Each year the mask form takes on a new shape. This year’s mask seems to come from a island culture: a bit of indigenous broad-nose African influence with a hint of Oompa Loompa. I think it is the best one yet.

I’m leaning toward a pedestal-mounted Escher-esque ”wrapped ribbon” concept executed in a beautiful piece of Honeycomb Calcite marble I acquired three years back.

Masks at MoCA 2008, completed entry. I’m pleased with how it turned out. Definately and improvement over last year’s entry: Masks at MoCA 2007

Each year an artists statement must accompany the mask. Here is mine for 2008:

“Break Out”

“The only sin is ugliness, and if we believed this with all our being, all other activities of the human spirit could be left to take care of themselves. That is why I believe that art is so much more significant than either economics or philosophy. It is the direct measure of man’s spiritual vision.”
– Sir Herbert Edward Read – The Meaning of Art, 1968.

Knighted by Churchill in 1953, Sir Read was an outspoken poet, art critic and anarchist whose pithy epigrams only now are bringing him the recognition his life work deserved. This spiritual dimension of artistic expression is one not often expressed or explored. When I work with stone, I feel a strong affinity with something almost transcendental – a deep connection with form, earth and origins.

The smooth, un-weathered form emerging from the hardened protective sarcophagus represents the continuous renewal made possible through relentless reinvention and self-discovery.

The Masks at MoCA deadline is looming! More progress today. Remaining is some fine tuning of the stone textures and polish and then a paint treatment for the mask itself. I’m thinking a slight cream with gradation to darker shades at the edges.

Above, on the left, is the now-trimmed original mask, upside down. On the right is the Alabaster stone with a carved trough to match and enclose the jagged edge of the mask.

The finish work will look much different than this but the final basic form — the smooth facial form embedded in a stone sarcophagus — is basically complete.

Masks at MoCA Mask submission deadline: November 17 at 4pm

This is my second year as a contributing artist for the Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual fund raiser. The completed mask is due sometime near the middle of November. Last year, I waited until the last minute. Getting started is my main objective for this weekend. I’m thinking it’s going to be part stone.

Brochures from: 2006 (pdf) & 2007 (pdf).

[EDIT: 5:00pm. Thinking toward a 'cracked egg' concept:

using Colorado Alabaster]