Dia de los Muertos: A OOAK interpretation

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Halloween isn't the only holiday this time of year.

October is Hispanic Heritage Month. Along with that is Halloween or All Hallow's Eve, which leads into the Catholic, All Saints Day(Nov.1) and All Souls Day(Nov.2). 

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During the 16th Century after Spain had conquered the Aztec nations in Mexico, the Church adjusted the native beliefs dating back as far as 3000 years of honoring the dead holidays to the Catholic Calendar. The traditions continue to this day as 

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November 1 is celebrated as El Día de los Inocentes, when deceased children my come back and visit their parents. 

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November 2 is celebrated as El Día de los Muertos, when deceased adults may come back and celebrate with their families. 

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Parades and celebrations, 'Ofrendas' (offerings to the ancestors), music, altars constructed to honor passed on loved ones, special foods, flowers, maintaining the cemeteries, a festival surrounding not forgetting our ancestors or loved ones who have passed on.

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I've tried to honor the color and exhuberance of this celebration of life, and not death. 

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The yellow flowers represent yellow marigolds or'cempazuchitl'. 

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Roses, skeletons and skulls are everywhere. Makeup is vivid and occasionally a bit scary. The holiday season is bigger than Christmas in the amount of celebrating.

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I chose to paint all her limbs as a skeleton embellished with flowers.

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I just know that lots of music and dancing will be involved in celebrations.

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The basket overflows with essentials and treats to bring as Ofrendas to the family altar.

Special foods and elaborate traditions also include reminiscing and telling fun stories of those who have passed.

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Can you hear the music?

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I can hear the sandals along stone walkways---the same as has been done for centuries, as she dances to the cemetery to honor her passed on family members.

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Superstitions say if you do not celebrate or prepare an altar with gifts for your ancestors,  the dead may return home to an unsuitable or no altar and possibly take on revenge.  

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A very good reason to celebrate and soon it will be over...for another year.

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Creating this doll was a journey. 

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My first face painting and all those ruffles. 

I used cottons for the dress along with wired skull ribbon (the scale was perfect), red wire edged organza ribbon for the neck and arm ruffles, and red organza ribbon for ties. 

The hat is a very old vintage mini straw hat, actually enhanced with some paint on the faded parts.

Dress pattern was a separate top, and ruffles applied to an A-line gown/skirt pattern. The reason I have a million patterns is I can never find the perfect combination for anything. 

Paints were applied by sponge and brush.

(Acrylic) Golden flow Paints over two layers of a spray matte acrylic sealer. 

The same sealer was applied after the paint cured. 

And left to dry. (Time will tell how permanent it is.)

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