The Maskery

NW Ally Masks sculpted from paper. Each Ally offers their special power to Heros on their journey

EVERY HERO NEEDS ALLIES

I have been very excited to have the opportunity to offer paper mask making classes for Seattle students. The Experience Music Project Museum has a really fun exhibit called 'The Fantasy Gallery' and they have contracted me and a few other local artists to help expose students to the concept of 'The Heros Journey'.

For decades I have been drawn to STORY and I am particularly interested in Joseph Campbell's work highlighting all the ingredients necessary for anyone in a story from any culture to become a hero. I told my students a NW Native legend of a young mythic character that was able to rescue members of his village through the help of several powerful allies and his heroic deeds.

Each student chose an animal that is indigenous to the Northwest and declared it's special power that it can offer the hero whom they ally. We looked at a lot of slides of old traditional masks from the NW First Nations and became familiar with the unique artistic and motifs. The students each made a paper mask that they used in a brief video production of the Hero's Journey story they had collaboratively wrote and narrated.

They decided to have the Hero Allies rescue me (Old Man Owl) from the Animals that kidnapped me

Here are some photos and the final video from my brief residency at the Sanislo Elementary CDSA after-school program. I'm deeply impressed with the quality of the work each of the students created. This teaching artists favorite reward!

HERE ARE THE STUDENTS WEARING THE ALLY MASKS THEY HAVE MADE AS THEY RESCUE OLD MAN OWL

ALSO SOME OF THE ALLY MASKS I BROUGHT IN TO KICK OFF THE JOURNEY