Day of the Dead Art

My Day of the Dead art pieces are inspired by the meaningful Mexican holiday, Día de Muertos, which is a time for remembering and celebrating our loved ones who have passed away. My sugar skull art is typically colorful, psychedelic, and dancing with intricate designs, seeking to embody the mystery and energy of our earthly existence while tapping into the question of what's beyond.

Real sugar skulls. Click to enlarge.Click here to learn how to make your own! — Real sugar skulls. Click to enlarge.
Click here to learn how to make your own!

Day of the Dead, called Día de Muertos in Spanish, is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated from October 31 through November 2 of each year. On the Day of the Dead, the boundaries between life and death begin to blur as men, women and children of all ages honor the bonds between themselves and their loved ones who have passed away. The holiday has spread rapidly in the past decade from Mexico to America and beyond. It is now celebrated by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and countless others, spawning a colorful and distinctive artistic tradition that continues to inspire.

Sugar skulls, called calaveras de azúcar in Spanish, are among the holiday's most iconic symbols, and are sold everywhere on the days and weeks leading up to Day of the Dead. Market stalls are lined with rows and rows of colorful skulls, created from sugar and decorated with multi-colored icing, shiny foil, sequins and glitter. The nearby image features real sugar skulls I created to celebrate the holiday. Sugar skulls are typically given as gifts or placed on altars as offerings to those who have passed away.

In 2005 I created my first sugar skull artwork, which over the years has blossomed into a collection of over 100 works of sugar skull art. Keeping with the true spirit of Day of the Dead, my sugar skulls are not meant to be creepy, morbid or scary. Rather, they are cheerful, grinning reminders that we should embrace life and enjoy our earthly existence while we can, while cherishing our connections to our departed loved ones.

Most of the sugar skulls below are from my published wall calendars. Check them out here.

You can learn about my sugar skull art at my personal website, or visit my shop to purchase products decorated with my sugar skulls.

Day of the Dead Coloring Books

All three books are unique, so you won't find any overlapping art amongst them! My Sugar Skull Coloring Pages are digital, which means they can be downloaded instantly and printed from home! My Sugar Skulls Coloring Book and Day of the Dead Coloring Book are published books available online (via the links below) and in brick-and-mortar stores.

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