Sunday, November 1, 2009

"November Celebrations Begin..."

...The Day Of The Dead...


...(El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day)
is a holiday celebrated in Mexico
and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada.
The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends
to pray for and remember friends
and family members
who have died.

The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection
with the Catholic holiday of All Saints' Day
which occurs on November 1st
and All Souls' Day which occurs on November 2nd.
Traditions 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.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday
to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years,
and to an Aztec festival
dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.

Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world;
for example,
it's a public holiday (Dia de Finados) in Brazil,
where many Brazilians celebrate
by visiting cemeteries and churches.
In Spain, there are festivals and parades,
and at the end of the day,
people gather at cemeteries
and pray for their loved ones who have died.
Similar observances
occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines,
and similarly-themed celebrations appear
in many Asian and African cultures."
Source: Wikipedia

“Live life so completely
that when death comes to you like a thief in the night,
there will be nothing left for him to steal.”
~Author Unknown

18 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

Oooooo, spoooky! Great colors, though :)

Jennifer Lawson said...

I love these. Great colors and patterns.

Ginny Stiles said...

Well done. I posted a little blurb about All-Saints Day too today. Today is All Saints' Day, and Pope Julius II chose this day in 1512 to display Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for the first time. It was not a job that Michelangelo wanted. He was primarily a sculptor at the time. But Pope Julius II wouldn't take no for an answer. The work required Michelangelo to apply wet plaster to the ceiling and then paint over it before it dried, and he had to do this on more than 10,000 square feet, more than 60 feet above the ground. (Not my favorite commission either!) The smiling skull makes me grin, by the way.

Shirley said...

You make skulls gorgeous!! What a skill.

Alex said...

See Margaret, I could spot your work from a mile away ^^ They are just so beautiful and vibrant.
Could someone make skulls radiate with warmth and soft moods? ^^ MARGARET CAN!

Caroline said...

Terrific! Love No 2 well, and no 1 and 3 too!

Patty Ruthe said...

Thank you for the story! Very interesting. I never saw skulls look so good! Terrific.

studio lolo said...

I have a friend in CA who decorates for this day.
These are stunning. That blue one just POPS off the page!!

Lynn Cohen said...

Your art is amazing! I love how well you drew those marigolds for eyes in the last skull. I can just say bravo. Wow. Yes! Wow!

Thanks for the great explaination of this holiday as well. Much appreciated.

soulbrush said...

incredible art, and enjoyed the post too. are any up for trade?

Teri said...

I have found that Tucson is BIG into this holiday but I just can't get into it. Well, until I saw your fab designs!

Just wonderful.

kazumiwannabe said...

They're all striking and gorgeous! Can't decide which one is my fave between the second and the third, they're both incredible! You're the master of color!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Marvelous masks. So full of life even in death.

Anonymous said...

They are spectacular. You've infused your wonderful shapes and colors while alive the tradition of the day. As I say...spectacular

Louise said...

I like the educational aspect to this! I didn't know about the 'day of the dead'. What a fun way to learn about it. The drawings are wonderful, so vibrant!

marianne said...

Wonderful what a great idea to make a serie of ATC's of these!
You always have the most original ideas!
Great artwork!

Leslie said...

These are beautiful! I've always appreciated El Día de los Muertos. Nice to honor our ancestors.

Spencer Chen said...

Brilliant works and fancy too.
Love to see more of your work..