Unmasking the Soul

I teased a bit about this project last post, there I shared some sculpted fingers and a painted eye, well, I didn’t used those fingers or the eye. I decided to use paper clay (keeping with the fiber materials) for the fingers/hand and paint the eyes on a flat surface (still on silk) instead of the round.

I finished the piece before the deadline and I’m pleased to say it was juried into the exhibit at Visions Art Museum and New Americans Museum. The exhibition runs Oct.19 – Nov. 19, 2019 at VAM.

The theme is Day of the Dead and/or Luchador. Most people have heard of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead but maybe not so much about Luchador aka Lucha Libra or Mexican wrestler. I now know more about them than I ever imagined!

So the artwork could be either or both and I decided on both. Rarely am I able to actually create the object I have pictured in my mind but this project came pretty darn close. This is my artist statement which may explain what I was going for…

“At the end of the work day they pull off their wrestler mask and join the Day of the Dead celebration…still keeping their anonymity.“

It was a challenge but I really enjoyed making it.

By Ann Scott

I started sewing and designing using fabric, thread, and paper when I was a child. I taught myself to make quilts, at first not following the "rules," then watched some experts, learned the rules, and made many hand quilted and appliqued quilts. I spent years focusing on miniature landscape quilts. Now I am a fiber and mixed media artist and that encompasses everything I have a passion for. I have taught, lectured, and my work have show nationally and internationally, some pieces have been published.

6 comments

  1. hi Ann, that is gorgeous. i love the way the eyes follow you and am glad you featured that in the film.
    i was just at a paper clay workshop yesterday. it is a great medium. i never considered that it is a perfect combo with all of the fiber work you do. thanks for posting this.
    love you.
    Lynn

  2. Hi Lynn,
    I appreciate your comment. Isn’t that paper clay fun! I’d love to see what you make and how you may approach it differently than your other clay. I must admit that the first clay hand/fingers were better, (made from bendable clay (for kids toys) which I over-baked to harden). But in keeping with the fiber the paper clay worked out well, though I had to work much faster!. I thought they would be lighter weight wise than the bendable clay but because I made them solid and didn’t use a sub-structure they weren’t. Always learning and I know you are too. Love and hugs, A

  3. What a spooky piece, in a good way. Very old soul – not evil, but it’s seen it all. And kudos for making the 3d stuff work effectively. It would be easy to slip and have it look like a caricature.

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