Tandem
Materials used:
- large wood base, Montana;
- two painted plaster casts of my face;
- grey forest floor lichen, Hyalite Canyon, Montana;
- pinecones, Montana;
- feathers: goose and pheasant, Montana
(wall mount)
This duo of black and rust painted faces, entitled “Tandem,” seems quite Native American in style. “Tandem” means “working in conjunction with each other” or “one behind another.”
As I created this Mask Artistry piece, what occurred to me after having chosen to place two related masks in it, was the relationship between our Soul Self (or Higher Self) of Non-Ordinary Reality and our “Beingness” embodied in this Ordinary Reality. One supports the other, though both have different expressions in a parallel existence.
There is a personal statement here, stemming from my own accumulation of spiritual belief systems, and it emphasizes my conviction that there is a credible Higher Self connected always to me, now, in this incarnation – or “one behind another,” as the definition of “tandem” states.
I enjoyed creating this Mask Artistry piece, placing the lacquered grey forest floor lichen, pinecones and feathers around the two masks. The masks have similar painting styles in black and rust, further connecting them artistically. I love making big pieces on big wooden bases, as there such a large “playground” to play on. This “Tandem” piece has become one of my favorites, not only for the backstory message that is offers, but also for the dramatic placement of simple, natural materials that resulted in a very Native American tone.