Day of the Dead, a Mexican public holiday observed throughout Mexico and other cultures, focuses on family and friends for whom to pray, and on remembering loved ones who have died. It has become a respectful, but celebratory holiday, and a common symbol of the day is the skull. Celebrants often wear skull-like masks called calacas (the colloquial word for skeleton), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls can be inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are sometimes given to the living, and left behind on remembrances of the dead.
The salient point for the purposes of this post is that in many cultures, people believe that possessing Day of the Dead items bring good luck. To that end, a cottage industry has sprung up of traditional, and not so traditional sculptures, and one of our favorite artists is Tamra Kohl who creates such pieces for dog breeds. You can see some of her work sold on Etsy here where her skill is evident.
Kohl’s shop is ClayLindo