Masks

Both of these masks were created for Stockwood Renaissance Faire

This Lion was created by covering a plastic cat-mask in gauze, and a three-step painting process. The gauze kept the paint from cracking off of the fexible mask. The 'mane' is a combination of real rabbit fur, velvet, and gauze. It was used in the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe. (Model: Pam G.)

Grendel was an old-man mask that I distorted and re-painted. The green color is actually a wash of thinned craft enamels, since watercolors refused to stick to the latex mask. It was used for "Beo(blank)", an improv, audience fill-in-the-blank version of Beowulf. (Model: David N.)

Sadko and Volkhova These masks were created for my Senior project as an Undergraduate. Based on the Russian folk tale of Sadko, a poor musician, who desired the hand of Volkhova, the nymph/spirit of the river Volkhov, and daughter of the Sea King. All masks were simple, full-face plastic masks, sanded and painted with white paint, to which a water pastel painting technique was applied.

The Sea King, who offers a bevvy of his daughters to Sadko before allowing him an audience with Volkhova. The hair and beard are mixed fabric, crepe hair, green Mardi Gras beads, and seashells.

Sadko, both the old man/narrator (left) and the young man (right), who takes an active parts in the story. The hair of young Sadko is raw sisal.

The Daughters (left to right): Kuvshika [Russian:"water sprite"], the youngest. Her 'crown' is of water lillies. Ikona, the most pious, based on a Russian Icon painting.  Meduza [Russian: "jelly fish"], the eldest. The chiffon was attached to rings of millener's wire at the back, allowing it to billow through the air. These were puppet masks, used only on the hands.

Here is Volkhova herself. Based on a Russian porcelain doll, her crown is a combination of buckram, sequins, and large faceted beads. The 'pool' she appears in here is composed of various shades of chiffon, blue and silver Mardi Gras beads, and faux pearl strands. A sufficient amount of these 3-4 foot strands existed to lay her face down and create a 'river' on stage, which the performer could then reach into and make her face appear by twisting the mask upright.

This is a mask based on "The Scream" by Munch. Created for Chamber Theatre's production of Fall of the House of Usher, it was constructed with plaster gauze, impregnated with a flexible resin, and painted with acrylics. The two views show how the mask appeared in different lighting conditions.

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