Tag Archives: Ofrendas

Day of the Dead 2025 – Tulsa Style

Living Arts of Tulsa had their annual “Dia de los Muertos Art Festival” on Saturday the first of November. I love going and so off I went.

What I love are the ofrendas or altars to the dead that various families and organizations put up to honor loved ones who have died.

This ofrenda honors several family members who died. It was attended to by current family members.

The ofrendas incorporate marigolds, candles, photos of the deceased. Special foods and snacks, and hobbies and the occupations of those honored.

I love almost all the ofrendas I have seen, whether or complex. I think it is important to remember loved ones.

The cut paper like that shown above is a common decoration along with skulls.

I’ve thought about ofrendas for loved ones who had passed and what items that reflect their essence would be included.

I’ve also thought about ofrenda for myself and what would I want on it. Then I thought I could design one myself using AI. It would reflect my interests such as sports, my photography, my computer, and my iphone. Also, my favorite sports teams and such and snacks. So I fired up Microsoft Copilot and sure enough it was up to the task. I put in some prompts and it came back with suggestions and I went back and forth with it for a little bit and this is what I got after just a few minutes.

I gave it a photo of me to work with so you can see that. You can also see my camera, a couple of snickers bars, two plates of enchiladas as a favorite food, my hiking boots, and about three different iphones and logos for the Dallas Cowboys, Oklahoma Thunder, and Houston Astros sports teams. It was a lot of fun but felt kind of weird doing it also like I was tempting fate.

So I had a lot of fun on the Day of the Dead.

I’m linking with My Corner of the World

2023 Dia de los Muertes Art Festival

Last Saturday afternoon I ventured to downtown Tulsa to Living Arts Tulsa which was putting on their annual Dia de los Muertos Art Festival. I missed all the performances that happened the night before but they still had the altars to loved ones that community members built.

Dia de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead. Is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of loved ones for a few days of visiting and feasting. It is usually celebrated October 31 to November 2.

As part of the holiday altars (or ofrendas) are built to honor family members. There are conventions for the altars (check here) but it seems more and more the ofrendas are departing from the “rules” and the emphasis is showing the departed, their interests and passions.

One sees lots of marigolds in these ofrendas. Some believe that orange is the only color that departed souls can see. Many ofrendas create a path of marigold flowers from the floor to the altar and then to the top of the altar. Those are to help guide souls to the altar and then on to heaven.

The brightly colored tissue paper with patterns cut into it is known as Papel Picado. It symbolizes the union between life and death.

Sometimes favorite clothing and beverages are on display.

You see lots of pastries and candles.

Photographs, favorite drinks are displayed as well.

Somebody constructed an ofrenda in honor of the recently deceased singer Jimmy Buffett. A guitar, music, and sandals were some of the objects on display.

I didn’t build an ofrenda but I did use a snapchat filter to celebrate.

I really enjoyed the whole show.

I am linking with My Corner of the World

2022 Dia de Los Muertos Art Festival at Living Arts Tulsa

Living Arts hosts normally hosts at Dia de los Muertos Arts Festival during or close to the holiday of November 1 and 2. Of course, nothing since 2020 has been normal. This year I wasn’t able to attend the festival which includes art and performances and food because of the weather but I did make it to the gallery to see the Ofrendas or altars to the dead.

I love the ofrendas. They are made to honor the dead. They have a lot of symbolism in terms of the colors and decorations used. Here is a great article about the symbolism. Many of the altars adhere to the pattern others do not so much.

I look at them as stories of a person’s life as told by the loved ones. Religious faith, professions, hobbies, loved ones, favorite foods, sports teams, and other facets of a person’s life is displayed. Obviously almost all of these people were much loved when they were alive.

So I try to never miss these. They are wonderful works of art with meaning.

This ofrenda was finished off by sand on the floor below with a beach scene. That could be mine, or a small trail in the woods.

Some ofrendas were communal such as this one offered up students at a local school or who made painted rocks in memory of a loved one of theirs that they had lost.

Dallas Cowboys merchandise was displayed on three of the altars. If somebody makes me an altar, they could add that.

Outside, there are murals in honor of deceased people.

RIP Frida Kahlo, what an amazing artist.

Have you thought about an altar for somebody. I have. I think it would be interesting and emotional coming up with a design and gathering the various elements and then putting it together. I think it is good to remember people. I am not one who wants to get rid of reminders of people. Yes, sure that can be sad, but what about all the happy memories?

I am linking with My Corner of the World. Go check it out.

Our World – Dia De Los Muertos Art Festival 2020

Living Arts of Tulsa has the Day of the Dead Arts Festival every year on November 1 and 2. I had something else going on that day so I missed it that day but the had the ofrenda’s display for a few days afterward so I got a chance to see them but of course missed out on the other festivities.

What I mainly like are the Ofrendas or Altars in memory of departed ones. They might have favorite foods and drinks of the departed.

They also have murals. Most of them were outside so it was hard to get a good photo. This one was inside.

Due to the pandemic, they did not have near as many ofrendas as past years.

Typically there are lots of photographs and bright decorations.

Skulls, marigolds, and religious symbols.

A fellow Dallas Cowboys fan and beer drinker here.

I love the ofrendas and the idea that a couple days of a year you honor your dearly departed.

So if somebody wanted to make an ofrenda for me when I am gone. What would I like on it. My Cowboys hat and a beer would be good. One or more of my cameras, some of my photos. My laptop!! and Iphone. A Chinatown poster. I don’t know. What would you like or do you find the whole idea strange?

I’m linking with Our World Tuesday, come check it out!

I’m also linking with image-in-ing.blogspot.com this week. Check them out as well!!

Day of the Dead – 2018

_DSC0326 — Skulls and skeletons are significant symbols of both the dead and the living. Underneath we are all skeletons.

Heather and I ventured to Living Arts of Tulsa Friday evening for their Day of the Dead event.

National Geographic has some information on the Day of the Dead. First off it is not a Mexican version of Halloween.

_DSC0328 — I loved this Star Trek themed Day of the Dead mural.

They claim that it originated thousands of years ago when the Aztecs and other ancient cultures. They believed that death was on the same continuum as life and that their ancestors should be honored.

_DSC0330 — This mural is for those of us who love our pets. They just do not live very long.

Over time the ancient traditions merged with Christian beliefs and now the Day of the Dead occurs November 1 and 2, All Souls Day and All Saints Day.

A big part of the Day are the ofrenda’s or altars to the dead that can be installed in homes or graveyards.

They are meant to honor the dead and make them part of the holiday. Photos and other rembrances are displayed and favorite food and drink is offered.

The Ofrendas at Living Arts are for real. They are built by people for their loved ones.

They are really powerful and they speak to me of the power of family, love, tradition, remembrance and mourning.

I am linking with Our World Tuesday

Dia De Muertes (Day of the Dead) at Tulsa’s Living Arts

November 1st I got a kitchen pass from Heather and headed out to Living Arts in the Brady District to check out their Day of the Dead celebration. I first went two years ago and I thought it was wonderful. Dia De Muertos (Dia De Los Muertos is a back translation from English I read) is a day where people in Mexico honor and remember their relatives and close friends who have died.

Often the dead are remembered via Ofrendas (Offerings) which are altars built to honor the dead person. It may have photographs of the deceased or possessions and often contain favorite foods or beverages and if it is a child, a toy. Living Arts in their “Altared Spaces” Exhbit displayed Ofrendas made by people for their loved ones. In fact they solicit the public to put up Ofrendas.