Celebrate Mexican Day of the Dead: Hands-on Art workshop at Pelham Art Center

Pelham Art Center’s Folk Arts
Series continues on Sunday, October 27, 1:30-3:30pm with Mexican Day of the
Dead (El Día de los Muertos). Stop by
and participate in this festive Mexican celebration!

Celebrated
artists Zafiro Romero-Acevedo and her mother Aurelia Fernández Marure will return to the Art Center to share
the history of the Mexican Day of the Dead and lead a traditional yet contemporary
art making workshop. Participants will learn to make Sugar Skulls from bread dough
with decorative marigolds, the “day of the dead flowers”, out of paper and pipe
cleaners. Skeleton and skull imagery figure prominently in Day of the Dead
celebrations in Mexico,from the traditional altars to candy decorations.

About Day of the Dead

In the Mexican culture, death is addressed through many
cultural and religious rituals. It is believed that the souls of the dead
return each year to visit with their living relatives – to eat, drink, and be
merry. In Mexican tradition, this is a day to remember the dead and to
celebrate by preparing special foods in honor of those who have departed. On
this day, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of
flowers and calaveras, skeletons and
skulls made of candy. Pelham Art Center continues these folkloric traditions
and honors the memory of loved ones as part of its Folk Art Series.

About the Artists

Zafiro Romero-Acevedo was born in Morelos, Mexico, and has lived with her
family in Yonkers since 1984. She has been brought up in a strong cultural
heritage including Mexican folklore performances, murals, and paper arts. Her
family started Mexican activities in Saint Peter's Church, Saint Mary's Church
in Yonkers, and Manhattan. Mrs. Acevedo’s late Uncle Don Lazaro Marure began
the first Mexican Community in South Yonkers. Mrs. Acevedo earned her bachelor's
degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, PA, majoring in Computer
Graphics Technology in Multimedia and an Associate’s degree in Fine Arts and in
Animation. She conducts workshops in Mexican fine arts and traditional Mexican
performing arts and theater in Yonkers Public Schools, as well as art centers,
museums, and Hispanic festivals in the Tri-State area and Ocean County, New
Jersey.

Aurelia Fernández
Marure
was born in Morelos, Mexico. In her youth, she learned traditional paper arts
including piñatas, flower papermaking, paper mask, and large puppetmaking.
Aurelia has presented paper crafts at: Historical Society of Rockland, Arts
Westchester, Untermyer Performing Arts Center, Hudson River Museum, National
Mexican Art Museum of Chicago, American Museum of History, Long Island
Children’s Museum, American Indian Museum, State University Rutgers N.J.
Flushing Town Hall Museum, and American Folk Art Museum.

Awards
include: 2013 “Women's International Day" women's History Month by
Westchester Hispano in the City of Yonkers; 2009 Presented Mexican history of
“Emiliano Zapata" in Mexico; 2005 "Griffon Award Winner" by
Untermyer Performing Arts Council Inc. Yonkers; 2004 "Peoples Hall of
Fame" for Preserving Mexican Culture in Mano a Mano one project of the
Center for Traditional Music and Dance; 2003 "National Hispanic Heritage
Month" The New York State Assembly Honors, Arts & Education Award;
2001 "Folk Artist of the Year for the Southwest Yonkers Planning
Association, Inc; and the 1999 “Tradition Bearer Award" for Westchester
Arts Council, In recognition of her mastery of traditional papers arts and
legacy of Mexican Cultural Heritage.