Imperial's looking for new sugar skull artists

For the past two years, come the end of October, Ferndale's So-Cal taco joint has been been holding an authentic affair that incorporates food, drinks, music, art, and lots and lots of skulls. 

The Dia de los Muertos celebration is a three-day event that features a special auction of art. Paper måché skulls are decorated by the area's finest artists and folks bid for the chance to own the one-of-a-kind pieces. Proceeds from the auction go to benefit local charities. 

For the first and second installment of the now annual tradition, artists were contacted and asked to participate. The likes of Niagara, Slaw, Kill Taupe, Jerry Vile, and Mark Arminski have donated their work and skulls have been auctioned off for upwards of $800. These works were impressive to say the least. 

This year, the folks behind the party are doing things a little differently, however. While they'll still be contacting prolific Detroit artists, they're also asking locals to submit their work for the chance to create a sugar skull for the auction. 

According to Marketing Director/Event Curator Sagen Isham at least one submission, and possibly more, will be chosen to decorate a skull for auction. 

"The event has grown so much in the last two years and we've had so many people contact us wanting to be involed and give back to the community that we've decided to give them the chance to do so," says Isham. 

Those who wish to submit their work are asked to send their name, age, contact info, website link, artist statement and images of their work to sagenishamimperial@gmail.com. Isham asks that files no bigger than 2 MB total be sent. 

The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 16.