Authentic Mexican Folk Art

In Mexico calaveras de azúcar, or sugar skulls, are a bright, colorful sign of fall.  They are closely tied to the holiday El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, which occurs in early November when Mexicans celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed away.  This holiday is lively and celebratory in nature and that is reflected in the vibrant colors and intricate designs of the sugar skulls.  Today, Mexican sugar skulls are much more than a holiday decoration; they have become an iconic symbol of Mexican culture and a beautiful form of folk art.

This month in Spanish class we tried our hand at creating and designing this authentic Mexican folk art.  A small group of volunteers stayed after school with me to create the blank sugar skull sculptures for students to decorate.  We made over 90 skulls in an hour and a half!  

The next day students and I mixed up several batches of royal icing to decorate the skulls.  The vibrant colors required a special food coloring that made beautiful icing, but stained our hands for the day.

Students worked diligently on their creations following the designs they had created the day before.

Students' work paid off and their designs look very authentic!