Project 1: The Triple Goddess Masks

 Project 1

The Triple Goddess Masks

Designs

Masks

The Maiden

The Mother

The Crone

Artist Statement

                  When coming up with ideas, I had always wanted to make masquerade masks since I was younger. They have always fascinated me with both they're designs but also how they work. But I also have always wanted to explore the more mystic side of humanity within my work. I am mainly inspired by the magical realms of nature and how the world pre "technology" found ways to create the world around them. By creating these masks using nature themes throughout, I could tap back into what made the world magical.

                  I have an extensive background within technical theatre. Because of studying it in high school I learned much theatre history, and technical skills for the theatre. Masks have been around since the ancient Greek theatre. They were a solution to the storytelling within an arena stadium. Because these spaces were built tall, the people higher up needed a way to view the same show as people closer would see it. These masks helped portray many emotions and helped create a narrative. Masks would go onto to evolve over time becoming symbols of mystery and secrecy. I wanted to pull from this idea that identity could be otherworldly with the help of an adorned mask.

                 Touching back on the mystic side of the project, I have always been interested in the triple goddess. I'm not sure if she is solely tethered to Hecate, the goddess of magic in Ancient Greek Myths. But nonetheless, she has been a figure that I have been itching work with in my art. When researching this figure, I learned that there are many nature motifs that symbolize each figure.

The Maiden

                  Being portrayed as the youngest of the three, the maiden symbolizes rebirth and youth. I wanted to convey this free spirited being that just gives off youth. I learned that she is represented by the waxing new moon as she is the start of the new cycle. So I added this to the top of the mask to depict this. I also chose to use butterfly wings as a way to symbolize this care free being. I interpreted that she would choose to be airy, and have no real tether to the lives around her. By being the embodiment of youth, she holds no responsibility, she can dream in the clouds and never have to come down. There is a sense of innocence with this design.

The Mother

                  Moving on to the Mother mask, I wanted to give her a more earthy feel to the design. I wanted to ground her to the world around her. The mother represents a nurturing and empathetic figure. I interpreted this mask to be a representation of Mother Earth. She is represented by the full moon, a bountiful and generous symbol. I wanted leaves and sprigs to show off the beauty of nature. This mask shows more wisdom yet retaining the youth. She is the in between for many.

The Crone

                  Lastly, the crone mask truly gives a satisfying completion to the trio. She is the waning moon, the end of cycle, the final stage in "life". I wanted to convey the idea of being who has lived a long life and could tell you whatever you want to know. I wanted to create a figure who seems to be full of knowledge. This is why I chose the texture of the mask to be the bark of a tree. Trees are known to be some of the oldest living beings of this planet. They have seen many generations come and go and the development of the world. I wanted her to be worn down, tired, but yet very intriguing to the viewers eye. 

                  Overall, these masks were so much fun to work on. I love adding adorning details to things and this was the most rewarding project to just have fun with. Each one reads a different tale and I believe this just adds to the cohesiveness of the trio. All in all, a very gratifying project. 

Modeling/Mold-Making Sculpture

 

Artist Statement

           For this sculpture I wanted to use an origami star that was gifted to me. I found that the folds within the paper would give a very visually dynamic surface to replicate. When working with the clay in the modeling process, I first began with working out the outline of the shape. From there I could use the clay tools to sculpt into the shape giving the differences in the lines and the layers of the folds. After I had star replicated I moved onto the mold-making process. I used two different versions of caulk, one that was clear and the other standard white version. An interesting observation that I found was that the mold that came from the white caulk mold was much more crisp in its lines. There was less sanding work for it. What I wanted to show with this piece was the interesting silhouette given off from a star. I wanted to create a piece that felt fun and happy.

 

Foam Sculpture

Artist Statement:

    When building this sculpture I was very inspired by the work of John Newman. The examples given in the class sparked my interest of combining both organic and angular forms into one compact structure. After a couple of drawings I was also inspired by the silhouette of a cactus. The stacking of irregular and circular shapes gave to a very dynamic form. During the drawing process I began to give in to the almost futuristic feel of the shapes. I wanted a sleek and most seamless sculpture. I also wanted it to feel very cold. This is why I left the finished work white, as I believe if I had added color it would have drawn the attention away from the silhouette, something I wanted at the forefront. In the end I believe I accomplished the feel of a manmade or artificial creation.

Wood Scuplture

 

Artist Statement:

                When planning out this wood sculpture I wanted to combine both an organic and artificial feel to the structure. Initially, I was looking for a very simplified, but visually dynamic piece. I wanted it to have this almost rigid, metallic feel to how it. I wanted to mimic almost a city skyline, mixed with very tall structures and the in between spaces that connect these pieces. But I also wanted to give off an organic feel to the piece. I wanted a seemingly, normal wooden structure with no treatment so that way it feels as if it could occur in nature. I wanted to hide all of my screws and metal work within the wood as to give off a seamless, smooth look throughout. By combining smooth surfaces and sharp edges, I feel it compliments the structure as a whole. I did have to rework the sculpture a bit as to make it more able to stand on its own and stay upright. However, this allowed for the form to be more interesting resulting in many different views from every angle. Overall, the mixture between artificial and organic supported the final sculpture fairly well.  

Gregor's Room

"Change"

A visual response to the short story The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.

White Copy Paper and Ink

            When designing and creating this sculpture, notes of blues and greens came to mind. After reading about the Gregor's transformation from a human to a bug, I couldn't the imagery of the blue beetles out of my head. I wanted to use colors such as blue, green, yellow, and purple to complete the sculpture. After looking at color theory, I found that yellow stands for fear, purple for mystery, green for life, and blue for sadness. I felt as though these emotions complimented the sculpture overall. When making the bed and other furniture, the concept of rough, lumpy forms were prevalent. This was to show uncomfortableness, and suffering. These circular forms surrounding the work are meant to be obstacles that Gregor faces. On top of all of that, I wanted to create a table that looked almost organic in a sense, all relating back to nature. Gregor himself is represented through the books surrounding this table. I chose to keep the books in warmer colors as to signify something alive. Overall, I mostly focused on what the colors signified and how I could relate each back to the story and sculpture.

Process Images

Figurative Bust Sculptures

 

 

Say It.

Air-Dry Clay, Wood, Thread, Pearl Beads, White Cloth, Iridescent Fabric, Acrylic Paint, and Ink

Left Sculpture: 4” x 5” x 3”, Middle Sculpture: 5” x 5” x 3”, Right Sculpture: 7” x 5” x 3”

The overall piece, titled Say It., refers to the self-proclaimed “Don’t Say Gay Bill”. Recently put into effect in Florida, this issue resonates hard with me as someone who is in the LGBTQ+ community. Regarding the sculpture I wanted to depict the hatred and bias many people use against queer people under the guise of religion. To achieve this message, I split the sculptures into the main two messages I wanted to get across: religious homophobia and the bill at hand. To achieve this visually I kept the main busts in a “pristine” white to display holy aspects along with materials that adorn the figures such as white cloth, iridescent cloth, and pearls. Likewise, to visually depict the legal aspects of this bust and to show the aspects of challenging and damaging, I focused on creating bases from worn down wood filled with gashes and holes. I then covered these bases in the current version of the pride flag using a combination of acrylic paints and inks.

                When designing the busts, I wanted to go with genderless forms, as to represent the community. To show that it doesn’t just affect one set group, but all. I used different faces and body proportions to achieve these looks. Another common theme amongst the three pieces is the saying, “Hear No Evil; See No Evil; Speak No Evil”. I wanted to relate this saying to the bill in a sense that essentially the Floridian government doesn’t want students to “say” the word gay which in turn, means that they don’t want them to hear or see queer identities. By putting the emphasis on this phrase, the ideas of materials and facial expressions began to take form. Obviously, I wanted to show visual discomfort on the faces of the busts through various expressions of screaming or just broken-down faces of acceptance. This was to show the concern many had regarding the negative effects of what the bill stands for. To further execute this design element, I implemented the addition of fabrics and pearl beads to relate back to religious, and somewhat, Christian motifs. When deciding which fabrics, I wanted to use, I wanted to keep it within this puritanical color scheme of white to symbolize this unattainable goal those who disagree with homosexuality want us to reach.

                Lastly, when designing the bases, I always knew I wanted to add the updated pride flag as to really drive home this message. This updated version of the flag includes not just sexualities but also gender identities, which are also under attack. I found it important to represent both as many forget that trans people are more in danger regarding their safeties. Visually, I mostly wanted to use damaged wood as to get the point across that our identities were being challenged, being fought against. I didn’t want pristine bases because I found that having perfect sculptures on top of rough material creates this visual contrast that really supports my idea. The other main purpose I had the bases fulfill was to depict urgency with the issue. When I was creating these pieces, the bill was still being debated across the court. I wanted to show urgency and that it was a rising issue. So, I made the bases rise in a line to show that both concern and problems were arising.

Research

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/01/what-is-florida-dont-say-gay-bill/

Florida’s law limiting LGBTQ discussion in schools, Explained

Some major takeaways from this article are what the bill proposes and how that will affect many people in the long run. It talks about how the bill is banning conversations regarding the LGBTQ2+ community in schools between kindergarten and 3^rd grade. This is already on top of sexual education being banned in Florida already. The article begins to discuss the effects it will have across many people. In the schools, many young students who are understanding themselves will lose those vital outreaches needed to help them. Parents could sue the school over the teaching. Kids will be outed, which is the main concern. Finally, in the long run, this bill is setting up many other bills across the nation. Gay rights are now under attack.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/18/us/dont-say-gay-bill-florida.html

Opponents Call It the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill. Here’s What It Says.

Reiterating some points from the last article, this one speaks on more of the school aspects. Because the bill is very “strung together”, parents could use the faulty wording to sue the school for money. The school would be the ones to cover the cost. On top of that, the school boards would have to restructure the counseling procedures put in place as mentioning queer identities would go against the legislation.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/29/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-teachers-react

‘Hurtful and insulting’: Florida teachers react to the ‘don’t say gay’ bill

This article reads more as personal experiences rather than listing out the terms of the bill. Teachers across the state have begun to see firsthand the destruction of safe spaces they tried to build for students. The teachers have called out the vagueness in the wording of the bill and that because of that, it opens the door for more bigotry to occur. The article also highlights the defamation of teachers who speak out against the bill with republicans calling them: groomers and pedophiles. The article shows firsthand how devastating this bill is.

Process Images