Artist's Statement
I'm a mask maker, Maskerville is my Florida based studio, and feathers are my prime medium. I also create articles of clothing (hats, boas, and costume accessories) and objects for the home (feathered lamp shades, dusters and picture frames,) but masks are my main muse.
I have been fascinated with masks since I was a child - the ones we 'wear' during our daily lives, as well as the costume versions we don to protect, intrigue, disguise, terrify, and entertain. Joseph Campbell says masks are about transformation, that they reflect the shadow in our soul, and that we use them to take on the faces of our gods and demons. Since masking is such an ancient yet still venerated tradition within all cultures on our planet, there is clearly a spiritual component here, and one which I deeply respect.
My masks are of two main types - feather and fabric - in abundant styles and combinations from the wildly animalistic to the coolly elegant. I build each one to the rigorous standards required for professional performance and individually handcraft them so that no two are alike. Known for their comfort as well as their style, they are conceived as wearable and displayable pieces of art.
Since comfort and robustness are prerequisite to aesthetics, my construction process is precise and painstaking. It begins with a base formed over a contoured face form. Contouring is the key to the fit; the mask must rest easily across the forehead, not on the nose. Small light masks are based on stiffened hypo-allergenic felt; larger models on buckram - a sturdy flexible millinery fabric. Next, eye holes are hand cut to provide unrestricted vision, the face side cushioned with felt, grosgrain ribbons attached in exactly the right place, and hanging loops inbuilt so the mask can be wall displayed. Only then is the front surface ready for feathering.
Feathers are applied individually like tiling a roof. Working from the outside in towards the eye holes and ending with the smallest and finest ones at the nose bridge, the feathers are layered so that all the quills are covered, leaving only the colorful tips visible. Thus the mask feels smooth and soft like the plumage of a real bird.
Natural feather masks are my signature style (the harmonious tones complement most costumes and decors,) but for drama and glamor I use the vibrant tones of dyed plumage. Some masks feature faux horns or antlers, hand molded from my collection of real specimens; others are embellished with braids and jewels.
The feathers themselves are recycled from chickens, roosters, pheasants, ostriches, peacocks and guinea fowl - common food birds purchased from USDA approved vendors. I never use wild or endangered species.
As an artist, my push for authenticity among mask makers is to create contemporary pieces of lasting magic and mystery. Ultimately this requires a combination of the animate and inanimate. I make the mask, but it requires your eyes to bring it to life. This is not high, remote art. My work is built to be worn, thus I must adapt my vision to what makes people look and feel good. If it's successful it's less likely to be a searing inspiration and more of an ergonomic design, executed from an accumulated knowledge of what works in terms of shape and color combos.
When inspired, it's more likely by Manolo Blahnik than by Pablo Picasso.
