Sunday, September 25, 2011

...so what is Day of the Dead?


Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos)is a day of remberance. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a National Holiday. The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.


next question: Why sugar skulls?

Sugar Skull Tradition - Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church.

Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place.


Thursday, September 8, 2011

Day of the Dead...call for artists




Lots happening in Oct. at the Art Clinic. On Tues. Oct. 25 the Art Clinic is hosting the Artist's Salon along with the opening of our first Day of the Dead Art Show. The show will be moved to Valley Books the following day and will hang there until Nov. 15th.

The in gathering is Tues. Oct. 18 at the Art Clinic from 11 til 3. All mediums accepted and 2D or 3D. Entry fee $10. Art can be for sale or not. Sales will be through the artist. You may want to reward Valley Books for hosting the show...up to you.

The judging will be by popular vote during the Artist's Salon. One ballot per person. The cash prize amount will be determined after ingathering. Contact us for more info....our contact info and address is in the side bar.

At the Salon we will have a non religious altar, an ofrenda, set up. Guest can bring an offering if they would like. We will have it up until Nov.3. We will have a few fun art projects set up for guests to play with....like a matchbook shrine, paper flower making and more...

So if you are not familiar with Dia de los Muertos here is some info:

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a National Holiday. The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.