Call him our Ambassador of the Dead.

Art professor Angel Luna recently traveled to Carson City, Nev., for a Day of the Dead workshop that included altar construction, ceramic workshops and lectures about his masks honoring "Milagros y Muerte" (Miracles and Death).

Luna was invited by Sharon Tetley, director of the Art Gallery at Western Nevada College to conduct the workshop, attended by WNC's Latino Student Club among other groups.

Luna taught two workshops, on ceramics and on building a Day of the Dead altar, and he lectured on the culture and tradition of that holiday as well as on the importance of staying in school.

The students built a large altar to honor their deceased friends and relatives, and Luna built one to honor one of his uncles.

Luna, as part of his Hispanic heritage, has participated since youth in the Day of the Dead celebration and in the making of masks and milagros.

Luna's ceramic skull masks, which represent those who are departed, include "Milagros" which are votive offerings representing miracles -- that is, things to be thankful for.

At the workshop reception on the evening of Nov. 1, local Folklorico dancers performed, and an Aztec Dance group performed the Death Dance. The event was attended by 200 people from the local community.

The exhibit of Luna's ran throughout November at the WNC gallery.

Luna said he was happy with how the show turned out, and he looks forward to participating in other workshops in the future. He has already been asked to go to Wyoming, Colorado and Arkansas.