What is el Dia de los Muertos?

El Día de los Muertos, also known as “the Day of the Dead” or “All Souls' Day” in Mexico and other Latin American countries, takes place on November 2nd as a way to pay tribute to the departed. Similar to the November 1st Catholic holiday “All Saints' Day”, or "Día de los Inocentes", which honors children or infants who have passed, el Día de los Muertos is steeped in the tradition of celebrating life through music, dance, food, art, prayer, and family togetherness.

Sentimental offerings, or “ofrendas”, such as bread, toys, candy, tequila, flowers, and pictures are placed upon candle-adorned altars or graves as gifts to loved ones, while wood, clay, tin, and paper are transformed into whimsical skull masks and sculptures to exchange and display. Catrina, an elegant, skeletal woman made famous by printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in 1913, is one of the most recognizable figures in the Day of the Dead holidays and permeates Mexican folk art today.

In fact, millions of people around the world now celebrate “Día” through more modern means of expression, and in Southern California, it's easy to be inspired by the calaveras and orange marigolds woven into street art, intricate scrollwork pinstriped onto lowriders, and sugar skull tattoos inked onto body parts. The city of Oceanside, in particular, hosts an annual event that highlights the historical and cultural significance of the celebration, while still embracing alternative interpretations of Day of the Dead art. Every year, you can find David there, live-painting and sharing techniques among the mariachis, Flor de Muerto, and native delicacies.

David paints on everything from antiques to clayboards to violins in order to put a non-traditional twist on centuries-old subject matter, layering 1 Shot enamel and polyurethane over acrylics to achieve depth of field and a smooth, bright finish. Some pieces appear macabre, while others depict loyalty, salvation, or family; regardless of content, this is his way of paying homage to one of his favorite holidays.

Banditos Last Stand	Sugar Skull Letterpress	Sugar Skull Song	El Jefe	Santa Muerte
La Bandita Calaca	Banditos Prayer	Sugar Skull Swirl	The Flamenco Dancer	Shall We Dance?
La Bandita	La Bandita con Dos Pistolas	The Piano Player	The Desperate Prayer	Mamacita

Muchachos Borrachos	Los Novios (The Sweethearts) Cross	Pepito Bowling Pin	La Muerte	Los Compadres Muertos
Dos Hombres Band Pair	Los Novios (The Sweethearts)	Day of the Dead Motorcycle Helmet	Death is for the Birds	Sugar Skull Tattoo
Smoke Em If You Got Em	Padre de los Muertos	Muertos Family Portrait	Mariachi Violin	Mariachi Cutout

Last Penance	Hasta la Muerte	El Mecanico	El Guitarrista	El Bandito
El Artista Muerto	Dos Hombres Mariachi Band	Divine Babysitting	Skull Battle Bowling Pin	Gentlemen Caller Sculpture
Gentlemen Caller	Calaveras Bowling Pin	Azza the Banished Angel	Alone on the Plains