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    Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects that Celebrate Da de los Muertos
    Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects that Celebrate Da de los Muertos
    Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects that Celebrate Da de los Muertos
    Ebook391 pages1 hour

    Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects that Celebrate Da de los Muertos

    By Kerry Arquette, Andrea Zocchi and Jerry Vigil

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    About this ebook

    Celebrated on November 1 and 2, Day of the Dead honors the memory of departed souls, welcoming them back to celebrate the best of life. Families decorate grave sites with marigolds and set up stunning altars. Streets flutter with paper banners. Store windows glisten with sugar skulls. Skeleton figures grin rakishly from every corner. Day of the Dead Crafts is filled with dozens of terrific projects that allow you to participate in the excitement of the holiday while expressing your own creativity. You'll enjoy showcasing these unique, fun, and meaningful projects throughout the year.

    Inside you'll find step-by-step instructions, ideas, and inspiration for a wide range of projects, including:

    • Calaveras, those comical and clever skeleton figures caught in the act of enjoying life's favorite activities
    • Masks and skulls made from paper mache, gourds, and even sugar
    • A meaningful and artistic ofrenda, or altar, to honor those who have passed
    • Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more to wear day or night
    • Pieces guaranteed to liven up any decor

    Colorful, whimsical, and often dramatic, Day of the Dead art is steeped in rich history and symbolism. The projects in Day of the Dead Crafts honor the traditional, while taking advantage of today's materials for a fresh and exciting twist.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTurner Publishing Company
    Release dateJun 3, 2009
    ISBN9780470437995
    Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects that Celebrate Da de los Muertos

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    • 2/5
      There was a certain sameness to these projects. Also, they struck me as pretty US-centric. The photography was just okay, not stellar. There were some fun and clever things here, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't as cool as I expected it to be.

    Book preview

    Day of the Dead Crafts - Kerry Arquette

    IMG_10_2 THE HISTORY OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD

    More than 3,000 years ago, the Aztec Indians, who dwelled in Mexico, spent four months each year honoring and tending to their dead with ceremonies and rituals. The Spanish conquistadors who arrived in Mexico in the 16th century tried to eradicate the established traditions associated with the holiday, replacing them with practices associated with and condoned by the Roman Catholic Church. Rather than turn their backs on their history, the indigenous people chose to meld ancient traditions with those of the church.

    IMG_10_1

    Aztec dancers await their chance to perform at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

    IMG_11_1

    Papel picados, decoratively cut paper banners, flutter above the Olvera Street plaza.

    IMG_11_2

    Artist: Unknown, A colorful ofrenda, or Day of the Dead altar, stands at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

    IMG_11_3

    A display of calaveras draws customers to The Folk Tree, a popular California craft store and gallery.

    IMG_11_4

    Day of the Dead artist Cesco (Frank Pamies) holds a skull he created for The Festival de la Gente.

    Although activities associated with the Day of the Dead continue to evolve, the purpose behind the celebration remains constant: The holiday allows families to dedicate time each year to honor those who have passed away. For those who actively celebrate the Day of the Dead, remembering the deceased is more than an act of fondness; it is an obligation of respect. Observance of the Day of the Dead ensures that a beloved’s soul will never be forgotten and therefore truly will never die. Many participants believe that a person can experience three deaths. The first death is the expiration of the body. The second death occurs when the body is laid to rest. The third and final death takes place only if and when the departed is forgotten.

    IMG_12_1

    Traditional dancers perform at Day of the Dead festivities at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

    IMG_12_2

    A custom-painted car with a Day of the Dead theme at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

    Each year the Day of the Dead is celebrated in cities, towns, and villages throughout Mexico on November 1 and 2. People attend mass, set up altars in their homes, and clean and decorate the graves of family members. They gather in cemeteries for picnics, dancing, and singing while reconnecting with their roots. Children play with skeleton marionettes. Restaurants and bakery windows are decorated with gaily painted skeleton figures eating the treats associated with the holiday—sugar skulls and pan de los muertos, a sweet bread that is often topped with colorful icing. Towns, big and small, now fill with American tourists drawn to Mexico to witness and take part in the celebrations.

    Here in the United States, more and more communities are developing an interest in the holiday. Stores are stocked with Day of the Dead art, sugar skull molds, and coloring books. Streets are gaily decorated with festive cut-paper banners. In San Francisco, hoards paint their faces into skeleton grins and parade past altars along a designated route. Chicago art galleries host special Day of the Dead exhibits showcasing some of the world’s most talented folk artists. Los Angeles holds a variety of celebrations, the most popular being an event held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. There, people from across the country and Mexico build elaborate altars. Crafters sell their work while dancers and singers entertain the thousands who attend. The festival is a joyful party that celebrates the lives of those who have moved on while mocking death’s power to take from us the most important aspect of life—the relationship we have with those we love.

    When death is greeted warmly and with good humor, it no longer clutches us in a grip of fear. The Day of the Dead is as much a celebration of life as it is a call to those who have passed to return and enjoy a holiday in their honor.

    IMG_13_1

    Wooden sculptures by artist Chad Mora fill a booth at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

    GLOSSARY OF TERMS

    Calavera Whimsical one- or two-dimensional skeleton figures

    Catrina (Katrina) Female aristocratic calaveras

    Kahlo, Frida (1907-1954) Mexican painter best known for her colorful self-portraits

    Ofrenda Altars set up to welcome and honor the dead

    Pan de los muertos Sweet bread eaten during the holiday

    Papel picados Cut paper banners used to decorate altars

    Posada, Jose Guadalupe (1852-1913) Celebrated Mexican artist best known for his calavera drawings

    Sugar skulls Decorative molded skulls set on altars and eaten

    Virgin of Guadalupe Mexican icon depicting the apparition of the Virgin Mary

    IMG_14_1

    OFRENDAS

    Altars to Welcome Returning Souls

    It is a long journey from the afterworld to the earthly homes where loved ones still live. But on the Day of the Dead, souls who make the trip find a warm welcome awaiting them. Observant families spend days preparing meaningful ofrendas, or altars, within their homes to honor those returning and assure their comfort. The ofrendas are stocked with food, drink, and most anything else the souls might need to enjoy their visit.

    Ideally ofrendas are placed in the hub of the house. From the time souls are called back to earth by the ringing of church bells, fireworks, or prayer, to the moment of departure, they are surrounded by the lively chatter and gossip of family members. The ofrenda remains in place throughout the holiday.

    Some ofrendas are dismantled after the Day of the Dead, but many artists display their altars year-round. These emotionally moving pieces of art provide a showcase for smaller pieces such as calaveras, nichos, masks, skulls, and flowers.

    IMG_16_2

    Artist: Unknown, Lakewood Cultural Center

    WHAT IS YOUR OFRENDA STYLE?

    Altars are, without a doubt, the most spectacular craft project associated with the Day of the Dead. Artists who make them love the creative possibilities they offer. Should their ofrenda be large or small? elaborate or simple? modern or traditional? Will it hang on a wall or extend across a large area? Will it be displayed inside or outside? Before you begin to craft your own ofrenda, be ready to answer those questions. Each type of ofrenda boasts its own type of beauty.

    IMG_16_1

    Artist: Cal Duran, Lakewood Cultural Center

    Sleek and Minimalist

    Tented fabric creates a canopy for a stunning ofrenda consisting of a painted image and a lace-covered pedestal. The ofrenda requires a high ceiling and an expanse of uncluttered space to fit the fabric, bench, and potted flowers.

    IMG_16_2

    Artist: Monica Gomez, The Folk Tree

    Simple and Rustic

    A worn wooden table and woven blankets provide a base for this simple ofrenda that can be displayed in a small corner of a room. White tower candles, flowers, bread, cactus, and a photo are used to decorate the altar.

    IMG_16_3

    Artist: Cal Duran, Lakewood Cultural Center

    Compact and Ornate

    An ofrenda that hangs on the wall can be displayed in any room in the home. This altar includes a gameboard background, a nicho, or niche, skeletons, a photo, and a variety of decorative embellishments.

    IMG_17_1

    Artists: Ofelia Esparza, Xavier Esparza, Denise Esparza-Carrillo, Pico House Gallery

    IMG_17_2

    Large and Complex

    This ofrenda

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