Art at Pearl: Regina Moya on Posada, Pearl’s Past, and Her Square Meter of Beauty

When Pearl handed Regina Moya a blank skull, she reached for two things: the printmaking style of José Guadalupe Posada and the buildings of the historic Pearl brewery. For Pearl’s 2026 Calavera Collection, Regina pulled out her markers to create a graphic historical tribute she calls Calavera de la Perla.

A Sense of Time and Place

When we talked with Regina about her vision for the calavera, she told us she found inspiration in the past. “I wanted to honor the Pearl Brewery history through José Guadalupe Posada’s style.”

She explained that Posada was a printmaker known in the early 1900s for his political satire. Posada gave the world its very first Catrina, a skeleton woman with a wide grin and a huge, feathered hat whohas since become a beloved symbol of Día de los Muertos.

To bring in the history of Pearl, Regina set about sketching its squared-off buildings over and across the skull, which was a bigger challenge than you might expect because of the skull’s curved surface.

Another challenge: to capture Posada’s style in the way she wanted to, she used only acrylic markers. “I did not use any paintbrushes. It was laborious,” she says.

Her Square Meter

Regina’s connection to her art begins with a love for Mexico and a deep desire to share her country and culture.

“I know that Mexico has a lot of problems right now, as all countries, but really Mexico is such a gem of a country,” she says. “And as long as I can see with my eyes and create with my hands, I will always show the world the beauty that Mexico is.”

She remembers the words her grandmother told her as a child. “She always used to say, ‘Mija, when you grow up, there's gonna be a lot of problems you cannot solve, but you can show what you're good at in your metro cuadrado — in your square meter.’”

It was by starting there that she could show the beauty of her country to her family, her neighbors, and her community.

A Different Way of Creating

“It took about three weeks. We sketched in our studios, and then we painted here on site [at Pearl]. Painting with artists and with the community is a whole different thing than painting alone in your studio,” Regina says about the process. “I love how they gave us five identical skulls and each one of us did a very different thing.”

Passers-by stopped to ask about the work as she drew. For example, wondering why hers was black and white or being curious about her different technique. She welcomed every question and interaction.

“They listened to your story,” she says. “But you also listened to their stories and how these calaveras awaken different emotions in their hearts.”

A Message for Future Artists

To today’s young artists, Regina says talent matters, but so does courage. "Go for it," she says. "Be brave. Knock doors." Pearl is always "super friendly" with new artists.

“I'm so happy that I got to do this with Historic Pearl,” she says. “Because they helped us show a little bit of the beauty of our country.”

The 2026 Calavera Collection is on view across Pearl through November 3, 2026 just after Día de los Muertos. You can learn more about the other featured artists at https://atpearl.com/parade/p/art-at-pearl-calavera-collection/.

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