Day One

Today marks the start of a personal challenge. Over the next six months I will create forty-eight masks with full documentation of the process recorded here. Once complete, I will have a body of work for my portfolio and future exhibits as well as a few new followers of this blog. My hope is that my web presence will expose some of the reasons why I create what I do as well as share the techniques I practice (and all the new lessons that will arise from this project) with others. Beyond mask making, this blog will investigate fascinations with the human and non-human face.

The mask I am working on today is a full-head squirrel mask. Why a squirrel? Because our recently adopted six-year old dog, Opal, loves them. More reasoning behind this mask will come as the process continues.


This photo shows the beginning stages of the sculpture in plastaline. I am currently working with the sulfur-free Le Beau Touché by Chavant. I rarely make silicone molds so the reason I like sulfur-free plastaline is because it does not have the lingering smell that I both love and hate (maybe love is a little strong, but it does make me think of happy sculpting times). That and I wonder what potentially damaging results come from sulfur either health wise or environmentally. I have heard it can effect electronic equipment but have not reviewed any studies on this. Anyone have links to facts on how non-toxic the sulfur in oil-based clay really is or is not?

Look for more on the squirrel and other masks very soon.