SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MUSEUM

 

                          Date:      October 29, 2012

Contact:                 Jennifer Reynolds, Media Specialist • (909) 307-2669 ext. 278 • jreynolds@sbcm.sbcounty.gov

                                Michele Nielsen, Curator of History • (909) 307-2669 ext. 240 • mnielsen@sbcm.sbcounty.gov

                                Jolene Redvale, Curator of Education • (909) 307-2669 ext. 252 • jredvale@sbcm.sbcounty.gov

For release: Immediately

Event date: Saturday, November 3, 2012

 

Dia de Los Muertos celebration and free admission at County Museum

 

Visit the San Bernardino County Museum on Saturday, November 3 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and create your own artwork in celebration of Dia de Los Muertos – Day of the Dead - at a variety of art workshops. Admission to the museum is free on that day, and there is no charge for workshop participation. Seating for several of the workshops is on a first-come-first-served basis, and require a free ticket for entrance.

Artist Terry Long will be on hand to guide visitors in creating their own watercolor skulls on paper inspired by traditional calaveritas de azúcar, or sugar skulls. Join sculptor Rául Acero to explore and create clay skeleton figures that are traditional ofrenda decorations. Visitors can create their own personal shrines with assemblage artist Kari Harvey (limited to 50 participants in three workshops for the day on a first-come-first-served basis, ask for your free ticket to one of three workshops at the front desk when you arrive at the museum).

Try your hand at Dia de Los Muertos-themed comic and graphic novel art with professional comic book artists on the Negative Studios team, and Lou Guevara of Rivets Comics. Marcelino Sifuentes, master papel picado artist, will demonstrate his work and lead informal workshops on this traditional art form from 1 to 5 p.m. Museum visitors are also welcome to place a remembrance on the community ofrenda, and enjoy live music in the amphitheater from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

San Bernardino County Museum Curator of History Michele Nielsen explained that Dia de Los Muertos is a cultural tradition in Mexico and in Central and South America that celebrates the lives of the deceased in a positive way. Each year it gains in popularity in the United States. This way of remembering and commemorating the lives of loved ones who have gone before is very similar to other cultural remembrance traditions throughout the world. Recognizing the cycle of life, and acknowledging the individual’s place in it, is common in many cultures.

 

Free museum admission is sponsored by the San Bernardino County Museum Association; the workshops are funded in part by the ArtMuse grant from the James Irving Foundation.

 

The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 am to 5pm. General admission is $8 (adult), $6 (military or senior), $5 (student), and $4 (child aged 5 to 12). Children under five and Museum Association members are admitted free. Everyone will be admitted free on Saturday, November 3. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sb countymuseum.org. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at least three business days prior to your visit. Visitor Services’ telephone number is 909-307-2669 ext. 229 or (TDD) 909-792-1462.

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