Dia de Muertos Candle-Making Workshop in collaboration with Luisa Farah

Aromatherapy Candle-Making Workshop honouring Día de Muertos in collaboration with Mexican jeweller, Luisa Farah.

A soulful experience weaving together ritual, creativity, and remembrance.

Join Melanie and Luisa for a sensory celebration that honours the spirit of Día de Muertos - a time to remember, reconnect, and celebrate the lives of those who have passed. You’ll be guided through the mindful art of scent design and natural candle-making, blending intention with aroma to create your own candle, imbibed with your own signature scent.

The workshop includes all materials and decorative elements for personalising your candle in honour of your loved ones.

Luisa and I will be launching a Día de Muertos candle as part of her shared altar installation at Twentysix Gallery. Luisa will also be releasing a limited edition jewellery piece created in memory of those we honour on Día de Muertos. You’re invited to stay after the workshop to celebrate and connect with the community.  

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When?  Saturday 1 November | 3pm to 5pm. Gallery open to the public from 5pm and you're welcome to stay.

Where?  TwentySix Gallery, 26 Constable Street, Newtown

Investment per person ~ $79. Bookings essential. Suitable for ages 14 years and over. Not recommended if you're pregnant due to the nature of some essential oils.

Please note that your candle will need to cure overnight and will be available for either pickup from TwentySix Gallery or we can courier it to you (cost of courier is $5.50).  Thank you.

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Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a vibrant and deeply meaningful Mexican tradition that celebrates the lives of those who have passed away. Rather than mourning death, it honours it as a natural part of the life cycle — a time when the souls of loved ones are believed to return to visit the living.

Celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, it blends Indigenous Aztec beliefs about the afterlife with Catholic traditions brought by the Spanish, creating a unique expression of remembrance, joy, and continuity.

Here are the key elements and meanings:

Altars (Ofrendas) - Families build beautiful altars at home or in cemeteries, decorated with photos, candles, marigold flowers (cempasúchil), food, drinks, and personal items their loved ones enjoyed in life. These offerings are meant to guide spirits back to the world of the living.

Marigolds (Cempasúchil) - Known as “the flower of the dead,” marigolds are believed to attract souls with their bright colour and scent, symbolising the fragility and beauty of life.

Traditional foods - Families prepare special dishes such as pan de muerto (sweet bread decorated with bone-like shapes), tamales, and sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar), which represent both death and the sweetness of life.

Skulls and skeletons - Often seen in art and face painting, they symbolise the playful, accepting relationship with mortality - reminding us that death is not to be feared, but embraced as part of existence.

Celebration - Rather than somber mourning, Día de Muertos is filled with music, laughter, candles, and storytelling. It’s a time to share memories and keep the essence of loved ones alive through ritual and joy.

At its heart, Día de Muertos is about connection — between generations, between the living and the departed, and between the physical and spiritual worlds.

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Cancellation policy

If you can no longer attend the workshop please contact us at least 72 hours prior  for a full refund. If you cancel within 72 hours we can only provide a refund or move you to another date, if we're able to rebook your spot. Thank you.