As one of the most recognized Mexican folk icons, charmingly colorful and well dressed skeleton figures, called catrinas, will be exhibited. Many potters in Capula, Michoacán continue the catrina tradition by melding Mesoamerican imagery with turn of the century French influences to create skeletal women and men dressed in elegant, Victorian-era finery. Other exhibited ceramic works include masks, skulls, tree of life sculptures, devils, mermaids, animals, imaginative spirit figures, whimsical tableaus; and religious icons such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Catholic Saints, and nativity figures. Lastly, the exhibition will display utilitarian objects and tiles from Puebla, known for their famous Talavera style, which reflect the Spanish Majolica tradition introduced to Mexico at the beginning of the Colonial period.

Ceramic sculpture and pottery has long been a tradition in Mexico, dating back to 2000 B.C. Throughout the colonial era, between 1521 and 1650, much of the iconography and design shifted to reflect Catholic and Spanish influences. After the the Mexican Revolution and the influx of diverse cultures, the arts and crafts, including clay, became highly stylized, reflecting the cultures unique to each region. Many of these ceramic-production areas are based in small towns such as Tonalá, Tlaquepaque, Metepec, Ocumichu, Capula, Coyotepec, Guanajuato, Acatlán, and Tecali.