❁Dia de los Muertos ~ Alters❁

Has it really been so long? Quite a bit has kept me busy but I promise I have not forgotten you. 🙂 I know I insinuated that we were going to the coast but I figured I would post something a little more appropriate for this time of year and leave the coast until sometime in February when we will need the photos to remember what “warm” is (I am a big baby about the cold). We recently celebrated Dia de los Muertos here; if you are unfamiliar with it, it is a holiday where we remember the friends and family who have left us, celebrate their lives and try to honor their memory. While I have often desired to paint a sugar skull, I thought it would be better to honor those I miss by photographing some of the traditions of the holiday. So these next three posts are to honor the memory of those that reside in my heart.

I was lucky enough to attend the 33rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration and Exhibit, held by Centro Cultural Aztlan; where there were alters on display, art by local artists, pan de muerte and a performance by the Urban 15 Dancers. Many of the alters were traditional in style but there were a few that showed a much more modern influence. The skulls in this colorful alter are gorgeous, I adore the crowns of flowers, feathers and butterflies.
Some of the detail on the alters was amazing like the picture on the candle and these bride and groom skeletons.
I thought these guys were cute; see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil, I thought the lotteria candle was a nice touch too. It is easiest described as Mexican Bingo and a game many of us have played as children.
One of the most beautiful things about the alters are the photos people place on them, they are youthful and often of bygone eras.
A beautiful moment for this young couple in love immortalized, all the other photos were of this couple throughout various times of their lives.
A non-traditional alter but one where the creativity is an excellent homage to the life of Linda.
The collections of pictures from the ’70’s brought back many childhood memories for me.
The beauty of this alter was striking, to see these women on this fabric was reminiscent of the way the memories of of loved ones can sometimes feel translucent yet not faded.
This artistic alter simply took my breath away. The colors and style were unlike anything else, the reoccurring theme of time a reminder as to how limited it is.
Life

Death

Me … hahaha … JK

Another painting by the same young artist named Oscar A. Galvan Jr., I don’t know what he calls it but it reminds me of a dance.
I hope you enjoyed these alters and I promise to return to you soon with another tradition in a couple of days.