A Lesson for the Mexican Days of the Dead

 

Tomorrow I am excited to leave for Tucson for the Arizona Art Education Association Conference where I will be giving three presentations, one of which is on celebrating the Mexican Days of the Dead, November 1 and 2. One of the days of our SchoolArt/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza, held in July in Santa Fe, focuses on the Days of the Dead. I thought I would share one of the projects we do there that I will be introducing at the conference.

 

It starts with a skeleton head, 3-4 inches tall, here made of Model Magic (though other modeling compounds could be used). Permanent markers work well for color and beads, sequins, and other materials can be embedded in the form. Thread spools and clay tools can be used to add depth and texture.

 

Once the skull is complete, it is set aside to dry and work begins on the skeleton. White paper straws work well for this as they can be flattened and glued easily (Artstraws are available from art supply catalogs). In my art room, I would borrow the school's skeleton from the science lab and keep it in my room in October for reference. You could also provide diagrams of the skeleton to help students with bone placement. We started with the spine, added ribs and pelvis, then jointed arms and legs.

 

 

 

In Mexico, papier mache and clay skeletons appear for this celebration dressed in clothes or uniforms that denote a profession, suggesting that all are equal in death and will meet the same fate (but lightheartedly!) I ask my students to do the same for their paper figures.

 

 

The Monarch butterfly wings are a nice touch here, since they spend the winter in Central Mexico thickly clustered in trees, arriving around the time of the Days of the Dead. This person forgot to add the lower part of the arms. Once the head is relatively dry, it can be glued on the skeleton.

 

 

Here is a wonderful example of extending the lesson. Happy Days of the Dead! November 1 and 2!