Sugar skulls were created by the Aztec people of Mexico to honour and celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones during their annual Day of the Dead holiday. Floral decoration, especially in the eyes, represented life and rebirth. I started drawing sugar skulls in 2014 from a real skull (thank my biology roots for that!) on the day that the brilliant actor and comedian Robin Williams passed away; his death really shook me. I had already lost my mum and drew this piece with the vintage dip pen that I inherited from her. When mum got really ill, I remember watching some of his comedy late at night with her as she waiting to take the last dose of her daily medication. It seemed appropriate to draw a sugar skull remembering the lives of two people who had a major impact in my life. However, this piece, drawn in dip pen and ink with watercolour pencil and ink intertwined blue lobelia flowers, is dedicated to someone else who had a massive impact on my life and to whom I owe so much. My love of plants, gardening, science and travel all originated with my great uncle. He was based in Burma in WWII and although I know now that he was bound to have seen many atrocities in his time there, as a kid, when I asked about the war, he would instead tell me about the epic journey it took to get to Burma and all the amazing places and sights he’d seen along the way; I was enthralled. When he returned from the war, by day he maintained Routemaster buses, but as soon as he was back from work, he spent time with his true loves; gardening (and making home brew)! Like many families at the time, they had a Dig for Victory garden so that they could grow fruit and vegetables for the family in times of rationing and he continued to tend that garden until he was too old and frail to continue. I can remember from being very little helping him in the garden, stories of his travels interspersed with teaching me how to grow and tend crops with a few flowers here and there; it was wonderful. As we were digging, I’d always find bits of broken blue and white Blue Willow china from his kitchen in the soil; nothing in his house got wasted and if he broke a plate it would always end up in the soil to help with drainage; some pieces were decorated with floral patterns. I’ve always enjoyed gardening, but it helped me stay sane in 2020 during lockdown and as a nod to good times shared all those years ago and all those found treasures in the soil found gardening with him and the flowers we used to grow, such as blue lobelia, this design is dedicated to him.
Blue Lobelia Sugar Skull Coaster
Product Code: 5117-90CO
Artify your morning cuppa, workplace brew or evening tipple! This glossy hardboard coaster has been reproduced from one of my original mixed media drawings combining dip pen and ink with watercolour inks and pencils, featuring trailing blue lobelia flowers and a sugar skull. This piece was created in the seventh year of what has now become a collectible annual series. Inspired from what I see in my garden, on my field work, travels and from life experiences, I work only from photographs that I have taken or sketches that I have made in the field (or, in this case, the lab)! This coaster will withstand the hottest of brews or the coldest of cocktails and is easy to care for; simply wipe it clean with a cloth.
Ideal for: Anyone who loves sugar skulls, Day of the Dead, gothic icons, Mexicana, travel, ink drawings, collecting coasters, floral art.
Coasters are made from a combination of 90% hardboard with 10% sawmill wood fibre waste making them very sturdy and robust. Finished with a stunning glossy coating, slightly bevelled edges and rounded corners, these coasters are easy care; simply wipe them clean with a damp cloth to keep them looking brand new! Recyclable. Coasters are sold individually (unless specified as part of a collection) and are boxed in a plain brown postal box for shipping. Coasters are not gift boxed unless this option has been selected.
90x90mm (approximately 3.54x3.54”) & about 3.4mm (0.13”) thick.
Buy 4 or more single coasters and receive a bulk buy discount
Buy 4 or more coasters and receive a discount per coaster. The coasters can be of any design, so you can mix and match as many different coaster designs as you want. Your discount will be applied on the Checkout page. Offer does not apply to sets of 4 as the discount has already been applied to them.