From day one, she felt it was her calling to create. She recalls making up stories with friends about little people living in their hats. She even DIY’d her own Barbie Dreamhouse. Growing up in Montana, Gissler was often chosen by her elementary school teachers to design the class bulletin boards or make posters.

“I was asked to paint a compass rose on our playground in grade school and I guarded that thing with my life,” Gissler said. 

That early creativity led her to turn her passion into a career. Today, Gissler commissions pet portraits, illustrations, abstract paintings, collages and more. Her whimsical and dynamic style of art features bold colors, intricate backgrounds, curvy lines and a distinct quirkiness.

“A lot of people say, ‘You need to just focus on one thing,’” she said. “I couldn’t. I finally threw in the towel and said, ‘I’m doing what I know is from my heart,’ and I think it makes me even more creative.”

Not just creative in art, Gissler also writes short stories about some of her paintings, which showcases her humorous side. Her portrait of a woman titled “GeOrgEanN RuTh EliZabEth MiRiaM MaVe KeeLer’’ tells the story of a woman not too pleased about having to take a photo of herself. She wears sunglasses under the guise of giving her an outdoorsy appearance, but in reality, she had too much Limoncello the night before.

“Getting Your Magic Back” is a poetry book by Gissler, which tells the story of finding yourself after heartbreak. Lending her writing and artistic talents to the book, it provides a glimmer of hope for people facing similar situations. In part, it reads, “Stop! Breathe – I must focus on me / What is my life? What does it mean to me? / I turn toward my passions, sleeping deep in my soul / Wake up! I need you! We are changing my role!”

While she was writing “Getting Your Magic Back,” the pandemic hit, leading to her departure from her receptionist job. The situation inspired Gissler to finally embrace her career as a full-time artist.

“My two favorite words are “why not?” You don’t want fear to get in the way of your life. What’s the worst thing that can happen?” Gissler said. “You don’t want to look back and regret anything.”

Eclectic as it is, she finds deep meaning in her work, especially her pet portraits, which are often commissioned by people who have lost their furry friend.

In the summer of 2023, Gissler was on a plane from Phoenix to Santa Barbara to celebrate the life of Peter, someone she loved very much who passed away from cancer.

“I got on the airplane and sat down and this young couple sat next to me. We started chatting, and they told me she was pregnant,” Gissler recalled. “I said, ‘Oh, what are you thinking about naming your child?’ and they said, ‘Well, we’re thinking about naming him Peter.’”

The couple, Natalie and Chad, explained that they were drawn to the name and were looking for a sign from the universe — and that sign came to them in Jules Gissler. They told Gissler about their late dog, Moose, an Italian greyhound that loved to snuggle and give kisses. One day, Natalie took Moose on a walk with a friend and her pup, when another dog approached the pair and started attacking her friend’s dog. In an act of bravery, Moose stepped in to defend his friend, ultimately sacrificing his life.

The couple stayed in touch with Gissler and commissioned her to do a portrait of their beloved Moose as a Christmas gift. The portrait features Moose with antlers, a bow tie and plaid background — very fitting for his personality. When she dropped the painting at their house, she met 3-week-old baby Peter.

“When I hear people say, ‘Your art or your story or whatever brings joy,’ it makes me smile. I mean, we need so much of that in this world,” Gissler said. “It just warms my heart, my little contribution.”

To learn more, visit julesgissler.com. 

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Bollinger’s story begins in the plains of North Dakota. He and his five brothers grew up on the Sioux Indian Reservations throughout the Dakotas, where his parents were teachers. It was an unlikely place to produce someone who would later go into the arts. 

“I had no exposure to art. I remember distinctly, I think in the eighth grade, that one of our teachers, with her own money, bought some print books of the Old Masters. And that’s the first time that I really had seen paintings. I was unaware of galleries. I was unaware of museums,” Bollinger said. 

During his time at Dickinson State University, the opportunity to create art would eventually fall into Bollinger’s lap when it came time to plan the classes he needed to take to graduate. 

“I was on an athletic scholarship, a wrestler, and I had to take a recreation class. So I took ceramics and then sculpture and called my parents and said I wanted to become an art major,” Bollinger said. 

Thanks to his affinity for challenges, Tom carved a path into the art world. His journey eventually led him to acquire what was then known as Arizona Bronze, transforming it into Bollinger Atelier. As Bollinger admits, the transition from a small art foundry to a global competitor was not expected. “We shouldn’t be in this position. We are out here in Tempe, Arizona, competing with other foundries in New York and London. And, you know, it shouldn’t be happening, but it is happening,” he said.

It is this spirit that sets Bollinger Atelier apart. Not afraid to take on projects that might intimidate others, the fine art foundry has cultivated a reputation for embracing new methods. 

“I’m fairly fearless about taking on projects that may scare other people. You know, artists come up with a lot of crazy ideas these days. And I also think I’ve always been innovative in applying modern technology to our processes as quickly as possible,” Bollinger said. 

Bollinger Atelier has created sculptures that stand all over the world in cities like Paris, Istanbul and Hong Kong. Closer to home, it was selected by client artists to create two of Arizona’s most well-known statues: Pat Tillman, by artist Jeff Carol Davenport, the statue that resides outside Sun Devil Stadium, and the famous “Jack Knife” by artist Ed Mell, the statue in Old Town Scottsdale. 

The heart of Bollinger Atelier’s success is the collaboration between themselves and the artists. True to his Midwestern roots, Bollinger emphasizes the relationship aspect of the business, recognizing that the significance of these connections leads to the foundry’s prosperity.

Bollinger Atelier is also a family business, with Bollinger’s wife Kim Nikolaev acting as the director of special projects and restoration. An artist with an extensive background in the industry, she runs her own business, Nikolaev Botanical Jewelry, on top of her role at the foundry. The two met when Nikolaev was apprenticing for the former foundry owner, and the pair married in 1998.

“My joke is that I could never have afforded to hire someone with Kim’s educational background,” Bollinger said.

Adding to the Bollinger legacy is the couple’s daughter Sé, also an artist, who has worked with top high-end designers in New York and Los Angeles. Embodying a fusion of art and functionality, the family’s furniture collection, EDITIONS, can be explored on the company’s  website, offering a glimpse of the family’s next-generation prowess.

With the industry being so niche, Bollinger uses the invaluable knowledge he’s acquired  to mentor young and aspiring artists, ensuring that expertise and craftsmanship integral to the fine art foundry continue to be passed down through generations.

“The stereotypical idea of an artist is that there’s someone with this absolute brilliant creativity going through their veins, that no matter what they touch is going to be great. The reality is being an artist is the most entrepreneurial job you’ll ever have — hard work and putting the effort in and overcoming the obstacles that are sure to come,” Bollinger said. “You just can’t give up, you know?”

To learn more, visit bollingeratelier.com. 

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The two are champions in their field — O’Keeffe’s paintings earned her the title of “Mother of American Modernism,” and Wright is still one of the most celebrated architects in the world — yet, beneath the surface of their achievements lay similarities that run deeper than their success.

Taliesin West’s newest photography exhibition, “American Icons: Wright & O’Keeffe,”explores the pair in a way that’s never been seen before. Running from Oct. 20 through June 3, the exhibit features portraits of the two shot by Tony Vaccaro for “Life Magazine.” The exhibition explores the similarities between Wright and O’Keeffe not just as artists, but as people — and friends.

^{Images courtesy of Tony Vaccaro Studios/The Monroe Gallery of Photography}

“They are people that we look very closely at, not just at the artwork they made, but their life,” said Niki Stewart, Taliesin West’s vice president and chief learning and engagement officer. “We as the public don’t always do that with every artist. We sometimes really just focus on their art, but there is a public fascination with both of these figures.”

Both born in rural Wisconsin, Wright and O’Keeffe were drawn to the American Southwest. Wright sought refuge in Arizona during winters, while O’Keeffe found her artistic sanctuary in the heart of New Mexico. The pair were fans of each other’s work, and as Stewart notes, “It’s no overstatement to call them friends.”

One of many similarities was that nature inspired much of their work. O’Keeffe famously painted flowers, landscapes and animal skulls, drawing inspiration from the environment around her. Wright had the same respect for nature, once stating, “No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together, each the happier for the other.”

From the 1930s until Wright’s death in 1959, the pair wrote back and forth, sent books, pamphlets and artwork, and shared ideas with each other. Notably, they only met in person once in 1942 at Taliesin, Wright’s Wisconsin home.

“I feel like that’s a story that people can really relate to today with technology,” said Stewart. “We get so close to people who don’t live where we live. We use instant messaging, FaceTime and all these other tools to get close to folks, some of whom we’ve never met.”

In 2021, Taliesin West hosted an exhibit called “Chihuly in the Desert.” The exhibit paired works of glass artist Dale Chihuly with Wright’s architecture. Following the exhibition’s success, Taliesin West knew they wanted to pair Wright’s work with another artist, this time on a smaller, more intimate scale.

^{Photo courtesy of Tony Vaccaro Archives/Manolo Salas}

While looking for photos of Wright, Stewart discovered that Tony Vaccaro had photographed Wright and O’Keeffe for “Life Magazine” years apart, and that’s when the exhibit came to life.

Michael A. “Tony” Vaccaro rose to popularity through photos he took while fighting on the front lines of World War II. Vaccaro’s post-military career focused on fashion and celebrity photography for various magazines. Vaccaro would go on to photograph Wright and O’Keeffe, among other celebrities like Sophia Loren, John F. Kennedy and Eartha Kitt. He passed away in 2022, eight days after his 100^th birthday.

“After the war, he came home to the United States and started working for magazines like ‘Look’ and ‘Life’ and other magazines that were celebrating what’s good and beautiful about life,” Stewart said. “Because after the war, he decided that’s what he wanted to focus on — what makes life wonderful.”

Visitors of the exhibit can select between an audio or an in-depth guided tour. The audio tour offers a unique experience by featuring recordings of Wright himself, accompanied by some of his favorite music. The in-depth guided tour provides visitors with a more interactive experience, allowing them to engage directly with tour guides who can offer deeper insights and answer questions about the exhibit and its subjects.

“I hope visitors walk out feeling interested in connecting with others and being with other people and being inspired by the people in their lives,” Stewart said. “I think we all run into people who inspire us every day, but what we do with that is up to us. So I hope this inspires you to get connected with others and do great things together.”

The exhibition is included in paid tour admission. To learn more, visit franklloydwright.org.

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That’s the ASU Art Museum’s mission. So when a half-million dollar opportunity emerged that supports diversity within the museum’s staff, it was a perfect match. 

In early 2023, the ASU Art Museum, in collaboration with CALA Alliance (Celebración Artística de las Américas), was one of 10 institutions in the country selected as part of the Advancing Latinx Art in Museums initiative. This initiative is the second phase of three in the U.S. Latinx Art Visibility Fund.

Funded by the Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Getty Foundation and Terra Foundation, the initiative aims to support museums and other arts organizations that have shown dedication to collecting, exhibiting and engaging with Latinx art while amplifying the voices of artists.

It comes as no surprise that ASU Art Museum and CALA Alliance were recipients of the grant. ASUAM is one of the leading voices in the country in showing how diversity, equity and inclusion can make all of us stronger. In fact, ASU graduates more first-generation students than any other university in the nation. CALA Alliance works solely with artists from the Latin American diaspora through their residency program, community engagement and artist commissions.

“We received this not because they believed in the potential; they believed in what we’ve already accomplished,” said Miki Garcia, director of ASUAM. “We have such a longstanding commitment to Latinx and Latin American art.”

What makes Latinx art unique from Latin American art is that Latinx art refers to art created by someone of Latin American origin who lives in the United States. In contrast, Latin American art is made by artists who grew up and live in Latin America.

“This is a really important distinction. Many people think Latinx art is synonymous with Latin American art. It is not,” said Alana Hernandez, CALA Alliance executive director and curator. “Latinx art is American art. I think people are finally starting to listen to that.”

Because of this lack of understanding, many of the contributions that Latinx artists have made don’t end up in museums or history books. While Latinxs make up about 19 percent of the U.S. population, Latinx art represents under 3 percent of museum exhibitions and collections.

So, there’s an entire American perspective that’s largely missing from many art museums. Latinx art hasn’t been adequately represented, partially because of a fundamental misunderstanding and miscategorization by museum directors and curators. The truth is that Latinx art often falls through the cracks. 

“Major art museums have not done nearly enough to center the histories of people who have been here for generations and generations, whose cultures have produced and been part of what makes America unique,” said Garcia, a fifth-generation Texan and Mexican American. “So it’s really important to have a Latinx curator out there promoting the experiences of Americans. Latino Americans.”

Each of the chosen institutions received $500,000 to create 10 permanent early- to mid-career curatorial positions with a focus on Latinx art. The five mid-career positions will promote existing curatorial staff at these institutions, while the five early-career positions will be new jobs.

Through the grant, Hernandez now holds a joint position at the ASU Art Museum as the CALA Alliance curator of Latinx art. Their partnership with the ASUAM dates back to CALA’s inception in 2010.

“It’s important that the artists we work with see that we look like them — that we have the knowledge, lived experience, work experience that speaks to many of the issues and histories that are being presented through their work and that we are active stewards of this art history,” Hernandez said. “Because art history is happening now.”

Both the present and the future of art in Arizona are exciting, with leaders like Garcia and Hernandez passionate about bringing the Latinx experience to light through art. Arizona’s myriad cultures and traditions translate into the art we see every day, from the colorful and distinctive murals of downtown Phoenix to the many art festivals held across the Valley. 

Places known for their art scenes, like New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have become too expensive for many people — young and emerging artists, especially — to live in. Garcia, who has held positions in art museums throughout the country for nearly 25 years, recalls artists moving away from places like Phoenix to make their art in California or New York. 

“People aren’t leaving anymore,” Garcia said. “They’re staying in their home cities like New Orleans or Detroit or Phoenix, and these cities are emerging, as these specific cultural destinations are unlike any other place.”

To learn more, go to asuartmuseum.org and calaalliance.org.

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^{Cece Cole with photographer Jesse Rieser}

Did you know that Michelangelo spent a little over four years working on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? While not every artist labors quite that long from idea to unveiling, the fact is that creating a piece of artwork takes time. But that’s just the first part of bringing visual art to admirers. The next step is to curate the piece — select the perfect location and present it alone or with complementary art. 

That’s where Cece Cole comes in.

Cole laughs when she explains her career. “I didn’t travel the usual route. I earned a bachelor of fine arts from the University of Louisiana and a master of fine arts from the University of Iowa,” she said. What happened next proves that she’s not a usual kind of gal, either. She received the inaugural Virginia Commonwealth University Painting and Printmaking Residency and Fellowship Award, quite an honor, to be sure. From there, her exhibition wins began, including (fortunately for Arizonans) as curator of the gallery at Mountain Shadows Resort.

The gallery is located just beyond the hotel’s registration area, a runway of tall, white, blank walls until Cole’s magic happens. “I am an installation artist,” she said, and that she is. Her museum-quality exhibitions are — in her own words — “selectively curated, conceptually driven and socially engaging.” 

To ensure she meets the socially engaging goal, every exhibition begins with an opening reception with the artist and complimentary wine from the resort’s restaurant, Hearth ‘61. Some of the exhibitions showcase a single artist; others are a compilation. Most have a connection to the Valley, and most run for two months.

For instance, Cole brought back a popular exhibition from last year to celebrate Arizona hosting the Super Bowl. “The Abstract Athlete” showcases artists who are former star athletes. We may not often consider it, but the creative process requires extreme discipline, just as athletic careers do. Featured in the show was the marvelous photography of Scottsdale resident and former NFL player Tony Mandarich.

^{Artwork by Nancy Kravetz – Three Panel Botanical (Sunshine in the Garden), 2022, acrylic on canvas and wood, 36 x 40 inches}

The lineup of exhibits spotlights Cole’s diverse and seasoned eye. The work of Arizona octogenarian artist Nancy Kravetz followed the athletes in February and March, with “Spring Fever” up next in April and May. “The title references the lift of mood that comes with the end of winter,” she said. “Featured videos, photos, objects and images with concepts ranging from cinematic daydreaming to environmental awareness.”

And what does this multifaceted woman do away from the gallery? She spends her time at Good Company Contemporary, a combination project studio and online shop she founded. Whether there or at the gallery, Cole’s mission is the same. “I love shedding light on the work of emerging and mid-career artists, as well as those who are more seasoned,” she said. “Likewise, I enjoy cultivating new art lovers.” 

Whether you’re a new art enthusiast or a great collector, Cece Cole and the gallery at Mountain Shadows welcome you. Drop in any time; no ticket is necessary. Grab a glass of wine from the bar and immerse yourself. You’ll be in good company!

To learn more, visit mountainshadows.com/resort/the_gallery and goodcompanyaz.com. 

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There’s nothing quite like music-festival life. If you’ve attended a multi-day music fest, you understand the magic. Complex and wild, a music festival can feel like an adult’s happiest place on earth.

If you aren’t familiar, it is much more than tunes in an outdoor setting. Yes, live music is the sweet spot of festival life; however, equally appealing is the unexpected joy of stumbling on a favorite new cuisine in the food village, the drama of an art instillation, the collective energy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers belting out lyrics in unison. Music-festival life is a vibe.

Whether you’re a frequent fest flyer or have yet to attend your first, lucky for you: M3F Fest is happening soon in the Valley of the Sun. It checks all the festival boxes and so much more — it’s rock ‘n’ roll with an extra dose of soul.

Music to Our Ears

M3F Fest is one of North America’s most celebrated nonprofit music festivals, and it’s scheduled on
ce again in downtown Phoenix, March 3–4, at Margaret T. Hance Park. All festival proceeds are donated to charity. You read that correctly — 100 percent of festival proceeds go to charity. For approximately 20 years, M3F (formerly the McDowell Mountain Music Festival) has not waivered in its commitment to giving back. Operating under the principle that each ticket sold goes directly to charity, festival operators’ claim that “every ticket counts!” is literal in every sense.

Last year, a record $1.2 million supported nonprofits, most of which are right here in the Valley. Organizations such as Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Arizona Helping Hands, Saving Amy, Hospice of the Valley, Desert Foothills Land Trust, TGen and more received funding from proceeds derived directly from the festival. This year, beneficiaries are tracking the same, with the majority of proceeds allocated remaining local. As an expansion to the mission’s outreach, the newly launched M3F Fund opens funding to the public with a year-round application program for nonprofits seeking support. Through the M3F Fund, qualified organizations are welcome to submit an application detailing how funds will serve them.

^{Toro y Moi}

According to Warner Bailey, festival manager for M3F, “Our goal is to continue to find new partners in Arizona that have clear objectives and a measurable way to assess progress. We opened up submissions on M3F Fund to help us find new charities that fall within those guidelines.”

Setting the Stage

By now, you’re likely thinking, this all seems too good to be true. But it is real, and the evolution of M3F is just as spectacular. The brainchild of John Largay, founder of Phoenix-based Wespac Construction, Largay was searching for a team-building event that his employees could collaborate on while giving back to the communities where they worked and lived. 

In 2004, M3F launched, thanks to the exuberant efforts of Wespac employees and volunteers. From there, the project blossomed, transforming year after year in attendance, proceeds and anticipation while never drifting from its mission to give all proceeds to charity. The combination of giving back, camaraderie among the Wespac team and creating a fun community event was trifecta gold. Since 2004, $4.4 million has funded numerous community projects.

^{Maggie Rogers}

The Set List

Last year’s festival welcomed 15,000 attendees daily during the two-day event. This year, organizers expect much the same as the 2023 lineup booked by Largay’s son, RJ, was announced in late 2022. It includes artists such as Grammy-nominated vocalist Maggie Rogers, French electronic duo Polo & Pan, Tory y Moi, Quinn XCII, and German disco and house producer Purple Disco Machine, alongside local musicians and additional artists from around the world. 

The range of musical genres is diverse. From indie, pop, R&B, electronic and more, the mix of artists is part of M3F’s attraction. Single-day tickets, weekend (two-day) tickets and VIP options are available through the website, with a layaway payment plan offered as well. Single-day general admission tickets are $75, excluding fees; the full weekend before fees is $120. Children under 10 can attend for free.

^{Canadian indie-pop band, Peach Pit}

The Venue

With approximately 30,000 visitors estimated to attend M3F in March, Margaret T. Hance Park has proved to be an ideal space for the festival team. Comprised of 32 acres, the tree-lined park is easily accessible by freeway, with hotels nearby for festivalgoers needing lodging. Art installations provide photo opportunities for attendees and are always a hit. This year’s installations are inspired by the Arizona landscape, paying homage to iconic spots like Estrella Mountain Park and Chiricahua National Monument.

Food and drink are essential components of any music festival and M3F turns it up with a curated collection of local food trucks. The Ponderosa Vendor Village is a space to chill, hydrate (a free water-filling station is available) and shop a mix of local vendors.

Executing a music festival is no small feat. Since its inception, John Largay has gotten by with a little help from his friends. His team relies on fellow industry leaders to create the infrastructure for what is essentially a city in the park during fest weekend. Vendors in related fields help construct tents, build stages, deliver materials and take care of essentials such as sanitation, power, water and everything else required to pull off an epic and safe event. 

Wespac volunteers are crucial to M3F’s success. Approximately 100 company volunteers are lined up and ready to serve again this year.

With nearly two decades of music festival history under its belt, M3F has honored its commitment to the Cs: community, culture and charity. “Our goal is to continue to raise more and more money for charity while staying true to the roots that got us to the place M3F is today,” Bailey said. “Wespac has played such a crucial role in M3F, and their involvement is  what separates M3F from any other festival out there.”  

For the full artist lineup, current ticket information and additional festival/charity details, visit m3ffest.com.

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Long-running tradition makes the Desert Botanical Garden shine

It began as a token of appreciation for the community. A holiday gift, lighting up the desert for one night, to thank those near and far who embraced the vision of the Desert Botanical Garden. The gift, thoughtfully made possible by the Garden’s former executive director, Rodney Engard, staff and a group of volunteers on a December night in 1978, was a sight to behold. The Desert Botanical Garden was sparkling, set aglow by hundreds of luminarias, illuminating the beauty of the Southwest.

And so it began, the making of a 45-year tradition known today as Las Noches de las Luminarias, the Garden’s longest-running tradition, shining bright for more than fourdecades with no end in sight.

Welcoming more than 50,000 visitors during its run each year, the experience is visually extraordinary. However, the magic behind the scenes, before the joyous seasonal event, is equally impressive.

What began as a volunteer effort has remained a “many hands make light work” effort. Las Noches de las Luminarias is made possible because of the commitment of more than 70 pairs of volunteer hands each season and cumulatively hundreds of volunteer hours dedicated to creating one of Arizona’s most beloved holiday events.

A well-oiled machine, the process leading up to the festivities commences with a call for volunteers on the Desert Botanical Garden’s website. Those serving as ongoing volunteers can express specific interest in helping with the event. Heading up the streamlined process is a mix of staff from event services to the horticulture team, who execute planning and prepping leading up to Lumi Bagging Day. That’s when the magic begins.

Lumi Bagging Day

Fueled by breakfast burritos and coffee, Desert Botanical Garden staff, community and volunteers gather bright and early in an all-hands-on-deck spirit, ready for assembly-line work to create each luminaria. The timing is precise as Lumi Bagging Day typically happens only a few days before the event opens to the public.

Upon choosing a position, volunteers take their place at various stations, including cleaning, filling, positioning and deployment. A demonstration of the luminaria components and order of operations happens, and then it’s go time.

^{Thousands of hand-lit luminarias will interweave with large-scale sculptures by Arizona-based artist Rotraut, making for a picture-perfect night}

The Process

• Wiping/cleaning the lumi bag

• Filling the bag with decomposed granite

• Placing the plastic souffle cup in lumi bag

• Adding the wax candle to lumi bag

• Moving the assembled lumi bags to flatbed carts

• Deploying the lumi bags on trails

The well-orchestrated process takes approximately 3.5 hours and produces 8,000 luminarias. Once set in place, the luminarias stay in position throughout the entire Las Noches de las Luminarias run.

The event runs Dec. 1-31, with tickets for the general public at $39.95 for adults and $16.95 for children 4-17. Member prices are $34.95 for adults and $11.95 for children ages 4-17. Children 3 and under are free.

Bag Full of Wonder

The gift that keeps on giving has evolved through the years. As popularity increased, so did the sophistication of the luminaria components and the number of bags. New materials and different types of lights, including luminarias, twinkle lights and LED up-lights for exterior surfaces (electric and battery-operated) were incorporated, totaling nearly 200,000 twinkling lights covering trails, rooftops, walls and more.

In 1978, the luminarias were comprised of a brown paper bag, sand and a candle. In 2006, reusable bags made of ¼”-thick polyethylene replaced the brown paper and are used today. The sand that once filled the bag has evolved into a decomposed granite, making for a sturdier bag. Meanwhile, a plastic souffle cup serves as a transparent and safe solution for holding the wax votive candle, providing the perfect golden glow.

Light It Up

You may wonder: All the pieces are in place, but who lights the candles? Allow us to enLIGHTEN you. Volunteers are not only instrumental in assembling the famed luminarias, but they have also been integral in the lighting of the lumi bags during its 45-year run. Back in the day (pun intended), it was a literal labor of love as volunteers bent over, butane lighter in hand, to get the party started every night of the event.

In 2005, the Garden innovatively attached a butane lighter to a PVC pipe, creating a three-foot-long instrument (and sigh of relief) to efficiently and safely light the now 8,000 wax candles on display. Today, it takes 20-25 staff and volunteers approximately an hour or less to illuminate the entire Garden, weather permitting. Volunteers also ensure bags remain lit along the trails each night of Las Noches de las Luminarias and are responsible for snuffing out every candle at the end of the evening. Snuffers, made of a turkey baster, plastic tubing and a wooden dowel, safely extinguish every flame in no time. The entire Garden turns dark in 15-20 minutes until volunteers again light up the night beginning at 4:30 p.m. the following day through the event’s run.

In addition to the magnificent lighting of the Garden during the holiday season, a variety of entertainment, from brass bands to bell choirs, add to the splendor of Las Noches de las Luminarias. The event also features a different artist annually, whose works are displayed along the Garden’s path, making for an all-encompassing experience for guests. This year, bold, large-scale sculptures by local artist Rotraut will be placed along the trails, while a selection of her paintings and small sculptures will fill the Ottosen Gallery. Cocktails, festive beverages, dinner and café options are available each evening, enticing guests to linger longer once the gates open at 5:30 p.m.

“Las Noches de las Luminarias is a fun, family tradition visitors can rely on every year,” said Amber Salazar, assistant director of Event Services. “The event embodies the spirit of the holidays. We are proud to deliver an enjoyable gift to the community, providing an experience like no other.”

For more on Las Noches de las Luminarias, visit dbg.org

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