Making masks

I’ve been making some masks over the last few weeks – using a low temperature melt thermoplastic (Instamorph, a similar … More

Nearly netsuke – working in bone

I spent last week trying a new medium (bone), working with mostly new tools (dremel with dental bits, jewellery files … More

The 3 bronze swimmer masks have now had all their odd casting artefacts dremelled way, been sandblasted, and finally last … More

The ‘doctor’ bird mask follows the shape worn by plague doctors in medieval Europe, and the Commedia dell’Arte stock character … More

Nearly there: five shades of green vitreous 10mm tiles, colours are randomly placed except around the eyes, and black around the mouth … More

My eye was caught by this striking black and white photo of masked protesters in Milan. Meanings mutate! This image … More

The base for an experimental ‘melted’ mosaic, in raku stoneware paperclay. This has been covered with a black slip, and … More

The bird mask in the medieval European tradition is a sinister reminder of mortality – plague doctors wore beaked masks … More