An enchanting afternoon, and an experimental evening

I need to start setting Fridays aside for studio experimentation, to have one day a week where I can try out new ideas and techniques. I also need to get out of the studio more often, to visit with artist friends and look at things that other people are creating.

This past Thursday I had an absolutely lovely and inspiring afternoon with one of my dearest friends. We visited the Belfry, which is the studio of another fabulous Portland maskmaker, we stumbled across a fantastic Portland shop full of unique artistry and strange curiosities, and we enjoyed afternoon tea and sandwiches in a lovely garden where we could gaze upon Spring flowers blooming in the sunlight.

The work table last night

It was a perfect break from the many long days I have recently spent in my solitary and subterranean studio! But such a bounty of inspiration and creative stimulation must have been a slight shock to my system, for I could hardly sleep a wink during the night that followed! So many ideas and images demanded my mental attentions that I would have been much better served spending those dark hours creating rather than trying to locate the door to slumberland.

Feathered Bird Skull pin, close-up.
Can be worn upon the chapeau, the lapel, or to decorate one's headscarf or up-do...

But I had a chance to play in the studio yesterday evening, and it was a lovely and productive time. There are still a lot of refinements to be made, but I think the projects are worth pursuing. Above is a photo of a feathered pin I made, and I look forward to making (and wearing) more. I have quite a collection of feathers leftover from maskmaking, as well as many lovely beads, trinkets, buttons, lace and ribbon scraps. I had meant for some time to start turning them into pins or hat decor, but I needed inspiration to strike. And strike it did! The little shop we visited yesterday was quite riddled with exotic delicacies of thread, bead and feather. So my only fear is that there are already too many people making similar things! But I don't think any of those people are making masks, and I think these pins among other things, could be lovely accents for a simple domino. And of course I have my own aesthetic twist.

Felt mask 1
A (rather odd) experiment with felt and Sculpt or Coat

The other project addresses my ongoing hope to find a good way to make fast, comfortable, distinctive, affordable masks. I do have some simple masks in the $30-$40 price range, but I really should be charging more for them based on how long they take to create. Another good maskmaker friend of mine has been telling me for years that leather masks are the answer. And she is very probably right! But I still have this hope that I can find another way to do it--firstly, there are a lot of leather maskmakers out there, and secondly, I'm hoping to find a slightly more affordable material than leather. So I'm experimenting with felt right now, stiffened with a material called Sculpt or Coat and folded in a rather similar manner to leather masks.

Felt mask 2
(In process)

We shall have to see how this new process goes, but I have reasonable hopes for it. There do appear to be some costumers and ttheater companies who have been using felt + Sculpt or Coat for prop and costume building for some time. So I shall certainly let you all know how it works out for me and for the masks!

Until then, stay inspired, but sleep well.