day of the dead skeletons

Covered with bright flowers, a grinning skull wears a golden crown. Jose Canil crafts a mask to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Guatemala. "The sculpture's bright colors are a reminder that death is nothing more than the beginning of something new," he says. "In the next life, we are all equal and each of us is a king or queen. We will want for nothing."

By Juan and Carolina, a charming mask celebrates Day of the Dead in Central America. The artisans carve the face from pinewood and paint it by hand with floral motifs. Playful and flirty, this petite and pretty skull scares no one.

Jose Canil Ramos combines Guatemala's Day of the Dead customs with Christian traditions for the design of this extraordinary nativity scene. "I thought it would be fun to make it with innocent skeletons," explains Canil. He carves each pinewood figurine by hand, allowing each piece to bake to achieve an aged, rustic appearance. This nativity scene includes the Holy Family, the Three Kings, and angel, and mule and an ox, for a total of nine pieces.

Joseph's hand and staff, as well as the angel's wings are removed for shipping.

Inspired by the etching of a well-dressed skeleton created by Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1913, Guatemalan artisan Estuardo Jimenez creates a necklace with a handmade sterling silver skull pendant. The original drawing, called La Calavera Catrina, had the skeleton wearing a large and ornate hat and was meant as a satire of Mexicans who wished to emulate upper-class Europeans. This Catrina has an engraved leaf and flower head covering rather than a hat and hangs from black cotton cord. Openwork gives the skull the appearance of facial features. The necklace can be made longer or shorter using the sliding knot on the cord.

This highly unusual nativity scene set features the typical personages — Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Wise Men and angel, but all depicted as skeletal figures a la Day of the Dead. They are created by Juan and Carolina of Chichicastenango, Guatemala from pinewood and hand-painted.