Masks

Mask   oil/canvas   14 x 11

 are frequently seen and worn this time of year.  Putting on a different face allows us to transform ourselves into something we are not....oh the psychology of it all!

Irregardless, the study of masks of all kinds has propelled and interested artists forever.  At one time, I knew an artist who pursued her master's degree creating a collection of masks.  The study of the sculptural qualities (form) of the mask allows beginning artists to note the undulations of light and shadow that define subtle or sharp changes of planes, preparing us for the study of the human head.  Although we are tempted to begin such a study by describing the ornamentation, we must hold off on the fun of it all.  The FORM of the thing is most important...its subtle shifts greet and recede from the light not only describing its formation, but the material from which it was made as well.  Mask before calligraphic brushstrokes.  The folds of the skirt before the plaid.  The hanging of the curtains before the flowers.  And the fold of the tablecloth before the checks.

The description of this mask was quite fun, actually.  When the background shift seemed way too abrupt for the intricacy of the mask, I applied a tone-on-tone pattern with the lid from a paint tube....that satisfied me.