at El Museo Cultural at the site of the community altar (taking about 30 minutes).

Questions? Need more information? Call Bobbe at 505-988-9244

Artists & Poets Collaborative Call

The City of Santa Fe Community Gallery is seeking artists to participate in the upcoming “Odes and Offerings” exhibit. “Odes and Offerings” will be an exhibition in collaboration with City of Santa Fe Poet Laureate, Joan Logghe, and is intended as a rare opportunity for local artists working in all media to create original works in response to the written work of a local poet.

The Community Gallery is inviting artists to apply who are interested in the collaboration of their visual medium with the written word. All selected artists will be partnered with a local poet and given two works from that person’s poetry collection. Artists will then be asked to choose a line, phrase, stanza or the entire poem to incorporate into their final piece. "The idea is not a poetry-inspired piece, but a piece where the text becomes part of the work of art," states Logghe.

The Community Gallery is planning the exhibit for the spring of 2012 and it is tentatively scheduled to run from April through June 2012. Artists are asked to provide portfolios of previous work for review no later than October 28, 2011. Artists will be notified of their participation by the middle of November 2011 and asked to submit digital images of their work to the Community Gallery by the end of February 2012. Approximately 35 artists from a variety of media will be selected to offer a full range of work that expresses the breadth and depth of work being created in New Mexico.

Any interested artists should submit an artist portfolio of their work to Rod Lambert, the Community Gallery Manager. Portfolios should consist of 5-10 printed images of the artist’s work on standard digital print paper and an artist statement, resume and/or bio. Portfolios should be addressed to Community Gallery, PO Box 909, Santa Fe, NM 87504. Please specify that you would like to be considered for the ODES & OFFERINGS Exhibit. Portfolios must be received by October 28, 2011 for inclusion.

Arts Commission Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy St. at Sheridan
In the Santa Fe Community Convention Center

Community Gallery Hours of Operation:
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off Federal Avenue.

For more information:
Rod Lambert, Gallery Manager
Call (505) 955-6705
Email rdlambert@santafenm.gov
Visit The Arts Commission Website.

100 Thousand Poets for Change

Saturday, September 24
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Eggman & Walrus
130 W. Palace Ave., 2nd floor
Santa Fe, NM

Join poets around the globe in a demonstration & celebration of poetry to promote sustainable change! So far, 450 cities representing 95 countries are planning 650 events.

Contact Julie at julie@cybermesa.com if you would like to participate.

For more information, go to 100 Thousand Poets for Change.

Sponsored by Little Wing Productions, a roving arts & music collective.

Free Artist Workshops

for National Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 – October 15

Arts Commission Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy St. at Sheridan
In the Santa Fe Community Convention Center

The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission Community Gallery will be hosting a free series of artist demonstrations and workshops on the following Saturday afternoons from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Artists will have work for sale as well, so come support a local artist.

Saturday, September 24
Darlene Olivia McElroy
Collage Workshop
Darlene is a mixed-media collage artist whose work weaves together “textural surfaces, found objects, and rich symbolism”. Darlene is best known for her surface treatment techniques and incorporation of non-traditional materials in her work. She is the author of the book, Image Transfer Workshop. For Darlene the creative process is a playful one, so join us!


Saturday, October 1
Victor Archuleta
Woodcarving Demonstration
Victor is a Spanish Market Artist known for his traditional, classic furniture design. Victor’s work is both decorative as well as highly functional, combining design elements from Northern New Mexico and classic European furniture. Collectors keep him busy in his studio with commissions, so take the time to see Victor work and pick up a piece of your own.


Saturday, October 8
Felicia Trujillo
Willow Basket Workshop
Felicia is a celebrated willow basket weaver whose work can be as simple as a holiday tree ornament or small basket and as complicated as a hand-woven cover for the bed of a pickup. Primarily self-taught, Felicia is eager to share her techniques and materials with the public and offer the simple joy of creating something with your own hands.


Saturday, October 15
Robb Rael
Painting Demonstration
Robb is a celebrated local painter whose work can be found in private collections both locally and nationally. Among his most-viewed works are his 2009 Zozobra poster image as well as the mural capping the bar at the Plaza Restaurant on Santa Fe’s south side. Inspired by illustration, graffiti and the local environment, Robb’s work is a staple for any local collector. Come meet Robb and watch his imagination at work.

Community Gallery Hours of Operation:
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off Federal Avenue.

For more information:
Rod Lambert, Gallery Manager
Call (505) 955-6705
Email rdlambert@santafenm.gov
Visit The Arts Commission Website.

E-Waste Recycling Drop Off Day

One Day Only
Saturday, August 27
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
1142 Siler Road
955-2215

Sponsors:
Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, the City of Santa Fe, and Albuquerque Recycling Inc.

You can bring:

• TVs ($10 disposal fee: cash only)


• CRT computer monitors ($5 disposal fee: cash only)


• Computers, servers and laptops


• Flat screen monitors


• Printers and scanners


• Fax machines


• Telephones and cell phones


• Palm Pilots and other hand-held electronic devices


• Lead acid batteries, computer back-up batteries, UPS batteries


• TV satellite equipment


• VCRs and CD players


• Stereo equipment


• Computer and TV game assemblies


• Cameras and video cameras

Not accepted:

• Coffee makers


• Alkaline batteries


• Hair dryers


• Bread machines


• Light bulbs of any kind


• Cardboard or paper


• Appliances including microwave ovens


• Household hazardous waste

It's that season again

The new season of the Lannan Foundation's Readings & Conversations series is out. This series features world-class writers discussing their craft with other world-class writers, and at six dollars, the ticket prices are practically free. This year's highlights include Tariq Ali, John Sayles, Michael Ondaatje, and Ann Beattie. Also this year, some of the events are at The Lensic, but others are at the James A. Little Theater at the New Mexico School for the Deaf. The events often sell out, so make sure to check the schedule and get your tickets early!

Rebroadcasts of Readings & Conversations events can be heard on KSFR 101.1 FM at 2:00 pm on the Sunday immediately after each event. Audio and video of most programs is available on the site generally within a week of the event and also in our podcast feed.

Appliance Drop Off Day

Saturday, August 20
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
1142 Siler Road

Santa Fe residents can drop off refrigerators, freezers, ovens, dishwashers, water heaters, washers and dryers at Siler Road free of charge. Other appliances, including scrap metal rims (without the tires please) and metal construction debris will all be accepted. Vacuums and carpet cleaners will not be accepted.
After 1 pm, items can be taken to Capitol Scrap Metal at 1162 Cooks Lane.

Appliance Drop-Off Day is co-sponsored by Keep Santa Fe Beautiful (KSFB), the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County.

For more information, contact Montaño at 955-2215, or by email at Sfbeautiful@santafenm.gov. Visit Keep Santa Fe Beautiful on Facebook or online at http://www.keepsantafebeautiful.org/.

Cut Down on Catalogs

I just signed up for Catalog Choice, a program supported by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency and the City of Santa Fe to cut down on unwanted mail. While the junk mail is merely a nuisance to me and my mouse-sized post office box, it adds up in the community, costing the City thousands of dollars each year, about $10 per household, in waste disposal. Signing up for this service is free, and you can add several addresses to ensure that [business name redacted] stops sending you unsolicited ads or the annual phone books.

The one drawback to Catalog Choice is, unlike the National Do Not Call Registry that blocks phone calls from telemarketers across the board, you need to actually know the names of the businesses and organizations that are sending you unwanted mail and request for each one to be blocked individually. This part of the service is free. Also, not all companies can be "blocked" in this manner. If you want to be across-the-board "unlisted", meaning that some of the biggest marketers will not have access to your mailing address, that type of membership costs a minimum of $20 per year.

So while it's a step in the right direction, staving off the onslaught of commercial mail still requires an investment of time and/or money. Perhaps I'm just spoiled by over a decade of clicking a button that reads "Spam" to keep this sort of thing out of my e-mail. But even if we just cut down on some of the unwanted mail that take up a lot of time, attention, and taxpayer resources, the savings in money and environment will help us all.

Speaking of school supplies...

From Santa Fe Public Schools:

This week, our community lost “Faith At Work” — a non-profit that provided school clothing and school supplies, among many other necessities. They annually filled backpacks for approximately 200 students in the public schools. Our school district statistics tell us that 74% of Santa Fe's children need free or reduced price lunch — this is dramatic increase from last year. So more families than ever are needing this assistance. Thankfully, ¡Youthworks! has volunteered to sponsor a school supply drive for needy families. Please take any donations of school supplies to the new location of ¡Youthworks! for sorting and distribution. Its entrance is next to KSWV (Que Suave) Radio Station parking lot on Taos Street.

The most needed supplies:

· 3-inch binders, 1 ½-inch binders
· Sturdy backpacks
· Packages of 10 thick markers
· Packages of 10 thin markers
· Glue and glue sticks
· Wide lined notebook paper
· Wide lined spiral notebooks
· Composition books
· Colored pencils
· Rulers
· Two-pocket folders
· Compass and protractor

AND more:

Santa Fe Public Schools and Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe have partnered in a Back to School Clothing Drive. Beginning Monday, August 1st, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe will accept your donation of all clothing, including clothes that meet the uniform code. Donations may be dropped off at the Alto Street location of the Boys and Girls Clubs. The clothing distribution to families will begin on Monday, August 8th at 8:00 a.m. at the same Alto Street location. With strong community support, we hope to continue the drive throughout the school year. If you have any questions, please call the Boys and Girls Clubs at 983-6632. There is also a link on the Santa Fe Public Schools website for further information. Thank you for helping the children of Santa Fe. All contributions are tax deductible.

Santa Fe Escuelas Públicas y Boys and Girls Clubs de Santa Fe se han unido en un disco Volver a la Escuela de ropa. A partir del lunes 1 de agosto, el Boys and Girls Club de Santa Fe aceptará la donación de ropa, incluyendo ropa que cumplan con el código de uniforme. Las donaciones pueden ser dejados en el lugar de la calle Alto de los Boys and Girls Clubs. La distribución de ropa a las familias comenzarán el lunes, 8 de agosto a las 8:00 am en la misma ubicación Alto Street. Con un fuerte apoyo comunitario, esperamos mantener este impulso durante el año escolar. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame al Boys and Girls Clubs en 983-6632. También hay un enlace en la página web de la Escuela Pública de Santa Fe para más información. Gracias por ayudar a los niños de Santa Fe. Todas las contribuciones son deducibles de impuestos.

A Requiem for Borders

The liquidation announcement that signaled the death knell for Borders, the national bookstore chain, was greeted by many with dismay, but not necessarily surprise. For folks who regularly included a sojourn to their local store on Sunday mornings or Friday evenings, the removal of Planet Borders from their orbit is akin to a black hole in their lives. In the widely-circulated Associated Press article about the liquidation, a 42-year-old woman laments, "So where are we going to buy books from? I just got into reading books the last two or three years, and they just keep closing all these bookstores..."

Whether you shopped at Borders or not, whether you liked Borders or not, the closing of the chain will have an impact on our community. Santa Fe is a small city, so chances are you know an alumnus of the Borders sales floor or a recently laid-off employee. Visitors and residents respond with shock when they're told they can't while away a hot summer afternoon in the Sanbusco Borders café anymore. And for such a huge book behemoth to fall, many people are chattering that it's the canary in the coalmine about the fate of the book itself!

But Santa Fe is luckier than many communities. For one, we have a plethora of independent new and used bookstores all over town, pushing us up in the "bookstores per capita" category. While Borders may have been a big name, they weren't the only literary game in town. Let's see, there's Collected Works, Garcia Street, Nicholas Potter, The Ark, Big Star, Book Mountain, True Believers, and about half-a-dozen more. We also have an impressive number of libraries. There's us, the three-branch Santa Fe Public Library, with shelves and shelves of books, CDs, and DVDs; programs for children, teens, and adults; and dozens of free online resources that you can access from home. There are other college, government, and museum libraries in town that can fulfill pretty much every information need you have. And if you want a destination for those Friday nights or Sundays, all of the museums run by the Museum of New Mexico have free admission to New Mexico residents on Sundays, and many museums and galleries have Free Fridays.

I'm not a prophet, so I can't say if the demise of Borders heralds the demise of all print information and entertainment. I can say that the written word has seen upheavals before, and while Borders may have gotten steamrolled by the latest one, libraries have a good track record of adapting and and thriving. To the 42-year-old who mourns the demise of Borders, I encourage her to browse in her local library and seek out other bookstores, and to see what's been there all along.

Image by George England via Wikimedia Commons.

Help Santa Clara Pueblo

The Las Conchas Fire burned over 6,000 acres of land on Santa Clara Pueblo, threatening its watershed and putting Santa Clara at risk of flooding from the finally-started monsoons. Santa Clara needs help!

IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER TO HELP the Santa Clara Pueblo, please call Ms. Heather Dasheno, who is the contact person for volunteer efforts at Santa Clara Pueblo. You may contact her directly at 925-519-6317 regarding opportunities to volunteer.

Ms. Dasheno said they will need people to sand bag beginning today, 7/13/2011. There is also a need for people to assist the kitchen staff with preparing food and serving food to volunteers.

Library Services for Evacuees

To assist our neighbors from the north and west, the Santa Fe Public Library is extending a wide range of services to evacuees from the wildfire areas. Evacuees can obtain a Santa Fe Public Library card with proper ID at any branch. Children from neighboring communities are encouraged to sign up and participate in our Summer Reading Program. Special accommodations can be made for meeting rooms, space permitting. And any patron, resident, visitor, or evacuee, is allowed to use our public computers and wireless network free of charge.

Please keep your eye on Icarus, The Santa Fe Library Blog, and our Facebook and Twitter accounts for more up-to-date news about this emergency and means of assistance.

Food Donations Accepted at All Library Branches

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library have bins for easy food donation collection, courtesy of The Food Depot.

Main Library - 145 Washington Ave.
Southside Branch - 6599 Jaguar Dr.
La Farge Branch - 1730 Llano St.

Also, individuals can drop their donations off at the food bank, 1222 Siler Road in Santa Fe. The Food Depot will supply nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to those affected by the fires. To cover the costs of disaster response efforts, the food bank also encourages financial contributions. Donations can be mailed to
The Food Depot, 1222 Siler Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507.

Suggested donations include:
Bottled water
Handheld snacks such as granola and breakfast bars, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit
Protein items such as peanut butter and beef jerky
Meal supplies such as dried beans, rice and pasta
Personal care items such as deodorant, toothpaste/toothbrushes, bar soap, shampoo/ conditioner, handwipes
Paper products such as toilet tissue, napkins, cups, plates, towels, plastic cutlery
NO clothing or household items will be accepted

Bandstand Beginnings

The Santa Fe Bandstand season is about to begin!

From July 5th to August 18th, enjoy live music and entertainment on the Santa Fe Plaza. You can have a daytime lunchtime treat, or something fun in the evenings as the sun goes down. Be sure to check the schedule to plan for your favorite acts, or just stroll through the Plaza during the following days and times:

AFTERNOONS: Monday and Wednesday: Noon-1:30

EVENINGS: Monday - Thursday: 6-8:30 pm

So put on your dancing shoes and check out the best thing about summer in Santa Fe!

Imagination Conversation

Thursday, June 16
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Warehouse 21
1614 Paseo de Peralta
Railyard District


You're invited to a free panel discussion about imagination and education sponsored by the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission. The first half hour will be a reception with refreshments, then an hour and a half of discussion. The panelists include people working in the arts, science, business, and education. They will discuss the various roles of imagination in their work, how innovative ideas emerge, and their strategies for encouraging their own creativity. They will consider ways in which students’ imagination can be encouraged and developed in our schools. The Santa Fe area includes a rich diversity of traditions and approaches to the admittedly broad topic of “imagination,” and we look forward to a lively exchange of ideas.

The panel members are:

Eric Blinman
Director, New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies

Denise Johnston
Associate Superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools

John Kennedy
Composer, Artistic Director of Santa Fe New Music & Resident Conductor of the Spoleto Festival

Jennifer Kimball
Chairman of the Board, Corporación de La Fonda

Dolly Naranjo Neikrug
Artist & Principal, Santa Clara Day School

Laura Mayo Rodriguez
6th Grade Teacher, Nava Elementary School

Moderator: Peter Chapin, Artist & Retired Art Department Chair, Drew University

This Conversation is part of the Lincoln Center Institute’s Imagination Conversations. The two-year project, featuring conversations throughout the United States, will culminate in America’s Imagination Summit to be held at Lincoln Center in New York City, July 21-22, 2011.The outcomes of the Santa Fe Conversation will be disseminated to Santa Fe educators in the form of a DVD and a written summary, in order to encourage much needed “imagination education” for students who will face the challenges of the 21st century. Distribution will be timed to provide inspiration to educators as they plan the 2011-12 school year.

For more information about Santa Fe’s Imagination Conversation, please visit the Santa Fe Arts Commission website.

“Mining the Unconscious”:

Art Inspired by Carl Jung’s Red Book

Exhibit Opening:
Friday, June 17
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

June 17 - August 21
Santa Fe Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy St. at Sheridan

Open Tuesday through Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission Community Gallery, in proud partnership with Mining the Unconscious: A Creative Path to Self Knowledge, announces the opening of “Mining the Unconscious” a juried exhibition of art by 32 New Mexico artists referencing Jungian themes explored in C. G. Jung’s groundbreaking and beautifully illustrated The Red Book, published posthumously in 2009. Artists participating in the exhibit were selected from an unprecedented 143 submissions. Their work represents a variety of media including video, mixed media, sculptural and two-dimensional works.

“Mining the Unconscious” is the first of three exhibits and numerous community programs that will take place as part of Mining the Unconscious: A Creative Path to Self Knowledge during Summer 2011. The project was conceived by four local artists who were inspired by the The Red Book: Belinda Edwards, Michele Altenberg, Harriette Tsosie and Laura Langdon. Check out the June Calendar for the first batch of upcoming community events, including those at the Main Library. For more information about the program, visit the Mining the Unconscious website.

The Community Gallery is located inside the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 West Marcy Street, at the intersection of Sheridan Street. Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off Federal Avenue. For more information about the Community Gallery, visit the Arts Commission site, send an email to rdlambert@santafenm.gov, or call 505-955-6705.