Mask making holds the potential for exploring inner imagery and creative
resources which we cannot access in an ordinary way. It is working without
a preconceived
notion of the end result that opens us to discover "something else" about ourselves.
We find a freedom to make different kinds of choices.
The following mask making
activities involve partners taking turns casting a direct mold of each
other's face. Each partner experiences himself as both image-maker and
subject. The subject feels what it is like to see from behind the mask.
The image-maker feels what it is like to see form emerge underneath his
fingertips.
The next stage is called the "adornment." The character of the mask is revealed
as participants decorate choosing from a wide variety of materials.
These workshops are also available for on-site scheduling or can be arranged
for private groups in the studio setting.
The
Quest: Exploring Our Selves
In life we wear many masks, each appropriate to the situation
in which we find ourselves. Over time we get in the habit of using only a
few "faces" out of
the extensive repertoire we possess.
Participants explore their
own "cast of thousands" by casting and embellishing masks of their own
faces. The workshop includes a visual introduction to the origins of this
ancient form of art.
Mask
Making for Couples
(Couple: Any pair of persons in any combination. Some possibilities include:
friend / friend, parent / teen, parent/adult child, grandparent/grandchild,
spouse/spouse, sibling/sibling.)
Taking time to explore something
new together can offer moments of growth in a relationship. Any mask making
activity involves a certain amount of trust, listening and responding,
mostly in non-verbal ways. It is a peaceful meditation. As each face arises
from the mask medium we may be reminded of the statue, Galatea, who in
Greek myth comes to life under the hands of her creator, Pygmalion.
Woman's Journey: Nurturing
the Creative Spirit
As young girls many of us were told not to get our hands dirty. We were told
to be good and act "lady-like." Any natural desire to show off was a definite
no-no. Such attitudes did little to encourage spontaneity or risk-taking, two
vital elements of self-expression.
Later as adults we find ourselves
cut off from our creative potential by old taboos. Knowing how to sustain
ourselves during moments of self-doubt and self-criticism can make all
the difference to our ability to live creatively.
With mask making as the vehicle, we will use the myth of Persephone and Demeter
to guide us toward understanding and nourishing our own natural cycle of creativity.
The Living Mask
This workshop combines didactic and experiential processes that are based on
Jungian theoretical concepts - the persona, the ego, and the unconscious -
and their relationship to one another. We will consider the face, its manifestations,
and the psychological implications of the may faces we show to the world.
We will explore the archetypal image of the masks
from the perspectives of mask making, the ritual use of masks, and the role
of the Dionysus. Activities include lecture, slide presentation,
discussion and actual mask making.
We meet ourselves time and
again in a thousand disguises. - Carl Jung
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