As I leave the street fairs for a while and go into one of my favorite holidays of the year. Dia de los Muertos- Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. SOMArts’ annual Day of the Dead exhibition, beginning in mid-October and concluding around the time of the holiday itself, is a beloved and uniquely San Francisco event. Curated by Rene Yañez and Rio Yañez with assistance from architect Nick Gomez, the event features work by more than 70 artists each year. The altar, also called an "ofrenda," is the focal point of the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) observance. It is generally constructed in the home, but could also be at the gravesite or even at a business establishment. Many families construct altars as an annual remembrance. Beginning in mid-October, children and adults prepare to welcome the souls of their dead loved ones, who return home at this time each year to make sure all is well and that they have not been forgotten. Preparation of the altar can be expensive, since anything placed there for the visiting soul, including the dishes for food offerings, must be new. The altar should be placed on a straw mat on the floor or on a table. Historical Background: The altar consist for four levels and four sides, representing the four stages of life, the four points of the earth, the four seasons, and the four mathematical points upon which the pyramids were built. This altar honors the memory and creativity of Janette Mackinlay, who died of brain cancer on December 9,2010 She often used her Ikebana(Japanese flower sculpture) skills to reflect upon and comment on her experiences of living across the street from the World Trade Center. An Eyewitness to 9/11, Janette believed she got cancer from walking thru the toxic cloud created that day.