Tucked away in a couple of buildings in Old Town are rows upon rows of colorful artwork, which is not especially unusual for the state historic park. But this exhibit is not the creation of professionals, but instead by budding San Diego student artists, as young as 5 and 6.
Masks and mini altars, family trees, hand-sewn patches, and brightly colored spirit creatures, inspired by Día de los Muertos, have been handcrafted by hundreds of San Diego Unified School District students, many of whom used their art to remember close family members, favorite pets, and even pop culture heroes, as diverse as Queen band member Freddie Mercury and NBA star Kobe Bryant.
The artwork is currently on exhibit at the former Captain Fitch’s Mercantile building and U.S. House in Old Town, and a special community celebration was held Saturday afternoon that helped draw attention to the Day of the Dead-inspired art project representing 30 different schools, from elementary-age students to high schoolers. The exhibit runs through Nov. 2.
This display from Knox Middle School, along with artwork from hundreds of students from 30 schools in the San Diego Unified School District is on display to honor Dia de los Muertos in Old Town State Historic Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“The Día de los Muertos celebration is one of the biggest celebrations that we have in our city, and for our students to be part of that, I think that’s very significant,” said Cat Chiu Phillips, a visual and media arts resource teacher who helped coordinate the special exhibit and art project. “It’s not only about their presence, but they’re also connecting with their community, so that’s a big deal for our students to have that level of engagement.”
While many of the art pieces produced by the students were elaborately done with intricate details, the materials they used were as simple as fragments of fabric, beads, clay and carboard box lids.
Zamorano Fine Arts Academy artwork is on display to honor Dia de los Muertos in Old Town State Historic Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“I’m proud because I learned you can use non-important things to make an important thing,” said fifth-grader Aldrich Banaag, who designed a special patch fashioned from a floral fabric honoring his Auntie Mariel who died a few years ago of brain cancer. Aldrich, who sewed the badge himself on an article of clothing, attends the Zamorano Fine Arts Academy. “It’s also a nice memory for my auntie,” he added.
Other classmates made patches in memory of their dogs who had died.
One student, Malakai McCray, of Jefferson Elementary School, created an ofrenda, or offering, in honor of his great-grandfather. Among the objects he used to define him were a package of Oreos and a miniature bowling figurine.
Malakai McCray, 8, takes a look at several pieces of art with his mother, Kendra Bowen, of Chula Vista. He was one of hundreds of students from 30 schools in the San Diego Unified School District, whose work was on display in Old Town State Historical Park to honor Dia de los Muertos. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“He ate Oreos with me every morning when my mom was asleep,” Malakai, 8, said of his great-grandfather as he pointed out his project. “And he was a bowling champion.”
Well aware that many people will be seeing his art work at Old Town, Malakai said he felt “great.” Did he think he might become famous as a result?
“Probably, yeah,” he said.
Elliot King, 12, a seventh-grader at Standley Middle School, described in detail the “fire lion” she created out of clay, clearly passionate about the work she put into her sculpture. She said she was less drawn to the relevance of Día de los Muertos than to the artistic creativity she poured into her piece. Her class’s overall project, she said, was inspired by alebrijes, mythical creatures common in Mexican folk art.
“It has an element of fire, which I think looks really fierce, especially because I got the fire to blend in with the lion, making the hair flow,” she said. “And I picked black as the base color so all the other colors and would pop and make it look more bright. I think it’s so cool how more people can see what I’ve done.”
Originally Published: October 25, 2025 at 6:31 PM PDT