Answering the Call to Make Handmade, Transformative Masks
Leaving Burning Man one year, in a process known as Exodus, I got a message to start making masks. The name I gave for this venture was Hawk & Deer based on the two animals that appeared to me in an animal spirit meditation earlier that week. Both animals had messages for me, both of which came true during that trip.
Masks are the stuff of magic. They allow people to play and discover facets of themselves. Also, to dress up and abandon themselves for awhile. I do everything by hand, and each piece has it's own identity, so the masks bring energy and spirit with them.
When a person purchases a mask it is usually picked for a personal reason and displayed throughout the year. It becomes a part of their play identity, an affirmation of a part of themselves.
I bought my first leather mask in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I picked a mask that I was drawn to without knowing even what it was. It turned out to be a Lynx. I started wearing the mask every time I went out to late night parties. After learning about the Lynx it became obvious that I was wearing the Lynx - a nocturnal animal - out because as a morning person, I needed it's nighttime staying power!
I work out of my home in Los Angeles with a couple of assistants that help me bring my - and your! - handcrafted masks to life.
I love what I make. I hope you find use and beauty in it, too. I hope you free yourself and your imagination with these pieces as I have.
Love and happiness,
Alexandra