masks

 

Handmade Masks

I don't know when I first fell in love with masks, but the collection started back in high school. When I was at UCSC, taking film and theater classes, I'm pretty sure it was the Makeup & Masks class that finally steered me from my filmic thoughts.

Black Feather Mask
Blue Tuft Mask

I've mostly make masks of paper macheié made from brown paper bags, but I also like to work on little half masks and full face forms too, using them as a base to quickly build up details. The masks are lightweight and strong, and can be treated almost any manner of paint or glue.

The subtlest change in eye or mouth shape changes the total expression of the face. All these masks were ones I made while participating in the Soft Touch Artists Collective from September 1995 through July 1997. The store stocked a great variety of handmade masks every Halloween, and tons of people would come in to try on the masks.

Lilac Commedia Mask
Laser Face Mask

  Working in the store it was great to watch how both the people and the masks changed through the interaction, how eyes and hair intermeshed with feathers and fixed expressions. I learned a lot about what people want in a mask too. Some need to breathe first of all, some need to see. People tend to prefer half masks, as they can still eat and drink while masked at a party.

In addition to making masks, I also collect them.

Golden Eye Mask
Red Head Mask
Green Eyelash Mask
art


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