Karen J Carlisle/ Off the Art board: Skulls and All Hallows Eve.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Skulls and All Hallows Eve.

It is Hallow’een. My daughter loves the dressing up. We stay at home and watch videos, eat inordinate amounts of lollies and have fun. We do have a cauldron full of sealed sweeties for anyone who does ‘trick or treating’ though that rarely happens in our area. It is only in the past few years that we have decided to tip our hat at All Hallows Eve.

I had resisted the urge to follow yet another Americanism that is not really part of our culture over here. My clever daughter suggested we take a leaf out of the European book, as that is part of our culture (and she loves any excuse for costuming and food I think). Her interest was first sparked when we visited Euro Disney in 2008. She marveled at the myriad of decorations and Hallow’een hijinks.

On returning home, my daughter pointed out that we had quite a collection of skulls and gargoyles (she had seen them around Paris and at Notre Dame) around our house (possibly due to our tabletop roleplaying, historical re-enactment ). My earliest kull was made ofconcrete and found in the garden section. This travelled with me from Queensland and is used as a doorstop. We have a gargoyle (technically a grotesque, as it does not spout water) in the front hall facing the world as it enters. Traditionally this was to keep the evil spirits out. Ours is a candle holder. My favourite is a plastic skull used as a plant pot with a succulent (colloquially) known as a brain plant.

For one of the Harry Potter movie premiers, I made a Hermoine (dressed as Bellatrix La Strange), mainly because of the cool skull buttons. I sculpted them and my Dear Heart (hubby) helped with the casting.

This Hallow’een I decided to finally do a costume I have wanted to do for some time, based on Day of the Dead celebrations. It is a time of praying for and remembering friends and family members who have died, co-inciding with All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

We should not fear death. It is a part of life. When I see skulls, I do not think of the frightening horror movies, nor blood and gore (possibly influenced by all the anatomy I did at university); I see the skeletal remains of a person who had a soul, a personality and lived life – a life that was precious and should be celebrated. That is why we now observe All Hallows Eve.