Small Maker Spotlight: Celebrating Día de los Muertos with Carlos Carmonamedina

We’re excited to introduce our Small Maker Series

We will be introducing you to our maker friends from the DC area and beyond. They’ll be sharing their stories, products, and a bit of their culture with you. Each spotlight will focus on a maker whose heritage, culture, or personal journey inspires what they create. Through this series, our hope is to honor key cultural moments and share the artistry that connects us all. 

This month, we’re featuring Carlos Carmonamedina, from The Culture Curious, a fellow maker from Washington DC (who also lives down the street from me and our Neighborgoods studio), whose vibrant prints and postcards reflect his love for travel and his Mexican roots.

Carlos is always hosting events keeping the community connected such as the Petworth Drawing Club, and local maker brunch meet ups at his house. It was at one of those meet ups when I first saw the beautiful marigolds Carlos planted in his yard that he told me he was going to be using on his Day of the Dead altar. That was around the time I was starting our edible flower collection and his marigolds inspired me to created our marigold collection, so if that is one of your favorite designs you can thank Carlos for the inspiration!

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MEET CARLOS FROM THE CULTURE CURIOUS

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your brand?

Sure thing! My name is Carlos Carmonamedina, and I'm the artist behind The Culture Curious, a line of colorful prints and postcards that combine my love for traveling and learning about other cultures.

It all started nearly ten years ago when I moved to DC from France. With all my friends and clients elsewhere, I took on a personal challenge to discover my new city: I created one postcard every week and posted it on social media. Soon, people and shops wanted to buy my art. After a few years of hard work, I'm lucky to say it's now my full-time job!

How does your culture or background influence what you create? Feel free to share any specific traditions, stories, or memories that have inspired you.

I was born in Northern Mexico, and although I left home when I was very young (to study art), there are things I've always kept as part of my identity: a love for fruits, music, and my language. There may have been times when I wasn't able to share any of these with anyone, but I always kept them close to my heart.

As a parent of young kids, I find myself constantly revisiting concepts and traditions from my past. Which ones carry value for them and for me? What do I ultimately want to pass on? Without hesitation, one tradition I embrace every year is Día de los Muertos, celebrated on November 2nd.

What does Dìa De Los Muertos mean to you personally? How did you use the marigolds in your backyard in your celebration, I feel like I remember you mentioning that's why you planted them?

Good memory! Marigolds (or cempasúchil, pronounced sem-pah-SOO-cheel) are native to Mexico and play an important role in Día de los Muertos festivities. They're abundant, fragrant, and bloom well into November. And yes, I plant them all summer so I can have plenty for my altar :)

For those unfamiliar, Día de los Muertos is a celebration held in Mexico and Central America that honors the dead in a colorful and festive way. Tradition says that once a year, the dead return to earth. Guided by the scent of flowers on our altars, they come to celebrate the lives they once enjoyed. The ofrendas (offerings) include photos and their favorite foods. It's a beautiful way to keep their memory alive, I see this when my kids help set up the decorations and ask who the people in the pictures are.

The festivity is also a way to connect with my community. For a couple of years, I've helped organize altars at the Farmers Market where I live. One year we even brought a Mariachi to help us carry it in procession to the Library, where it stayed for a week. This year the community is less willing to go out and display their traditions, out of fear. But we're creative and proud… it only means the festivity moves indoors!

Is there anything else you'd like to highlight from your brand / business, anything coming up you want to talk about?

I just finished a new series of winter postcards from DC. I wanted to create something whimsical and fun for the holidays, as we all need a little joy right now. 

I'm also getting back to producing a new illustration each week so I can expand my portfolio of different cities. Keep an eye out! 

What links would you like us to include for our readers to check out more?

These days I use my newsletter as my main creative outlet, and I'd love for you to sign up! I feel it gives me a better canvas to tell a richer story than our Instagram, which reaches almost no one and disappears immediately.

Are you a retailer looking to expand your travel section? Check out my Faire shop for great options.

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You can also find Carlos's postcards at our Neighborgoods gift shop in the DCA airport. Stop by and check them out next time you're traveling through Reagan National, our shop is located inside Terminal 2 in the National Hall, closest to the C Gates, after security.

Carlos’s art is a great reminder of how culture and creativity connect us all. We’re so glad to celebrate his story this Día de los Muertos. Stay tuned for the next post in our Small Maker Series as we continue highlighting makers whose heritage and artistry inspire us year-round.

Thanks for reading!