Daily Painters "Urban Lore"

Along with Halloween, and some of the more common traditions of Fall, is the celebration season of "Dia de Muertos" or "Day of the Dead." I always chuckle at the raised eyebrows and averted glances when visitors to my studio encounter skulls and dancing skeletons in my artwork this time of year.  Day of the Dead is an important traditional Mexican celebration that takes place every year on November 1st and 2nd. This celebration of dearly departed loved ones began over 500 years ago and was central to most ancient civilizations, with the Aztecs being the last and most famous. While the traditions are pre-Hispanic, the celebrations we now see are the result of a complex mixture of indigenous beliefs and practices and those imposed by Spanish Catholics. Catholics celebrate All Souls Day, which like all celebrations commemorating the dead happen during the dead time in autumn, after the harvests have come in. This coincidence of timing and belief, allowed Day of the Dead to survive the Spanish Conquest of Meso-Americans, and accounts for its continued existence in modern Mexican folklore. So...now that you know all that stuff...you need not be afraid :) Dancing skeletons, sugar skulls, and Marigolds are just a few of the embellishments you will commonly see depicted in this celebratory art work.

Each year at this time, I break from my traditional landscape and floral works to create a few "celebration" pieces of my own. This piece is painted in soft pastel on sandpaper and measures 18" x 24". Framed in wide dark wood with UV/non-glare museum glass, it is ready to hang and enjoy. Buy it now price $550. This piece is available in my Spanish Village Studio #34a only. Shipping not available.