One of my favorite days of the year is November 2nd and Dia De Los Muertos. I’ve been drawn to it in concept for as long as I can remember and have been celebrating it in some form since moving to the Mission District almost 10 years ago.

I love building an altar for those who have passed to remember them. I also love the artful celebration mixed with somberness mixed with playfulness in acknowledging death as a natural part of life. How often do we do that?
Growing up, having lost my dad as a baby, I wish that there had been a ritual in our culture that it was acceptable for us to gather to celebrate him. Every year as we grow older more folks pass on and I add them to my memory list. In 2003 Hugh and I went to Oaxaca, Mexico to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in the decorated cemeteries and I remember it was the year of Johnny Cash, my Papa and family friend Michael B. This past year I thought a lot about my step-sister’s mom and her humor and spirit of adventure. Here are some photos of us this year enjoying tacos, ice cream and feeling so alive playing dead.
me taken by diana fayt
skeletons! and a baby
the dead like ice cream too
skeletons basking in the light of taco trucks
scary