Saturday, October 31, 2009

Day of the Dead Blog Fest

Happy Hallowe'en One and All!

Tomorrow though, begins a new celebration for me - Day of the Dead.

Wikipedia has a brief description to give you an overview:


"The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. ."

This day honours those who left us, giving us an opportunity to remember them. It is also the time when the veil between our world and theirs is so very thin.

Kara of Mother Henna, offered a chance to take part in a "Day of the Dead" art Collaboration back in September. I came across it late but it really grabbed me and I knew I had to take part.


We were to create any art to reflect this theme.
Each ATC card I created , I thought of people I had lost. My Mom, my Dad, my godmother/aunt, other aunts and uncles, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law, all of my grandparents, friends. It really was cathartic.
Now the Fest is open for all to view.
Kara has many ways for you to honour your dead:
*Create an ofrenda - an altar that is a special way to honour and remember those you have lost.
*Say their names.
*Create art in their names.
*Do random acts of kindness in their honour.
She asks: "What do you do this season to honor and remember your loved ones and the universal experience of grief and love?"

I have my own ofrenda, with pictures of my loved ones. Some of my art is there as well.
We all grieve in different ways. This has given me another way to honour those I have lost - a very personal way.

6 comments:

after iris said...

Your pieces are great! I'm really looking forward to receiving my package and seeing them in person.

Remembering alongside you today as you honour your loved ones.

Jess x

Sarah Sullivan said...

Have a wonderful day hon!! Wonderful post!! Blessings, Sarah

forward tumble said...

I'm so looking forward to hold your beautiful work in my hands. It certainly is a healing experience for me, too.

We celebrate Halloween or Samhain, the old Celtic name for Halloween, which was the pagan feast that turned into All Souls Day when Christianity arrived in Ireland (according to Wiki anyway). For the first time ever i will light a bonfire and think of all the lost children and say their names.

love to you
Ines

Unknown said...

I love your art - absolutely gorgeous!

We too viewed the swap as an opportunity to remember our daughter and honor her spirit.

Thank you so very much!

Kara Chipoletti Jones of GriefAndCreativity dot com said...

Lovely, Bev, and thanks much for festing with us and sharing forward! Remembering with you for Days of the Dead... k-

still life angie said...

Beautiful work. Can't wait to see it in person. Remembering with you...