It's been a while, hasn't it?? We've had hit after financial hit lately, with unplanned furnace and washing machine replacements delivering the final blow to a savings account already staggered by my hip operation, so when two full time coworkers took long vacations and a lot of extra hours became available, I signed up. I've wanted to use the scant time I have in the studio actually making stuff, and not posting on social media. But hopefully, I'm back to my regular schedule for the time being. I did take lots of pictures of my projects (and cute cats!) so there should be at least several new posts coming in short order. So I'm peeking in now to say hello and stay tuned!!

That was quite the summer project! I especially had fun making this video. I suspect my faithful and ever suffering husband (aka the man in the mask) probably had a good time too.

Yup, that's my mask. I sold it to a nice gentleman from Lightborne Studios ( http://www.light-borne.com/) in Cincinnati back in May. I have to say, this video came as a bit of a surprise. I've been puzzling over the path my artistic offspring has chosen, and wondering if my parenting skills were too strict, or too lax, or *something*. I mean, we've gone from this:

To this:

Where did I go wrong???

In any case, it gave me a smile!

Here's a use for my masks I hadn't imagined before! The following are pictures from the 2010 fall/winter catalog of a boutique men's and women's clothing label called Elkha, based in Melbourne, Australia. The deer mask is an earlier, unpainted version of the one I've been working on this summer.

I love the way masks seem to take on a life of their own and do things I never would have guessed they would once they leave my hands! That's one way that to me, masks are a particularly alive form of art. 

To learn more about Elkha, click here: http://www.elkha.com.au/

I was thrilled to recieve these pictures of my masks from a customer at the Design Festa in Tokyo this past May!

It was a particular thrill for me to have masks in Japan, as I am learning to speak Japanese (as of today, on Unit 20 of Pimsleur Japanese II!) and a huge anime fan (just finished Death Note, great show!) According to my customer, the Design Festa is held twice a year and is one of the largest arts and crafts shows in Asia. To learn more about it, check out this website: http://www.designfesta.com/index_en.html

Willow Chang http://www.willowchang.com/ and Passport Productions presented the annual PUJA Gods and Monsters dance concert on June 6 and June 7 at the WCC Paliku Theatre in Kaneohe, HI, which included performances by Anasma from France, Meissoun from Switzerland, Eduardo Rodrigues from Argentina as well as an appearance by Sans Souci Studios' wolf mask "Sneer"! I was just thrilled to pieces to have had my work included in this performance. I think right now I'd consider it a high point in my career!

Check out photographer Joe Marquez' beautiful pictures of my mask in the performance:

http://www.thesmokingcamera.com/puja_dance_concert_2009/h1f5b0887#h1f5b0887

The dancer wearing the mask is Eduardo Rodriguez from Argentina. I am just amazed at how his performance has transformed the mask into something so completely beyond what it was when it left my studio. Eduardo Rodriguez is currently on tour with Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. To learn more see these articles: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/saltimbanco/show/acts.aspx

I had a mask on display in the world famous Shelburne Museum!

Well, kinda sorta.

This particular mask was purchased by Emmy Robertson to create a "Sheep In Wolf's Clothing" she planned to exhibit during The Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild's annual show, "Hooked in the Mountains XIII: Expect the Unexpected", November 8 - 16, 2008, in the Round Barn of the Shelburne Museum. I was very disappointed that I couldn't see the show personally, as my daughter spent the night before the one day I could go throwing up all over everything in sight, but Emmy was kind enough to send me these pics so I could see the piece and share with you. Thank you Emmy!

The Shelburne Museum is a world famous museum of art and Americana located in Shelburne, VT. For more information please visit http://www.shelburnemuseum.org/.