Oaxaca 2009...deMeng de los Muertos

Hey gang,
Guess what is being planned as I type: deMeng de los Muertos 2009. We had such a great year (once again) in 2008 that Colleen and I are planning another trip. The specifics such as this year's Day of the Dead activities and tours and are still being worked out but I thought I'd throw a bone (no pun intended) your way. Here's the 2009 class description:

deMeng de los Muertos 2009

Calaveras y Diablos, y Santos…Oh My!

Translation: Skeletons and Devils and Saints…Oh My. My head spins every time I visit Oaxaca and see all the Day of the Dead toys and figurines made by the local artisans. I have a number of such purchases in my collection, such as a group of drunken diablos, a skeletal Frida on a bicycle, and of course my various Virgin of Soledad statues. So on this year’s trek to the magical city of Oaxaca, Mexico, I thought that we would explore the process of doll and figurine making, and I should say, from my standpoint…the crazier the better. We will use everything from broken toys and found objects, to bizarre items like eyes and wings and halos from the surreal religious store La Ninas de las Posada, to handmade items using epoxy clay. For those who want to create little homes for your peeps, we will go over making a little nichos, as well as some metal embossing techniques for adornment. In this class you will be required to play…no fuddy-duddying allowed (and yes I did make up that word). As with previous years we will also create a class ofrenda (memorial shrine) to honor those we have lost and want to remember. Hope you decide to join me at my favorite place in the world, during my favorite festival…Dia de los Muertos…oh my!
If you're interested drop Colleen Darling a line and get on the listcontact:
Colleen Darling
colleen950@hotmail.com
Home 805-688-1221
Cell 805-448-1509