I am deeply thankful to everyone who participated in the Summer Show by helping me along the way, specially to Stephanie Gagos for inviting me to her group where we can meet other artists, sharing our art with the world.  To the beautiful people who left likes and hearts and to those who took some of my paintings and art dolls home.
It has been interesting the response I get when it comes to the Dia de Muertos Sugar skulls, they are decorative and colorful but there is more to them, a deeper meaning for me which I will share with you in here. 
I have been making Sugar Skulls painted faces with polymer clay for many years to celebrate life and to honor my family traditions.
When I was growing up in a small town near Mexico City, I used to help my Nana Maria with her Ofrenda/Altar for Dia de los Muertos, the day of all souls. At this time of the year, we would be shopping every day for sweets, fruit, chile/mole, flowers and colored tissue paper to make "papel picado praying flags" to decorate her table in honor of our dear departed, in celebration of their life because It is a day of honor and remembrance.
Nowadays, I keep small altars at home and also create my little sugar skull figures with the intention to continue an old tradition.
Some of my Sugar Skulls are supported by painter's old brushes and wire whisks, Of course not too many people like to have a "skull doll" around the house but during Halloween and Dia de los Muertos they become the focal point in many altars.

A redwood forest, one of my favorite themes, painted over a 6x8 canvas with oils. This small painting is available at my Etsy shop! 

An early morning serene lake scene, painting with oils on a small 6x8 canvas board by Griselda Tello.
This painting is available at my Etsy shop. The painting does not include a frame, for more information please email me on my contact page.

A small landscape on a 6x8 canvas of a morning scene near a creek. Painted by me with oils on a canvas board. This painting is available at my Etsy Shop for more information feel free to send me a message in my contact page.

Here we are, January 2023 with so much left behind and ready to start a new year full of new ideas and good projects. I don't know where to start, there is so much to do and organize so I can show results but I will say that I am eternally thankful to those people who support my art and encourage me to continue painting and creating my Spirit Art Dolls.  
This year I have a few projects to complete, a collection of small canvases that only need highlights and details, including some of the paintings I started and uploaded to this blog. They will be ready at the end of January so please come back to see the results.
My Spirit dolls are growing wings again! I will have some dragonflies, crows and ravens.The animal totems include bunnies too. I just completed a beautiful doll for a client representing the legend of the Jade Rabbit and Moon Goddess Chang'e to celebrate 2023, the Chinese year of the rabbit. 
I wish for you health, love, creativity, time to enjoy your family. 

As I look back on 2019 I wonder how did I made it this far.  This was a very hard year for my family but we are on this side now, remembering how we gathered around mom who passed away in February but  the love we all feel for her and each other got us to this place in Decemberonce more, a place of remembrance and gratitude for all those years shared with her, for her gifts and words of wisdom.  Thanks mom!

When it comes to creativity, I managed to produce a collection of Spirit art dolls in memory of mom, several colorful Sugar Skulls which have found a home and a beautiful workshop of the same.

My shop is at the moment closed because I am currently working on my inventory, but I have posted here a few available Spirit Dolls and if you want to adopt one, please feel free to email me for more details.
I am wishing for you all the blessings you can stand and a marvelous Holiday Season with your family, remember to do something special for yourself.

With Gratitude.  Griselda

This is my process of how I go about doing an oil redwood paintings in progress.