Dia de Los Muertos in Sherman Heights

This October has been so busy that I didn't expect to have time to participate in my neighborhood's annual "Dia de los Muertos" festival this weekend, October 28 & 29, as I have for the last four years. Sherman Heights, just east of downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District and Petco Park, is unique in that, in addition to a display of traditional family altars (or ofrenda), the neighborhood also holds an outdoor festival of altars created by artists who interpret the "day of the dead" concept in new and different ways. These "public" altars are located at historic homes that are arranged to make a walking tour of the Sherman Heights Historic District. This is the portfolio pic of my altar in 2002, the first year of the festival: At the suggestion of my friend and resident historian Louise Torio, I am going to display elements, photos and information from previous year's Dia de los Muertos at the San Diego Finishing School, my new studio located at 2279 L Street, San Diego, CA 92102. In addition, everyone is invited to tour the San Diego Finishing School studio, open to all visiting Sherman Heights for Dia de Los Muertos from 12-5pm both days. I will actually be working on the chalk painting from Corso Degli Artisti for the Little Italy Association and speaking with folks in attendance on the guided walking tours Louise is leading, starting from the gorgeous Villa Montezuma museum. And of course, after getting involved, I decided I had to do a new ofrenda at my home, properly this year, as last year I was hip deep in the tile work for the Cesar E.Chavez Trolley Station and did only a small impromptu piece; this year I'm back to my usual scale, developing my third ofrenda to the our service men and women fallen in the current Iraqi conflict. This is the first altar in 2004: Side note: anyone who visited last year and saw the tile mosiac murals in progress at my home studio can see the finished art installation beginning at the corner of 25th and Commercial Streets at the southeast corner of Sherman Heights. Its a 3 block walk to the station from the San Diego Finishing School at 2279 L Street. To read my press release about the weekend, click here For more information about Sherman Heights' "Dia de los Muertos" event, please call 619. 233. 8833 or e-mail shermanheights@aol.com.