Day of the Dead

By Laura Orozco Allen | www.wildemeyer.com

Celebrate with Us

Wilde Meyer Scottsdale galleries will have a Day of the Dead reception on 

Thursday, November 1st, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00 PM.

Tucson gallery will be on Friday, November 2nd, 2018, 5:00 – 7:00 PM.

So come celebrate with us! We will have an Altar and "Ofrendas" with treats for our dogs and cats, and Pan De Muertos and coffee for us humans. We welcome you to send copies of your favorite photos (non-returnable), to be displayed on our altars.

It is not a scary holiday. I can say it because I grew up celebrating it. Although I'm from the most northern part of Mexico, my hometown city's customs are a little Americanized and because of it, the typical Mexican traditions from Central and South Mexico are more diluted. But still, it was an important celebration.

As a child it meant my favorite time of the year was here! The air is (or was) full of the toasty smell of burning leaves. The air is cold and is windier there. The leaves walk with you as you go along with the wind... and we walked; my friend Norma and I walked everywhere.

The "Panaderias” (bakeries) would start selling the white sugar skulls, brightly decorated and with names on the forehead. It is fun to find yours and hopefully it is decorated in the colors you like.

Also “El Pan de Muerto” (Day of the Dead bread) would make their once a year appearance for a few weeks. The bread, sweet but a little bland, and is wonderful with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. It is enjoyed in the evenings after a light supper.

Another sign that the "El Dia De Los Muertos" is near, is the flowers you'll see. "Mota De Obispo" is such a strange but beautiful flower. Deep red purple color and velvety to the touch. It looks like the ruffles and folds of a very elegant Spanish dancer dress.

The "Cempasuchitl" or Marigolds is another popular flower for this day. More than their bright orange color, what comes to my mind is their smell. They can fill the air with their aroma in churches and even the cemeteries. You can smell them from far away! In the spring I see them at the nurseries here, and to me, they will always be "Day of the Dead" flowers. Not a bad thing.

The cemeteries are full with visitors (live ones) the weekend before, the week of, and the weekend after. And it's really a celebration. People make it a point to come. Headstones get swept, polished, and even repainted. They are then decorated with flowers and veladoras (candles.) A mariachi band would play in the background or someone might bring a guitar and sing our gone relatives' favorite songs. Since it is an all day event people bring chairs, blankets, food, and drinks! Food vendors pass by saying "Elootess!" (corn on the cob) or it could be "Paleetass!” (ice pops) or something else. The rosary is read and yes, it can be a very sad day especially if it is a recent passing. But with the passing of the years it really becomes a day when you only think of the happy memories. The afternoon would be full of remember when’s…

In college, at La Univerisdad Autonoma De Cd. Juarez, we would have competitions of "Altares." Each group was assigned a different State to represent. This is really how I learned about some of the different traditions and customs each Mexican State has. One of my professors even had a real skull that she would bring for this special evening! While this was an academic assignment, it was a favorite, and looking back it gave me a deeper respect and admiration for this wonderful day!

Los esperamos! (or, we are looking forward!)

Self-Taught Narrative Painter

By Linda Carter Holman 

For whatever reason my expression of the world has generally been eclectic.

It must have something to do with my essence and the world born into…Oklahoma, South America, the Southwest, and California.

My father and his grandfather were both story tellers. Guess I inherited that gene. Being men, their stories seemed to be more about their adventures out in the world. My tales are based more on feelings… observed in simple everyday moments of life. 

Once upon a garden ...this story is based on events from my growing up to which I now have two large tortoises in the yard as living symbols.

“The creation of art

in all it’s diverse forms

allows each one of us

to sing the song anew.”

Along the way......

(the dark haired child...boy/girl)

The first part of my painting life, as I see it now was devoted to learning a language…technique, developing characters…mostly a woman’s perspective. I decided early on to use women and children as my story telling characters. One day I noticed that my men had a feminine/masculine look and the women masculine/feminine. So from then on woman became my symbol for both. Though I still picture the man child.

Creating a Personal Myth

Here on the Journey
(red Book, blue vase with fish
and Mount Fuji)

Myth is a feature of every culture.

I guess, Mythology has always been there in the background of my work.  Throughout time man has used symbols to give clues to what I refer to as “The Mystery of Life.” Over the years I have collected a variety of images that have developed special meanings  for me in my narratives…like the blue vase with goldfish that appear repeatedly in my stories.The red book has been there from the beginning. My stories on canvas were once more genre scenes.

In nature. Now they have become more personal and symbolic.

“Standing witness to the world that surrounds me…
Translating ideas, impressions and observations…
Getting to play all the parts in the story as it unfolds
With color, form and thought…
Each painting reflecting the world at particular moments in my life…
Accented with personal symbols
Collected over my 48 years of painting”

Crossing over
(fish, boat and swan plus my special character)

Pilgrimage to Mount Fuji ........(Mount Fuji a new symbol)

“the paintings are symbolic tales
Personal stories
Characters playing their parts
In witness to the all”