PHOENIX — November 1 and 2 mark the Dia de Los Muertos holiday.
Originating in Mexico, the holiday is a time when families reunite with their relatives who’ve passed on. It’s also a celebration of that reunion with food, drinks and more.
La Catrina or beautifully skull-painted faces are a part of Dia de Los Muertos celebrations. Dayel Guzman, a Valley artist, teaches classes on how to create the intricate face paintings. She demonstrated how to create La Catrina, at Luna Culture Lab.
Guzman transformed her daughter Kamila into La Catrina.
“I’m the one who usually supports her, her model," Kamila said. "It feels amazing. Like I’m used to this.”
The art took Kamila back to the 1900s when the fancy skeleton with the dazzling hat first came to life.
"Really like the sentiment of Jose Guadalupe Posada,” Kamila said.
Jose Guadalupe Posada is the Mexican artist behind La Catrina. He was a controversial and political cartoonist.
“Where there’s a Catrina, there’s a Mexican,” Kamila said.
The now popular skeletons are much more than a fancy costume today.
“That no matter the flowers, the dresses, the richness, that finally, we all turn out to be skulls," Kamila said.
It’s a bold image of how Mexican culture sees death and the afterlife, and one of many traditions during Dia de Los Muertos.
“Signifies for us is that one day we will meet up with our family, our grandparents, our mothers, and fathers,” Kamila said.
Each time Guzman takes out her brushes, she waits until the very end to reveal her latest masterpiece.
“It’s a surprise every time she does my makeup because she makes up a great art every time because she does something amazing on my face that I didn’t think was possible to do," Kamila said.
La Catrina is a tradition both Dayel and Kamila say anyone can participate in, no matter your heritage.
Across the Valley from Phoenix, woodworker Luis Estrada commissioned an ofrenda at the Mesa Arts Center. He's one of many local artists who displayed the offering for loved ones who have passed on.
There are several ofrendas on display around the Mesa Arts Center through Nov. 7.
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