Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Purple Vision: A Miniature Ceramic Mask

Miniature masks, how much fun is that! Something you can hold in the palm of your hand, or put on that very narrow space of wall. This particular mask is entitled "Purple Vision". It measures less than six inches. It is decorated with feathers, yarn, and has its tongue sticking out at those who are looking at it.  
I started putting this aspect on my masks a while ago. I am told that in some warrior cultures,the tongue  was actually used to scare off the enemy. I think I chose to add that feature because it made me smile. Perhaps I had seen something of that ilk in my travels. It is often hard to know how deep in our memory bank an idea is stored, and when it comes into our creative consciousness. I do not always use it, but I find that it makes other people smile also, and I like that. 
Then comes the choice of colors to use. I like purple, and with the white and light  these three colors play well against each other. Also, what is in my yarn box can be an influence.The smokey color comes from the primitive firing I do to finish off my masks. Finally comes the naming.
Someone in a gallery asked me yesterday " How do you choose the name for a piece?"  
" It usually tells me," was my response. That is the great thing about this creative process. Sometimes all I have to do is just start work with the clay, and all is revealed!

1 comment:

  1. Another original from that awesome imagination of yours - love it!

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