Editor’s Note: I personally wanted to participate in the class, but was committed to coaching peewee cheerleading. However, I wanted to know and share more about the class and teachers, so I reached out to Isabelle with a few questions I thought might help with an article. I didn’t hear back before the time of printing, but Isabelle’s words are so lovely, I’m sharing directly, at the bottom of the page. What a wonderful gift to the community this creative pair has given! Hopefully they will be back soon!
The spirit of creativity and cultural pride came alive in Kinney County earlier this month during the Mini Catrina Cartonería Workshop, hosted by Casa de la Cultura of Del Rio. The free two-day class, held October 9 and 10 at the Fort Clark Springs Pro Shop, brought together local residents for a hands-on experience in the traditional Mexican art of papier-mâché sculpture.
Led by mother-daughter artists Isabelle and Leticia Ramos, the workshop welcomed participants of all skill levels to learn how to create their own Mini Catrina — the elegant skeletal figure that has become an enduring symbol of Mexico’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The event was filled with laughter, storytelling, and vibrant artistic expression. “It’s always inspiring to see a full class come together, hands busy and hearts full, bringing our cultural traditions to life one paper figure at a time,” shared Casa de la Cultura in a social media post celebrating the workshop’s success. The finished Mini Catrinas will be on display November 1, 2025, during Casa de la Cultura’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration in Del Rio.
This Fort Clark Springs workshop is part of Casa de la Cultura’s ongoing efforts to expand arts programming across the region. The Ramos duo also led a three-week series in Del Rio, teaching participants how to build life-size Catrinas. Among the returning artists is Kinney County resident Eva Huey, who first took the class two years ago and is now creating her own Catrina at the Creative Collective shared studio space in the Adult Center at Fort Clark Springs. The success of these workshops sparked community interest, with participants already asking for future sessions.
About Casa de la Cultura:
For more than 35 years, Casa de la Cultura has served as a cornerstone of art, education, and cultural preservation in Del Rio. The organization’s mission is to “Enable a Unified Cultural Awakening by making the Arts and Literacy Accessible and Affordable for the entire community.”
Casa offers an ever-changing lineup of classes in Ballet Folklórico, guitar, singing, pottery, knitting, aerobics, and literacy, as well as youth art camps and cultural festivals such as Cinco de Mayo Pachanga in the Patio, Calaveras y Calacas, and the Christmas Posada y Tamalada. Its Noches Musicales Summer Concert Series and First Friday Artwalks feature artists and musicians from across Texas, Mexico, and beyond.
While Casa usually charges small fees for classes, no one is ever turned away for financial reasons. Its programs are supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, United Way of Val Verde County, Val Verde County, City of Del Rio, Friends of the Casa, and generous artists.
The Meaning of La Catrina:
La Catrina, the graceful skeleton figure adorned in elegant dress and hat, was first created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s and later popularized by Diego Rivera. Today, she stands as the most recognizable icon of Día de los Muertos, symbolizing the celebration of life and death as intertwined parts of existence. During the November festivities, people across Mexico and the borderlands wear colorful costumes and face paint to honor loved ones who have passed — a vibrant expression of remembrance, resilience, and joy.
About Isabelle Ramos & Leticia Ramos
Q: Can you tell me a little about yourselves: where you’re from, what you do, and how and why you learned to do this?
A: Hello, I’m Isabelle Ramos and my mom is Leticia Ramos, and we are the teachers for making Catrinas. We are both from Del Rio, Tx. My mom works with the Department of Family Protective Services while I currently work at Rio Grande Electric Coop in Brackettville. My mom and I have always really been creative. I learned from watching her since I was young, and she’s been my role model and best friend since. So, when this opportunity came to take this class, we both knew we wanted to do this together. Each year our Catrinas would be different, and we tried to learn something new with each new Catrina we brought to life. We both love Day of the Dead, and we love what it celebrates and represents.
Any death is hard to comprehend for anyone of any age. We feel it should be talked about, and it’s okay to grieve and miss people or animals that we either never got to meet or that are no longer with us physically. This is the one month of the year where my mom and my focus on our bond and relationship. We love what we have created, and we truly enjoy the passion of teaching people about not only Day of the Dead but also giving newcomers courage that they can make something with their own hands. Learning new crafts and doing crafts in general also really helps both of us destress and stay grounded while also keeping us both in the moment with the class and with each other.
Q: It was so nice that the class was free. Was this funded by a grant or sponsored?
A: By my mother!! For our mini-Catrinas we, (Mostly my mom ), bought all the supplies used for the class. We made everyone a body and skull completely out of paper and the students used what we provided to bring their Catrinas to life which was just incredible to witness. We also want to promote culture to anyone willing to listen. We also feel inclusion is very important, we do not want anyone to not participate due to not being able to pay for this. Money should never be a reason to not create art or participate in an activity. Especially when they are willing to learn a new hobby, and experience something they probably have never been exposed to.
Q: Where can people look for future classes?
A: La Casa de la Cultura sponsored us by finding us a place to hold the class and they have classes year-round. We are currently holding our month-long, life-size Catrina class in our local culture center Del Rio, TX.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about Catrinas or the class itself?
A: This is culture and art!! Day of the Dead is a beautiful opportunity to honor our loved ones who have passed. It’s an opportunity to spend time with people creating art to honor them and to openly celebrate their lives. Never be scared to try a new hobby/craft. It's okay if mistakes are made, or if what you’re creating doesn’t pan out exactly as pictured. Art is messy but so is creating! If anything, our class shows you can make anything out of nothing, and that’s something we absolutely love to see. The confidence building within an individual is something that is really amazing to see.
Readers can follow catrina progress and some behind-the-scenes on Isabelle’s
TikTok: Izzybark and be sure to check out the duo’s
“Proposing Catrinas,” which were featured at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art. Isabelle says it’s “one of our proudest moments we have had in the years we've been creating catrinas,” and it was well-deserved.
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