colorful sculpture

From the handicrafts mecca that is Tlaquepaque, Mexico, comes this vibrant hand-painted skull by Maria and Esteban. Dark eyebrows frame a smiling cerulean face while small maize-colored flowers and festive peacocks in tangerine and fuchsia adorn the back and sides. Bold explosions of color characterize Mexican folklore, and this decorative skull is an excellent example of this tradition.

Turned out in her Sunday finest including picture hat and parasol, this catrina from Luis Morales will add color and culture to any place she is displayed. Formed by hand from clay, her ostentatious ensemble is carefully painted in aqua, blue, purple and silver hues. The elegant figure is based on a satirical etching created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada around 1910-1913. With his etching, Posada poked fun at those Mexican natives who tried to emulate the fashion and habits of the European aristocracy. Today, la Catrina has become the instantly recognizable icon of Día de los Muertos (Mexico's Day of the Dead).

Covered with flowers, this skull figurine is cheerful and colorful. Javier Ramirez, shapes it of clay, and paints the fired piece by hand. A big blue flower crowns the bright fuchsia sculpture, which seems to smile and shows perfect white teeth.

A cheerful decorative item but also a symbol of Mexican culture, this recycled paper statuette is the perfect addition to your home decor, bringing a vibrant cultural accent that will captivate anyone. Handcrafted by the Orozco Family, the artwork is a classic Day of the Dead piece, depicting a carmine skull painted with floral details in a colorful palette.

Doña Dolores will grace your home like nobody else - dead or alive! Luis Morales handcrafts this elegant Catrina sculpture from ceramic and clads her in a gorgeous flame orange apron with floral designs over an olive green skirt. She wears a traditional black rebozo shawl decorated with colorful floral designs over her head.

Luis Morales comes from a generations-long tradition of artisans. His favorite items to craft are Catrina figures because of their unique iconography.

Mexico's pre-Hispanic cultures honored their dead through celebrations and commemorations; after the arrival of the Spaniards, these cultural traditions became fused with the Catholic church's rituals and holidays, notably All Souls' Day in November which is now commonly known as the Day of the Dead. Influenced by these ancestral customs, artisans have been creating handicrafts using skull imagery for centuries. Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of the Mexican state of Oaxaca present this eye-catching skull-shaped home decor piece carved by hand from copal wood. Against a yellow base color, black lines are drawn to simulate a scaly texture, then the skull is further hand decorated with patches of geometric patterns on the top and sides in red, green, and pink. The dark eye sockets and nasal cavities are outlined in blue and green. Two rows of pearly white teeth complete the colorful cranium.

Day of the Dead is celebrated with colors and happiness, just like Nohemi Calixto's newest creation. Made with ceramic and following traditional Mexican techniques, this hand-painted mask in a skull shape merges the region's vivacious nature with sun-themed details and a palette of blue, red, purple and green hues.