Aproximadamente Cuanta Gente Llega a Downey Dia De Los Muertos Art Festival

Downey's Dia de los Muertos Festival a visually stunning experience

The community altar at Downey'due south Dia de los Muertos Festival (photo past Eric Pierce)

DOWNEY — A giant chantry of marigolds greeted festival patrons at this year's Dia de los Muertos Festival.

As the creative focal point and the first thing you see equally y'all enter from the Firestone side, the Downey Customs Chantry, Ofrenda a la comunidad de Downey, sits in the newly designed plaza that fronts the Downey Theatre, labeled for the day the Plaza of Memories, or, Plaza de Recuerdos. Downey families, with babies in prams, seniors on walkers and even dogs pulled in carts, came to bask the sunny afternoon.

It's Downey eighth Festival of la Dia de los Muertos, and marigolds are the bespeak flower. The fragrance of these brilliant orange and yellowish flowers is said to pb souls on this twenty-four hour period from their burying identify to their family homes. And this day is above all a family unit time, to celebrate lives of ancestors, and to enjoy the life of today.

Cempasúchi is the Aztec name of the marigold native to Mexico, and they were everywhere. An art gallerygoer wore a hat chock with marigolds, and creative person Caroline Estrada-del Toro wore a long painted marigold metal necklace and earrings from Nyarit, her native state in United mexican states.

The Plaza Chantry was built by 7th generation altarista Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, the daughter and protégé of Ofelia Esparza, the grande dame of 50.A. altar making. In it were placed family photos that Downey residents contributed, to make information technology a real ofrenda.

Presented past the City of Downey and the Downey Theatre, the Festival this twelvemonth featured an fine art testify at the Downey Theatre, put on past the Downey Arts Coalition. Involving the Downey Arts Coalition was the idea of Festival co-producer and Downey Theatre Manager Amber Vogel Shaver, who reached out at the first Festival to suggest a partnership. The theater antechamber spotlighted iii big ceramic pieces by Jorge del Toro, featured artist for the testify

Downey'southward Festival is recognized as one of the Southland'southward most outstanding, due in role to the indoor/outdoor setting, and likewise to the overall presentation that includes color-coordinated booths and decorations. The sky had cleared to a bright bluish after rain earlier in the calendar week, and the temperature was in the 70's. The day that began with plumed Aztec dancers in the Civic Plaza would end with a ticketed performance in the Downey Theatre by the Mariachi Divas.

Carolina Estrada-Del Toro (photo by Lorine Parks)

"I'm Jorge's greatest fan," said his wife Carolina Estrada-Del Toro, pointing to a Document of Recognition. "State Senator Bob Archuleta was hither merely an hour ago and presented this to Jorge, from the California Senate, for being 'an inspiration to all who view his creations.'" Alistair Hunter, besides received a citation as president of the Downey Arts Coalition "on its 10th ceremony, for providing a place for artists to thrive."

We rode the swift new glass elevator neatly tucked into the wall up to the Theatre'southward balcony level and the Mezzanine Gallery, to see the rest of the art show. DAC Curator Andrew Hernandez assembled a wide variety of works, which includes Jorge del Toro's pastels and smaller sculptures, as well as works from newcomers Wendy Hernandez and Maricela Avina.

Pat Gil, project coordinator and vice president of the Downey Arts Coalition that presented the "Ofrendas" fine art show, pointed out that Hector Silva, Pinchi Michi, Carolina Del Toro, and Polaris Castillo were also included.

Ofrendas are said to be a bridge between two worlds, and the walls were decked with paintings, and a trio of painted and hammered repousse tin portraits that  shone in the light.

Jorge was continuing beside a ceramic piece of a tiny skeleton jaguar conveying on its back its prey, a large fully fleeced sheep, 1 of his many more pieces and paintings. "I love to do this," Jorge said," and I'one thousand glad the community can encounter so many of my pieces today."

Jorge Del Toro (photograph by Lorine Parks)

Jorge was wearing a shirt printed with tiny skulls and a necklace of gray beads with a carved jade skull, in honor of the 24-hour interval. Some of his works were as well big to be fired in one piece, and had been fired separately and fitted together. Bringing them and setting them up for the one-24-hour interval show must take represented a lot of man-hours. Wife Caroline stood nearby, lightly re-positioning the sculpture.

The Gallery was a busy place. Frank Kearns stopped past to chat. And a dog walked by on a  ternion, wearing a collar of marigolds equally nosotros descended in the same outside glass elevator with its view of the Plaza..

The theme of the exhibit was "ofrendas," a term meaning offer or souvenir, normally refers to a home altar with a collection of objects placed on brandish during the annual and traditionally Mexican Día de los Muertos. The tradition is said to originate with the Aztecs, on the night when the spirits of the departed can pass freely betwixt realms of the living and the dead.

El  Dia de Los Muertos is a family affair, a celebration of life and a fourth dimension to honor those generations that accept already passed. That dancing skeleton in black lace mantilla and roses? She could be your abuela. That skeleton in a black top hat and cane? Tio Marco.

Altars are intended to welcome back the departed, and virtually have candles and   pungent flowers like marigolds to assistance the spirits find their way, as well equally their favorite food and drink and personal holding. A drinking glass of water,    because they will be thirsty after their long journey. The artists in the prove showcased a variety of imagined returning spirits.

The traditional icon, the Calaveras Catrina, comes from a skull caricature drawn about 1910 by the Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada. Posadas's satiric version of high club, soon to exist toppled past the Mexican Revolution, had figures, regardless of occupation, class or condition, that were represented with skulls for faces. So skeletons are dressed in fancy turn of the 19th century finery.

In the Hispanic civilisation, children are non sheltered from the reality of death. Children attend funerals regardless of their age. Decease is talked virtually openly. With these caterinas, youngsters are taught how to mock death.

The Theatre foyer was brightly decorated with its colorful posters. On the patio alive music was playing, and a beer and wine garden was open up. Outside on the plaza again, families strolled through the pedestrian area that had been created in the parking surface area of the Civic Center. I promenade was for speciality food trucks, and the Taco Dare trailer stood next to pupusas, French Crepes Bonaparte, and The Simply Puerto Rican Nutrient Truck in Los Angeles. Music from the Theatre patio driften over, and the city had thoughtfully provided picnic tables and benches.

In front of the newly reopened Downey Library, the Friends of the Library had placed carts of books, gently used, at bargain prices: 50 cents each, three for a dollar. Virginia Yoshiyama, president of the Friends, said the carts were filling and refilling. The vivid tangerine-tiled façade of the Library fit perfectly with the colors of the day.

Some other avenue with the banner Mercado was lined with bright white pavilions sellings artisan jewelry and decorated tee-shirts. Calaveras y Diabiltos said another that sold skull masks. Most people dressed casually merely many girls and women had caterina make-upwards, white face up with sugar skull designs, and fancy floral gowns with ornate headdresses. Anybody was masked, except the tiniest.

A few children wore their Hallowe'en costumes, and Wonder Woman,  Superman and Spiderman pranced around. Merely the Dia de los Muertos is far from existence a "Mexican Hallowe'en." This same night before All Saints 24-hour interval is also celebrated in northern Europe, equally a time when spirits walk amid the living, yep, but with  faceless, formless and frightening ghosts, creatures with no name and alien to humans.

The altars are the centre of any Dia de los Muertos, and are composed with honey, honor and respect.  Walking beyond the food and the mercado area, we find some outstanding examples of a special kind. In the parking lot area effectually the Legacy Church (formerly the Start Baptist), were auto altars. Built in opened automobile trunks and growing out onto the pavement, these were more concentrated and personal, with the floral arches and photos of the departed in happy times with blimp toys and alive balloons. The mood everywhere was festive and happy and still respectful.

State Sen. Bob Archuleta (left) presented certificates of recognition to the Downey Arts Coalition for their tenth anniversary, Jorge del Toro for his sculptures, and the Urban center of Downey for the Dia de los Muertos Festival. (Courtesy photo)

Back at the Embassy Suites side of the Theatre Plaza, families gravitated for picture-taking to a trio of giant caterinas made of papel maché.

The three glamorous skeletal ladies, each easily eight feet tall, stood on a bed of marigolds, their skull heads wearing gracious hats, and one carried a blackness lace parasol. Toddlers were posing next to these extravagant figures, and one elderly lady was helped out of her wheelchair so she could stand up beside them as well.

These thou ladies of the afterlife, the emblem of Day of the Dead, tie together the times and their estimation of death. It has been said that their elegant dress suggests celebration, the smile reminding us that at that place is perhaps condolement in an acceptance of mortality, and that the expressionless should exist commemorated, not feared.

The marigold arches on the Theatre Plaza had piffling lights looped in them, and the scene would soon become enchanted in the evening. The stately palm tree trunks were festooned with garlands of marigolds and 5-ft. wide butterflies.

I left while at that place was still daylight, but the shadows were growing long over the Plaza of Memories, El Plaza de Recuerdos.

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Source: https://www.thedowneypatriot.com/articles/downeys-dia-de-los-muertos-festival-a-visually-stunning-experience