Murphys Dia de los Muertos Gallery 2011

Hopped over to Murphys so I could share a few (ok, a few plus plus plus – too many great visuals) preview photos of Murphys Day of the Dead with you.  The event is Day of the Dead in the Land of the Skulls – Dia de los Muertos. I started with the exhibit and sale of Dia del los Muertos art from artist and collector Frank Sanchez.

Frank was setting up and was so gracious about letting me wander about to snap a few photos. His work is superb. The expression on the piece above is so alive. I’ve decided if the lower left white skull is there when I arrive tomorrow, that’s the one I’ll get.

There is so much to see. The event is Sat & Sun, Oct 29 & 30, enjoy your preview. There are so many great photos to share, and I expect to grab more tomorrow, so I’m setting this up as a “page” rather than post, although it is my post today. 🙂

Couldn’t decide if this guy was ogling the ladies going by (or gents, we support diversity here 🙂 ).

The TV is on with Mexican soap operas.

Don’t mind the mess in the background – I mentioned they were still setting up.

Tanner Vineyards featuring Dorian Fletcher and her Uncommon Ephemera. Tanner is also hosting a space for kids to decorate sugar skulls.

Additionally, there are also 3 “dress up” parties tomorrow, October 29th, Allegorie Masquerade Ball, Metate Hill’s Halloween Party and the Glitter Gatsby & Gangsters event in Angels Camp put on by the Calaveras Arts Council. Murphys California is in “the land of Skulls” as we’re in Calaveras County; calavera = skull in spanish (those goldrush guys had kinda a hard time here).

Gallery of Dia de los Muertos in Murphys – Saturday Photos

The Independent, being the home to so many local artists, had a more creative and nontraditional “ofrenda” (altar) that I truly enjoyed. They were generously sharing wine and hors d’ouevres in honor of their one year anniversary. I’ll share more on their shop soon (got some great photos).

This is part of the window display at SNAC – Sierra Nevada Adventure Company. Last year they had a fantastic Pet Altar. Frank Sanchez tells me he’s done pet altars as well – if you loved a spirit, you should say hello to it on Dia de los Muertos. Alas, no homage to our furry companions this year, perhaps next.

The folks at Muir’s Legacy winery are some of the sweetest people in the world. They’re always absolutely wonderful when you visit. While I was chatting with them, Steve told me he’d gone about town to take photos of the Dio de los Muertos altars to send to Murphy’s Business Association for posting, but he hadn’t taken his own.  Here it is:

I absolutely love the above shot of John Muir. Below we have Steve, with some of the winery’s awards plus a bit of Dia de los Muertos artwork for sale visible.

I am SO loving (lusting after – must have …) the hat that Erin Felby created and is modelling. I’ll see if I can get more detail for my crafting friends (where did you get that hat? How about the plastic skeletons? I have good sources for the netting, so fine there).

Barbara at Creative Cookware put together a lovely tribute to her parents, relatives, her staff’s relatives and added a nod to her favorite celebrity chefs. Her mother collected the grain grinder, beautiful rugs and baskets that are in the display.

Darcy at Tea an’Tiques (who has added some ‘must have’ glass to her collection of garden ornaments) honored Japanese victims of the tsunami with a beautifully detailed display.

Aria Bakery had baked traditional offerings and had a lovely display of papel picados.

I went with the absolutely non-traditional (Irish girl here) Potato, onion and parmesan focaccia which was so good, I’m hoping to nab another today.

Metate Hill provided a wonderful break by hosting Nicholas Lefler playing Spanish guitar throughout the afternoon.

They have so much music and entertainment planned throughout the rest of the year, that the simpliest way to relay this is to show you their poster.

Spying someone walking by the owner whispered – oh, there’s another really good Spanish guitarist. Pedro paused in the doorway and harmonized with Nicholas for a bit that was oh so magical.

Tanner Vineyards featured a children’s altar; many altars were “interesting” or “fascinating” – this was especially sad to view.

Bodega del Sur had a women’s altar and some wonderful t-shirts for sale (I want one in black – they need to call Dharma Trading and get a shipment of wonderful black shirts to screen). They also had artwork for sale with light pencil/charcoal sketching backgrounds that I simply did not capture an adequate picture of. The image of the Catrina is the most famous of Mexican images for Dia de los Muertos – La Calavera Catrina (‘The Elegant Skull’)  a 1910  zinc etching by Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, now in the public domain. Our local artist colored it in and printed to t-shirts and giclee. I may have to play around a bit with that image myself.

Marisolio Tasting Bar (Olive oils and Balsamic vinegars, mmmm) honored first responders.

The Spice Tin’s altar was for two local teachers. I understand they also made up the wonderful sugar skulls seen about town.

I absolutely loved their tissue paper flowers (more than others versions). Perhaps we can get them to host a ‘how to’ workshop like the Murphys Business Association papel picado one.

Domaine Becquet’s altar was for Grace Kelly.

I missed Sustenance Books, Frog’s Tooth Tasting Room, Next! Upscale Resale, Yogurt Your Way and Murphys Nursery – if the business association puts up photos, I’ll provide a link here.