"Day of the Dead Rock Stars"

Houston artist Carlos Hernandez started melding his love for music and his attraction to Day of the Dead back in 2001 when he painted Joey Ramone as a skeleton shortly after the musician's death. For Hernandez this was a turning point. Now his DOD paintings sell out in days at every exhibition. For his new show, "Never Die" Day of the Dead Rock Stars,Hernandez has several new pieces. "One of them is Gram Parsons," Hernandez says. "A lot of people say he passed away during his prime, before he could get it all finished. He's a very mysterious person, and there's not a lot of information on him, even though he's become a rock icon now, so it was fun to try to make up how people perceive him." Other new pieces include Keith Moon, Freddie Mercury, Freddy Fender and Otis Redding. Of Otis, Hernandez says, "I really had to do him. My soul told me I had to do his soul." Hernandez is happy to be known as the Day of the Dead guy, though he admits it makes for unusual conversation from time to time. "I told somebody the other day that I had some new prints, and they said, 'What? Did Prince die?'" Opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. October 30. Regular viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 7 p.m. Sundays. Through January 15. Cactus Music & The Record Ranch, 2110 Portsmouth. For information, call 713-526-9272 or visit www.cactusmusictx.com. Free.
Mondays-Sundays. Starts: Oct. 30. Continues through Jan. 30, 2009