The Sugar Skulls of Dia De Los Muertos

Sugar Skulls are an intrinsic part of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, so it seemed fitting that they should be included in the exhibition, "Dia de los Muertos: A Celebration of Life," curated by Mark Noll at Florida CraftArt in St. Petersburg, Florida. Artists were invited to decorate plywood skull forms to raise some money for children's art programming at the nonprofit organization. Sometimes simple ideas refuse to remain confined within their original scope and they take on a life of their own and grow into something not previously conceived. This book is the apotheosis of a simple idea. What started as a basic fundraising idea has grown into a marvelous collection of 160 Sugar Skulls and this book. This collection is as diverse in design as the artists who made them. Award-winning artists, students, stay-at-home moms, and even a Senior Field Service Engineer in charge of firefighting equipment training at airports, have produced these incredible creative designs. Word spread quickly about this project and artists from across the United States and Canada were eager to participate. Through each artist's unique, personal vision the amazing works of art that are pictured in this book were created.

Sugar Skulls are an intrinsic part of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, so it seemed fitting that they should be included in the exhibition "Dia de los Muertos: A Celebration of Life" that I was curating at Florida CraftArt. A simple project of having some local artists decorate plywood skull forms felt like an easy way to raise some money for the nonprofit organization. Sometimes simple ideas refuse to remain confined within their original scope and they take on a life of their own and grow into something not previously conceived. This book is the apotheosis of a simple idea. What started as a basic fundraising idea has grown into a marvelous collection of 160 Sugar Skulls and this book. This collection is as diverse in design as the artists who made them. Award-winning artists, students, stay-at-home moms, and even a Senior Field Service Engineer in charge of firefighting equipment training at airports, have produced these incredible creative designs. Word spread quickly about this project and artists from across the United States and Canada were eager to participate. Through each artist's unique, personal vision the amazing works of art that are pictured in this book were created. As this simple project grew into a massive one, so did the efforts required to facilitate it. I would like to thank all the staff at Florida CraftArt for their patience in assisting in this monumental effort. Florida CraftArt supports Florida's fine craft artists and their work. The profits from this Sugar Skull project will be used to develop art programming for children. Nearly a year ago, when I had this idea, I never imagined such a great outcome. I would like to thank all of the artists for participating and putting forth such efforts. Job well done! Mark Noll, Curator

Founded in 1951, Florida CraftArt helps advance, mentor and support Florida's artists and is the only statewide nonprofit representing Florida's fine craft artists. It is a vibrant, nonprofit organization that has been at the center of St. Petersburg's artistic renaissance. Located at 5th and Central, visitors discover original fine craft, such as handmade jewelry, glass, ceramics, wood and fiber. More than 250 of Florida's finest craft artists are showcased in the main gallery. Every artist is vetted to ensure that the handcrafted art is of the highest quality. During the year, there are nine curated shows in the exhibition gallery that feature local, regional and national artists. Admission is free to the galleries. Educational programming includes lectures and hands-on activities and workshops for adults and children. Florida CraftArt's primary goal is the success of the fine craft artists of Florida, helping them develop from emerging artist to profitable professional artist. The gallery staff is invested in mentoring artists in product development, marketing, pricing and business practices. The annual CraftArt Festival is held the weekend before Thanksgiving. More than 10,000 people enjoy this free art show of hundreds of fine craft artists from around the country. During the two-day outdoor festival held in downtown St. Petersburg, emerging artists are provided with tents, marketing materials, business mentoring and photographs of their work. This opportunity has launched many of the young artists into their full-time careers. On the second floor of Florida CraftArt's 100-year-old building is ArtLofts, 20 artists' studios and a meeting room called the Creative Loft. ArtLofts are open by appointment or by chance and on ArtWalk, every second Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit Florida CraftArt and see the creativity that nourishes the community.