Paula - 11-1-2007 at 03:08 PM
Eli - 11-1-2007 at 03:12 PM
Beautiful! Tis el dia!
Paula - 11-1-2007 at 08:57 PM
Thank you Sara! This is a collage I did several years ago for a Day of the Dead celebration in Missoula Montana. Missoula is a hot spot for El Dia,
with a very soulful parade, and many galleries and restaurants having special events on November 2. Everyone comes out on that night, and the city is
amazing. The University of Montana art department always does something big, and the Missoula art museum opens it's courtyard for personal altars.
There are workshops on understanding passage and coping with loss, and on the art and customs of the Mexican rituals of the day. Missoula doesn't
have a large Hispanic population, but for some reason we've latched on to el Dia de Muertos.
The photo in the collage is of my mother, who traveled a little in Mexico when she was young. She loved the food, the language and the art, and I
guess this a hereditary trait.
Eli - 11-1-2007 at 09:33 PM
Paula, Thank You! Sharing some of the story of the piece and how it came about gives so much more meaning to it. I never would have guessed that
Missoula would have adopted Day of the Dead. Still and always will be my favorite Holiday.
Just came back from a visit to a country graveyard and the big City Panteon. Time to pack and move on towards home.
Hasta entonce, Sara
Paula - 11-1-2007 at 09:41 PM
Sara,
It's my favorite holiday too. Have a good trip home, hope to see you soon.
elizabeth - 11-2-2007 at 08:22 AM
Paula
Thanks for posting the collage. It's not only beautifully done, but it is evocative as well...makes the viewer think and feel...
I have had an ofrenda for the days of the dead as long as I can remember...and my neopolitan grandmother had one year round!
Paula - 11-2-2007 at 03:32 PM
Thank you for your nice words, Elizabeth. This is as close as I've come to making an ofrenda myself. But someday....