Sculptures and Masks

Masks and Sculptures

Creating ceramic masks is fascinating as they tie in to my interest in portraiture. We humans are cued to judge our fellow beings largely by their face and facial expressions, and a mask can instantly hide or pervert the reality of an identity. The masks can be realistic or quite abstract as we always instinctively search for a face or figure. The smallest change in the clay when sculpting a mask can alter the character or ‘message’ of that face in an instant, just as our real-life face can reflect an infinity of emotions by the tiniest muscular changes.
The lifesize papier-mache sculptures are very exciting to construct. Different media stimulate different creative processes and open new options. These figures have become integral members of our household, with definite personas.