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Dio des Muertes
Oil on Canvas 16" X 20"
The Day of the Dead is the most vibrant holidays of the many Mexico, and some other countries,enjoy. Here the living celebrate the lives of the dead--friends, relatives and just about everyone else. The people troop to the cemeteries where they decorate graves and party with food and drink enjoyed by the departed. In the city are elaborate floral altars and people parade around dressed in skeleton costumes and dance to music supplied by bands whose outputs mix with one another in an aural chaos that has to be heard to be believed. The church, which normally has an outlook on death that is pretty grave, gets involved, too. I see this as a time when traditions of all kinds come together whether or not they contradict and to properly show it, the contradictions have to be expressed. Hence this painting with the church lit up like a Cristmas tree, pennants and flags flying overhead, and apparition-like folk wandering about.
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Atotonilco Churchyard
Oil on Canvas 18" X 24"
If you follow these blogs you'll remember that when I go to Mexico, I get together with Frank Gardner to paint. This day in October Frank took me to Atotonilco, a small town outside San Miguel. It is noted for this church which is visited by pilgrims from all over the country. Of particular interest to us is the church interior which is completely decorated with paintings done by a priest who devoted his life to the work. Most views of the church and other buildings in the complex are seen from the front. However, I thought this scene of the rear of the buildings and the ancient stone wall with its arches told a different story. It was high noon then, but I pushed the colors which were all over the palette making for a complex picture, for me at least.
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