News:
Hi, everybody! I'm posting and such, all of a sudden, and as usual that means that I'm about to go flat-out missing again. This time, it's another out-of-continent experience - six weeks in Taiwan. I should have somewhat more reliable internet access and considerably more spare time, as I won't be attending classes - I'm there to practice speaking, and reading traditional characters - but hopefully I won't be on the internet too much, except to upload photos and blog.

I'll be posting some photos and such at Flickr and blogging, probably at my Yahoo page as Livejournal is not always family-friendly. Too bad Yahoo's new interface has exactly ONE ugly template, because they're switching their social site AGAIN, this time to "Profile." Go check it out, it's that bad.

I've finally sat down and finished Twilight Princess. I was making decent time earlier this year - during a slow week in my last spring semester I took out two temples in as many days, and then knocked out the temple with the darkest theme (sorry, I'm trying to be vague) two days later; charged right up to Hyrule Castle and stalled out utterly. I've just tonight beaten the endgame and seen the credits and am not quite sure how to feel. Definitely teared up at a certain point in the credits having to do with a blond child, which for me is predictable.

Certain of the characters felt a little... well, not underdeveloped, but I felt there were some loose ends, which is uncommon for me in a Zelda game. I have some inklings that I will not air here lest I prove right, or else lead someone else to the right conclusion in my error, and thus spoil something by accident - but you can certainly ask me.

...Anyway. I have another Rosetta and an odd Scrap up (fanart this time, in a sense - a motif that wouldn't leave my head long after the controller left my hand.) I still have a ridiculous amount of stuff to get posted, some older than two years - life just hasn't ever presented quite the right opportunity, and I haven't chased it like I ought. Of course, it's not as if I've had any time for commissions in the last year or so straight - I've DONE a couple, but that doesn't necessarily mean I should have - and I'm long behind on others. What I'm attempting to say is that I probably don't need to be advertising much right now. My highest hope for the next five years is to put together a life that will allow me to jump on the projects I want, and see the people I want. Not hating my job would certainly be a plus, but I'll forgo the luxury for the first few years with reasonable contentment in relation to whether the bills are paid.

And if I get really, really lucky, maybe I'll have enough spare time to spend it rabidly creating and promoting my masks. I have a ton of design ideas I've never gotten to try, and a bunch more vague impressions that have yet to throw me at my sketchbook, and there's always this sense that while I can't see where I'm going with this artform I know I'll stumble over something fantastic if I just keep walking. It's a great feeling. I hope that I can make good on it.

About the Masks:
Generally speaking, the masks are painted formed leather, usually in a single layer. They're hand-sculpted with no mold, and occasionally surface carving or tooling is employed. They are lined in suede and unvarnished on the inner face to preserve the natural breathing quality of the leather for comfort. The outer face is painted and water-resistant. By virtue of the quality of materials, they tend to be reasonably durable, gently flexible, and very lightweight.

Commission Information:
NOTICE: I'm going to be out of the country until September and my studio will likely be out of operation for some time afterward. If the recession hasn't set masks at low priority for you, you're very welcome to go ahead and leave a note, but I caution you that I may be unavailable. Thank you very much for your patience and your interest.
If you like any of the masks in my gallery or would like a custom mask, please feel free to ask. All sales are by commission - very rarely do I have extra masks laying around for sale, because if they aren't created with an owner in mind I tend to get too attached, and because I have precious little spare time. (The good news is it means more versatility in what you can request.) My availability for commission varies tremendously because I have a full-time life entirely outside of artwork - 80% of the year I am cramming any art I do into a 27-hour-a-day schedule. However, I am open for inquiry at any time. If you are a dA member, you can write me a note; otherwise, you can contact me through my website, whatever you feel comfortable with.

Clubs to Look Into

~LeatherArtisans - Gorgeous leatherwork by talented craftspeople, a club with a warm and open community.
~Mask-Making-Artisans - A maskmaker's community showcasing a number of artists and some very diverse styles.