HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM LAURIE ZUCKERMAN

Happy holidays to you, particularly my two favorites: Winter Solstice and New Years. Here's my favorite holiday altar I photographed this past Octover in the village of Ocotlan, just outside of Oaxaca. Even my own altars don't have this many Jesuses, and that's saying something.

From my altars to yours, Laurie Zuckerman

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S ALTAR, CEMETERY, AND CHURCH IMAGES FROM EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS IN OAXACA, MEXICO 2007

I just returned from ten terrific days of El Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico in conjunction with Michael DeMeng's Day of the Dead shrine workshop. It was a rich and varied experience, thanks to Michael and Colleen Darling.

http://picasaweb.google.com/iconarteimages

If you would like to see my best Day of the Dead altar photos and cemetery decorations from Oaxaca, Mexico and its neighboring villages during El Dia de los Muertos festivities, just open my Picasa website in your browser. You can view any or all of the pictures in the four Oaxaca photo albums. You can even turn them into slideshows.

http://picasaweb.google.com/iconarteimages

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S El DIA DE LOS MUERTOS PHOTO LECTURE AT HARMONY LIBRARY

Here is the press release for the Coloradoan newspaper announcing my upcoming lecture on the Day of the Dead festivals in Colonial Mexico. My presentation features my color photography from my 2005 journey to the cemeteries of San Miguel de Allende and Guanujuato. I will be photographing the Day of the Dead festivities in and around Oaxaca, Mexico this fall.

"Laurie Zuckerman, an art instructor at Front Range Community College, will give a slide show presentation on "El Día de los Muertos: Altars and Cemeteries from Colonial Mexico" at 4 p.m. Tuesday, October 23, in the Harmony Library Community Room.

"Zuckerman’s presentation is one of the activities to recognize El Día de los Muertos, a Latin American tradition in which people build sometimes-elaborate altars in memory of deceased loved ones. The tradition corresponds with Christian recognition of All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2). Altar decorations, including sugar skulls and vintage dolls, will be exhibited in the display cases of Harmony Library.

"The activities are co-sponsored by FRCC’s Latino Club, Student Life, and the Psychology of Death and Dying class taught by Beverly Leslie, psychology faculty. The Fort Collins Public Library also is a sponsor."

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN IS HEADING TO OAXACA, MEXICO FOR THE DAY OF THE DEAD WITH MICHAEL DeMENG

This October I am heading to Oaxaca for a unique found object, shrine-making workshop with artist, Michael deMeng. I'll be spending my free-time photographing Day of the Dead shrines in the cemeteries and public squares. Here's a couple of public Day of the Dead altars I shot in 2005 in San Miguel de Allende and Guanujuato, respectively. I am ready for more color and more shopping at the sugar skull markets, as we will be building a collective Day of the Dead shrine at our workshop.

Here's the Day of the Dead ofrenda I spent the week building with the help of my old friends from Seattle in the home we all rented in San Miguel.



I was excited to discover my Day of the Dead blog entry on Michael deMeng's blog, after I signed up for his Oaxaca workshop. Thanks for the nice plug, Michael.


I am busy collecting up all my miniature skulls and appropriate goodies, and counting the days until we leave on October 25th. Lots of friends from the Artists' Nook are coming, too, plus my best altar-making buddy, Kathy Pinkerton, from Blacksburg, Virginia. Here's a shot of Kathy's Mexican altar at the Apex Gallery in New York City. This show was curated by art critic and author, Suzi Gablik.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN SOLO SHOW AT THE DURANGO ARTS CENTER—"HISPANIC LEGACY"

If you find yourself in Durango this summer, stop by the Durango Arts Center and check out my new exhibit of photography, altars, and memory jugs. Show opening will be on July 6, 2007. I'll be lecturing on July 7 at 10 am, for all you early birds. More info can be found at: http://www.durangoarts.org/gallery.cfm