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Woman of Courage

Materials used:

• two full/partial deer skulls with horns, Montana
• painted plaster cast of my face
• dried lavender from my garden, Montana
• dried sweet peas from my garden, Montana
• green tree lichen, Bridger Mountains, Montana

We all have two selves – one, we show to the outside world, and one within ourselves, sometimes seldom seen, hidden and private. When we choose to be transparently honest, we allow both sides to show, enabling us to be truer in communication. That takes great courage. This mask artistry peace, entitled "Woman of Courage," offers an image of the two sides together: one, the base skull and horns under the mask, and the smaller partial skull and horns nestled within the larger set of horns.

One skull and horns is a representation of the basis of our foundational outer self; the other is the private, inner world beneath our outer self. The horns from both skulls reach out to extend into both ordinary and non-ordinary reality, from both our inner and outer projections. It takes Courage, indeed, to offer both sides of ourselves to this world. It takes Courage, indeed, to balance both parts of our true selves with dexterity and grace. It takes Courage, indeed, to project the natural wonder of both sides out for others to experience.

The use of Nature’s skulls and horns, as well as the dried flowers and lichen from the forest seem to amplify that natural wonder of both sides, as both our inner and outer selves are part of that natural world. With this Mask Artistry piece, I honor the Courage within all of us to try to blend our outer and inner selves as we present ourselves, our truth, our feelings to the world around us.