Niles West hosted the Dia de los Muertos Art Show last Wed., Nov. 1. Dia de los Muertos, otherwise known as Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that is spent remembering and praying for the friends and family that have passed away.

Art students took class time to create pieces for the art show to be put on display for everyone to see. The pieces were made to symbolize the different feelings the student felt for the holiday.

“I chose my piece to remember all the people that have passed. The obituaries showed the people who have recently passed,  and the sugar skulls represented the people who passed who I couldn’t remember or didn’t know,” junior Julia Matuszek said.

Matuszek believed the art show was a success, and she had lots of fun making the pieces to go into it.

“I recommend for everyone to come see it in the gallery before it gets taken down,” Matuszek said.

The skulls and plates that were designed by the students all had meanings behind them, and it was up to the student to decide on their design.

“I’m Mexican, so I know a lot about the day, and skulls are one of the most important symbols. The plates have a lot of flowers on them because it’s supposed to show the beauty in death,” junior Andrea Castineiras said.

The students started their preparations two weeks before the show. Each student made something with a different design and reason behind their piece. Students also did research prior to the showcase to learn more about the holiday itself, which helped them brainstorm ideas.

“This was the first year that we have an AP 3-D Design class, so it was exciting to see their artwork and three dimensional interpretations of Dia De Los Muertos in the art show,” art teacher Deanna Sortino said. “It’s always nice to see how the National Art Honor Society helps with the show.  They were in charge of decorating the gallery and creating the Doodle de Los Muertos board, where people could doodle during the art show.”

The gallery is now filled with flowers, skulls, and bright colors, all made by the art students to show the celebration of the Day of the Dead. It’s definitely a showcase worth seeing, so make sure to check it out while you still can.