There is something so thrilling about seeing my masks being modeled and photographed by Beki Stilborn :::iconxxxbekixxx: , especially for me as a mask-making artisan.

To me, my masks are just the things I love to make. A compulsion, a collage of ideas, a pretty concoction of colors and designs. I make them all the time, so I'm too close to them to be objective.

But when Beki picks a location, crafts her make up, chooses (or makes) her outfit, puts on my mask and creates one of these portraits...it becomes something different. The mask is ~alive~, suddenly. It has a soul, because the soul resides in the eyes and when there are eyes behind my mask, it's complete. Now it breathes. Now it sees. Now it has a heartbeat.

Other mask artists will know exactly what I am talking about. It's very exciting to see your art come alive like that. :)

Colombina Del Tempo mask created by Merimask: [link]
Model/photographer Beki Stilborn: [link]

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