This colorful altar was spotted and snapped yesterday at the Day of the Dead art opening at Self Help Graphics in East L.A.
Photo of the Day (of the Dead): A Colorful Altar
El Dia de Los Muertos at Self Help Graphics
A full month of calavera painting, banner cutting, tissue flower making and other crafting at Self Help Graphics culminated in their annual El Dia de Los Muertos celebration last Monday. The community arts center and printmaking studio has a long history of celebrating the Mexican holiday for honoring the dead, reaching back thirty-six years to its first Day of the Dead celebration, involving just two artists who met at Evergreen Cemetery to remember their ancestors. In the years that have followed, the annual festival has grown and grown in size and popularity, with this year’s festivities moving from the Self Help Graphics to the East LA Civic Center.
Upcoming Dia de los Muertos Events
OK, so Halloween is over, no more dressing up and having fun. Wrong! The fun never stops! Dia de los Muertos in Los Angeles means days of face-painting, music, giant puppets, sugar skulls and even special bread. So get out there and let the celebration continue!
Gearing up for The Dead: El Dia de Los Muertos Art Workshops at Self Help Graphics
We’re only a few weeks past summer and Southern California is already doing a pretty good impression of fall this week, with record lows hitting some cities. But even if the heat comes back later in the month, as we all know it almost certainly will, the spirit of the season in East Los Angeles won’t be deterred, no matter the weather.
Dia de los Muertos @ Self Help Graphics
Sunday, November 3rd, Self Help Graphics in East LA held one of Los Angeles' most entertaining and visually exciting Dia de los Muertos festivals. It could even be argued that Self Help, which started out in 1970, was instrumental in reviving the once-obscure holiday of Dia de los Muertos. This year was their 35th annual festival.
Art Openings: Steel, Natural History, Print Fair
Saturday The meditative power of steel will be explored this weekend at Bandini Art with the opening of Miya Ando Stanoff’s Revelation and Reflection. Raised by swordmakers, turned Buddhist priests, Stanoff mixes industry with spirituality in these luminous pieces. – thru Aug. 9th
Upcoming Dia de los Muertos Events
Although some Dia de los Muertos events were held last weekend, most notably Hollywood Forever and Festival de la Gente, most events will take place on November 2nd, following the traditional date.
Tonight in Rock in LA - Aztlan Underground, Bad Dudes
Riders in the Sky @ Hollywood Bowl
Self Help Graphics
The community arts center, founded by Sister Karen Boccalero, not only promoted Chicano artists but also nurtured the LA punk rock scene in its infancy. Willie Heron of the band "Los Illegals" and Joe Suquett persuaded Sister Karen to let them found the Club Vex, a twice-monthly punk-rock club, at the Self-Help Graphics' hall.

