My apologies, friends.Life's in a transition space and I've been in a touch of a slump, between not being able to work when I'd like to (such as now) and not feeling up to working when I can (the last couple of months.)
But things are on the upswing, I believe; I've been not formally studying for the longest period in the last seventeen years of my life (doesn't that seem like it should be remarkable, even though it's not?) and my brain's begun actively striving for material again. I'm going to have an entire, lovely page of beautiful essays I've read in the last few months to post at my website before long - and I'm looking forward to updating that too.
Halloween, as it always does, gave me a wicked craving for more maskwork. My boyfriend's costume required I dig out the
So I'll be constructing a makeshift mask rack over the next couple of days, if for nothing but my own psychological and artistic benefit. I may have to tear it down shortly after, but sometimes the short-lived beauties in life are best.
My great planned new year's resolution is this: that once I have a measure of stability in my life, I myself will strive to be more stable for others around me. One of my greater failings in the last couple of years, between international traveling and changes of major and graduation - is that I get wildly interested in whatever other people are talking about and then stall out of the conversation after some intervention of real life. The fact that so many immensely talented, entirely brilliant people have accepted me in their little circles on the internet has been one of the highest honors I've ever received - so I'll try not to be so intermittent when there's still a conversation running. For those I've gone and left hanging, I'm coming back!
Soon to come:
- new leather-knives in the mail - O highest joy of joys, I've been cutting everything with the same two blades since I got started with this leather business. I believe in wearing one's clothes, car, tools into the ground, but it has been entirely Too. Long.
- the maskmaker gets a day job! (Maybe even one she likes!!!)
- a place to hang my masks, something I've dreamt of for years now
(And hopefully, some further inspiration maskwise, rather than the Sabriel-Abhorsen cosplay I've wanted to do forever...)
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:
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.
Distracted
I actually am Taiwanese, born and...well, partly bred.... DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN.
Well, if you look at Asian myths, there are less examples of mystical creatures stealing children. There are virtually no goblins, so I'm inclined to view them as a purely Western concept, originating largely in Northern Europe. However, there is a large tradition of half-animal, half-human creatures that eat children. Much of this might a result of the geographical differences in Asia and Northern Europe as well as cultural differences. Being more acquainted with China and Chinese legends, I'm basing most of these hypotheses on China, of course. Also we have to take into consideration that China has warmer climates and milder winters, with its population more heavily concentrated in the southern half. It's harder to imagine Winter as its own minor deity, even though elemental forces such as Thunder and Lightning have concrete forms.
It also bears nothing that Chinese myth/belief is a hodge podge of local beliefs, ancestor worship, deification of spirits, and Buddhism. Also a point of interest is the lack of magic in Chinese superstition. Actually, this is a gross overstatement. But have you noticed that Asian conceptions of magic is inherently different from Western magic? It's much more... spiritual and tied in with the flow of energy than an ability to twist reality.
Also I want to point out that the Snow Queen is a Hans Christian Andersen story. I love how his stories have been accepted as fairy tales on the same level as the Brothers Grimm's, but they're really not the same thing at all. The Brothers Grimm went around collecting folk tales, many of which had magical elements. Hans Christian Andersen made up his own stories, even though he borrowed heavily from local folk legends.
As for the parallelism between the Snow Queen and Jareth, well, it's purely subjective, I think. The beauty of fairy tales is the ability of the reader to project their own understanding and identity onto them. At first, I saw the similarity between their roles -- a stolen child, hidden in a faraway castle, and the heroine must travel through dangers unknown and hardship unnumbered to reach the castle. So I should say that I saw the similarities between Gerda and Sarah first. Then the stories began to merge together. The Snow Queen and Jareth would be two rather unwilling villains, acting not so much out of malice than ammorality (not to be confused with immorality) and their very natures. It is the Snow Queen's nature to be cold and unfeeling, and the Goblin King's obligation to steal children, any child. At the end of the story, Kai is able to leave when he manages to spell out the right word in the ice puzzle, and Sarah defeats Jareth with her right words.
Okay, I'm going to stop here, because I'm becoming increasingly incoherent, I think.
PS. I love your masks!
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"I hope to hold you in my arms before long, when I shall lavish upon you a million kisses, burning as the equatorial sun."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife Josephine
"I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long."
-- Calvin and Hobbes
--
You ended that sentence with a preposition... Bastard!
-O'Neill in Stargate: SG-1
Chats you can find me in:
Heaven4WolvesII
LegendaryParadise
How are you? Your journal's not been much but roleplay ^-^ I suppose that means things on at least one front are good. And where are you, now? I'm not up to date X.x
--
You ended that sentence with a preposition... Bastard!
-O'Neill in Stargate: SG-1
Chats you can find me in:
Heaven4WolvesII
LegendaryParadise
Although I imagine that'll change soon, given the early sunsets and increasing cold. Will you be there for the holidays?
Good luck with your student visa, I've no idea how difficult the process is in the UK but Taiwan's more than a bit tricky on that front!
--
You ended that sentence with a preposition... Bastard!
-O'Neill in Stargate: SG-1
Chats you can find me in:
Heaven4WolvesII
LegendaryParadise
--
"But you should know black is not a fashion you wear, you can't find it. Its not a question of Lifestyle; black finds you."
--
.___.
{O,o}
/)__)
-"-"- Owl.
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