A host of activities centered around the Dia de los Muertos exhibit at Florida Craft Art will take place Friday, April 6 through May 26. Opening Reception: April 6, 5:30- 8:30 p.m. Guests and visitors are encouraged to dress up in costume for the opening.  Face painting and finished masks will be available for purchase.  An after party is planned as well. Get the whole schedule at http://www.floridacraftart.org/exhibitions/dia-de-los-muertos/

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey, the show is about celebration of the lives of those passed.

Departing from the confines of the traditional motifs, artists will explore remembrance and the celebration of those who have left us. The exhibition is a study of the past from a place in the present. A requiem for our loved ones and friends.

The artists in this exhibition will be diverse in both medium and style, each bringing a unique perspective to express it in their own style.  It is our hope that you not only gain a better understanding of the traditional holiday, but that you can also view death with a new perspective.

In addition to the juried artwork, 100 skull-shaped wood plaques will be decorated by invited artists to raise funds for children’s programming.

The Aztecs developed the ritual some 3,000 years ago because they believed one should not grieve the loss of a beloved ancestor who passed. Instead, the Aztecs celebrated their lives and welcomed the return of their spirits to the land of the living once a year. They celebrated with food, drink and music ofrendas, or offerings.

During the Día de los Muertos celebration, mourning was not allowed because it was believed the tears would make the spirit’s path treacherous and slippery. “This day is a joyous occasion; it’s a time to gather with everyone in your family, those alive and those dead.”